Leaving Everything Most Loved Read Online Free PDF Page B

background information as we can.”
    Billy returned to the room, smiling at Sandra, then at Maisie. “Nice bloke, eh?”
    â€œYes, a very good man I think, Billy,” said Maisie, standing up. “Let’s all take a seat by the window and get a case map started. I’ll be bringing back more information after I’ve seen Caldwell this afternoon.”
    Billy took a roll of wallpaper, cut a length, and unfurled it upside down across the table, where he and Sandra pinned it in place. The wallpaper had been given to them by a painter and decorator friend of Billy’s, who often had surplus from his paper-hanging job. Maisie placed a jar of colored crayons on the table—some of thick wax in bold primary colors, others fine pencils in more muted shades. She took a bright red wax crayon and wrote Usha Pramal in the center of the paper, circling the name. This was the beginning, the half-open shell in what would become a tide pool of ideas, thoughts, random opinions; of words that came to mind unbidden; and of threads connecting evidence gathered. Some of it would make sense, though much of it wouldn’t, but eventually something on the map, often one small buried clue, would point them to the killer. And a terrier could always find something buried, if she’d caught the scent.
    â€œBilly, we need to find the exact point on the Surrey Canal where the body was discovered. I’ll get more information from Caldwell; however, in the meantime, I don’t want to depend upon it, so would you go down to Camberwell, find out where she was found on the canal. Talk to anyone who might have witnessed something—remember, people would love to forget this, so carefully does it.” She sighed. “Mind you, on the other hand, there are probably a few gossips who’d enjoy nothing more than a good old chin-wag about a murder. In any case, could you also find out about movements on the canal that might have taken the body along. I believe timber is transported back and forth to the works there, from Greenland Docks or Rotherhithe—can you find out and ask around? See if any of the dockworkers saw anything of interest to us, or if anyone knows someone who did?” Maisie pushed back her chair, and went to her desk, where she took a camera from a large desk drawer. “Use this. There’s film in the box, and it’s easy to operate—heaven knows, if I can take a photograph, anyone can! I have a neighbor who has a darkroom in his flat, so he’ll get them developed for us, and he’s quite quick about it.” She handed the box containing her pawnshop purchase across the table to Billy—a Number Two C Autographic Camera, manufactured by the Eastman Kodak Company. “Study the instructions for a few minutes. I think it will help us to have some photographs of the area.”
    Billy nodded. “Right you are, Miss. We should use this a lot more, I can see it being handy for our cases.”
    â€œKeep it in your desk drawer—I can always grab it if I need it. Anyway, back to Usha Pramal: though we’ll have names later, Billy, root out what you can about the boys who found the body—they were messing around along the canal path, probably getting up to harmless mischief. Now they’ll probably have nightmares for years, poor little mites. Anyway, Billy, you’re a father of boys, so you will know how to deal with them.”
    â€œIt’s our girl who’s going to need dealing with, I can see it coming already. Nearly a year old and breaking hearts already.”
    â€œThey always say that about the girls, but it’s the boys who break the hearts,” said Sandra.
    â€œNot if I’ve got anything to do with it—no one will break my little girl’s heart.”
    â€œI’m sure they won’t, Billy,” said Maisie, turning to her secretary. “Sandra, you said you thought you might have seen Miss Pramal