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Chapters (70)
  1. Cover
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  3. Map of Rutland
  4. Map of Oakham
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
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  25. 21
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  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. On Borrowed Time
  69. Acknowledgments
  70. Adam Croft

Even if the Lord Nelson had been heaving with people, Barbara Tallis would have been the clear favourite in a Spot The Councillor competition. And from the way she spoke, it seemed she had a number of years’ of experience in local politics under her belt.

‘Terrible news about Roger,’ she said, getting to the point. ‘The way he died, I mean.’

‘Were you close?’ Caroline asked.

‘I’m not entirely sure anyone was ever close to Roger. He was a… tricky character, let’s say.’

‘Go on.’

‘Look, local politics is always swimming with rumours and people making assumptions, but I guess that’s the nature of the game. There were a few people — and I’m naming no names — who got the impression that Roger only came onto the council when it suited him, rather than because he wanted to do something for the local community.’

‘With the greatest of respect,’ Caroline said, ‘you may well have to name names. This is a murder investigation.’

Dexter tried to settle the uneasy atmosphere. ‘How did he keep getting voted back onto the council if he was that unpopular?’

‘Oh, good Lord, that’s not difficult. We have enough trouble trying to get people to stand as it is. Most wards and council seats are won unopposed, without us even getting so far as holding a vote. On the odd occasions people actually did stand against Roger, he always had just enough friends to be able to sneak back in. Anyone can get on the council by putting their name down, essentially. We’ve got vacancies at the moment, if either of you are interested.’

‘I live in Leicester, unfortunately,’ Dexter said, trying to remain diplomatic.

‘And I follow Groucho Marx’s philosophy of not joining any club that’d have me as a member,’ Caroline added, her attempt at humour not quite hitting its mark.

‘Yes, well, it’s more of a civic responsibility than a “club”, and I must say that sort of attitude is what breeds low levels of engagement in the first place.’

‘Can you give me any examples of times when Roger’s time on the council might have been linked with vested interests?’ Dexter asked, trying to return to matters of business once again.