18. The Last Piece of the Puzzle

At last! Found this, in Morse’s writing, stuck inside a programme of The Messiah that he’d seen at the Sheldonian. It was wedged down the side of the case box but I’d taken it out at the beginning thinking it was stuck in there by mistake. It’s a code, clearly, with stuff about the four pubs and strings of numbers. I’m guessing you guys will know it leads somewhere – you are always hotter than me on that kind of thing. So I’ll leave it with you. Just let me know if you find anything so I can stick all this lot back in the attic and get my living room tidy. Happy hunting!

17. Stumped

Here we are again. The end of a case with no clear direction. I’ve done my best on the pubs and got as far as I can. Think I’ve got an idea or two for all four but not sure. Hathaway has been no particular help. He just laughs when he reads the transcript of Morse’s last interview with Kate Buckland. What the hell was Morse getting up to with those weird phrases? Quotations, I guessing. But from what? He knew he was more clever than almost everyone else and he always had to rub their noses in it. But from his words, I am as certain as ever that he knew exactly what was going on.

I’ve even spoken to Lively about this one. Remember her? Always destined for greatness – she’s made it to Detective Superintendent across the border in Berkshire. Our crazy days together seem like another lifetime. She says there has to be another piece to the puzzle and to keep looking. Once the connection between the pubs is clear (and she didn’t give me any hint on that) then there must be some kind of plan. I’m going to tip everything all over the floor and sift through it a piece at a time. Might be a long day…

16. Not a lot

I’ve spent most of the day trying to work out these bloody pubs and the connection and I’ve about had enough. Bloody Oxford academics and their bloody puzzles. Why can’t they just use notes made out of newspaper cuttings saying “I did it” like everyone else?

The Boy Wonder has, of course, been sticking his nose in. Hathaway is on to something, I’m sure. He claims he’s not but he’s a fibbing git sometimes. He just said “It’s more of one for me than for you, Robbie”.

There must be something kicking around here that helps to find what we’re looking for. There must!

For once I feel a bit like Morse – I think I need a pint. Perhaps it’ll help me think. Not in a pub with a bloody quiz though.

15. The Wife of Bath's Tale, Part 2

Transcript of Tape-Recorded Interview conducted at St Aldates Police Station on Sunday 1st November 1998. Present: DCI E. Morse, Sgt S. Blackbird, Mrs K. Buckland. 

EM: I am sorry to have asked you to come to the station on the Sabbath, Mrs Buckland, but I felt it was necessary to see if there had been any progress on this case. 

KB: That’s absolutely fine, Chief Inspector, but surely you people should be the ones to know if there has been any news. 

EM: In many ways, you are correct, Mrs Buckland. Many have come to bear faithful witness. 

SB: We were wondering, madam, if your husband has been in contact with you? 

KB: I have not seen or heard from my husband at all! I would have told you if I had! 

EM: I have been thinking recently on your husband’s choice of research: death and rebirth, cyclical patterns of devastation. Rather Buddhist, or maybe even Hindu, do you not think, for a Christian? 

KB: I don’t… I’m not sure that has anything to do with it! Gideon has never quite shared my beliefs, as I’m sure you are aware. What relevance does my faith have in my husband’s vanishing? 

EM: Perhaps nothing. We should rest those thoughts for a little season. 

KB: Are you deliberately speaking in riddles? 

EM: I ask you, as you have been asked many times so far – is there any reason why anyone should wish to harm your husband or for your husband to vanish, or kill himself? 

KB: How many more times? NO! 

EM: Very well. It seems there are no further lines of investigation into this case. None of the four have come forward with any further information and I have therefore drawn my conclusion. Unless anything else were to come to light, I think we may declare this investigation closed. 

KB: But you can’t do that! Where is he? What’s happened to him? 

SB: As DCI Morse has said, madam, there is nothing more to go on. If you are hiding something, you have to tell us. 

KB: And what, Sergeant, would I be hiding? 

EM: Anything that may have led us to this position. Dishonesty and doubt. Yours, perhaps? 

KB: I… There isn’t… 

EM: Movements unaccounted for on the night of the disappearance? 

KB: Who? Don’t accuse me of… 

SB: Phil Harcourt, perhaps? 

KB: Oh, Sergeant, don’t be so ridiculous! 

EM: Hmm… The Sergeant does have his way of blurting things out without thinking. But, notwithstanding, this case is now closed. I think you should go home, Mrs Buckland. Or, perhaps, to Church? 

(Sounds of chairs scraping) 

KB: But please! Mr Morse! You have to tell me! Is my husband dead? 

EM: Who can tell, my dear lady, if he is among the living creatures?

14. Dr James Ampleforth

Transcript of Tape-Recorded Interview conducted at St Aldates Police Station on Wednesday 28th October 1998. Present: DCI E. Morse, Sgt S. Blackbird, Dr J. Ampleforth. 

EM: Dr Ampleforth, we’re going to get straight down to business, I’m afraid. You were the last person to see Gideon Buckland. This clearly places you in a difficult position, so it would be prudent to ensure that the information you give us is correct and indisputable. 

JA: Yes, I see. 

EM: So what happened on Saturday? 

JA: Hmm? 

SB: Are you ok, James? Can we get you some water? A cup of tea? 

JA: Yes, yes, please. A cup of tea would be, you know… It’s just all a bit of a shock. 

EM: There is nothing at this stage to suggest anything other than a perfectly innocent explanation, sir, but you are going to have to help us if we are to raise a cloud of suspicion on you. Let’s start differently – what do you think has happened to Dr Buckland? 

JA: Well, I assumed he must have had some form of accident on his way home. But we haven’t heard anything from the hospital or yourselves, so I’ve begun to fear the worse. 

SB: That he’s dead? 

JA: I… I don’t… I just hope he hasn’t done anything stupid. 

SB: You aren’t worried that he may have been killed? 

JA: What? You mean accidentally? Or..? 

SB: On purpose. 

JA: Murder? I can’t think of anyone who would possibly want to kill Gid. Are you talking some kind of random killing? 

EM: I think we should return to the original point. What happened on Saturday night after the others had left? 

JA: Gid finished his drink and left abruptly. I stayed a few minutes longer then finished mine and went home. 

EM: So Gideon left first? 

JA: Yes, at about 11.25, I think. 

EM: Did you see which way he went? 

JA: Left out of the front door. 

EM: So in the, er, Windmill Road direction. But his bicycle was chained to the right as one leaves the pub. 

JA: I didn’t think of that. Anyway, he left quite quickly. 

EM: What were you talking about after the others left? 

JA: We, er, we didn’t really talk at all. Gid was just really quiet. I tried to talk about the crawl and about Sunday’s ride, but he didn’t really engage. 

EM: Did he say anything about Kate? 

JA: Kate? No, why… why would he? 

EM: And then you went straight home? 

JA: Yes, I pushed my bike across the London Road back to Old Headington. 

EM: That would be White Hart Close where you live? 

JA: Yes, about fifteen minutes’ walk from the Butchers. 

EM: Did you see Gideon on the way? 

JA: No. I wouldn’t expect to. I presumed he would be heading back to Marston. 

EM: And someone can, of course, vouch for your being at home all night until the bicycle ride in the morning? 

JA: Yes, Rose can – my wife, I mean. 

EM: It will be an easy thing for the Sergeant to check. 

SB: Absolutely, sir. 

JA: Well, check, if you have to. 

EM: And your movements after the bike ride and on Monday? 

JA: I went home after the ride. Stayed at home all day. Rose was out visiting her parents most of the afternoon. She came back about 6, and we stayed in all night. Monday I was getting ready to head to the Clarendon lab when Kate called to ask if I’d seen Gideon recently. I said not since Saturday night. She said she was phoning the Police as he was missing. I went to the lab, was there all day – you can check the security logs if you want, Sergeant – and I took the cycle path from the Science Area across to Marston to call at Kate’s house. Gid was still missing and Kate was going spare. She said she’s already spoken to you lot. I stayed with her most of the evening and then went home when it was clear I couldn’t help. 

EM: You and Gideon were the closest of friends, yes? 

JA: We’ve been friends since starting university, yes. 

EM: And he could tell you anything, any of his problems? 

JA: Well, yes, I suppose so. 

EM: And you to him? 

JA: I… of course. 

EM: Hmm. A bit of a miss on Saturday? “Red Dragon’s in the bath, or vice versa”? 

JA: (coughs) Well, everyone can have an off day. 

EM: May I have the envelope of clues for the next crawl? 

JA: It’s… it’s here in my folder on the table. 

EM: Ah, yes. Sealed, apparently. Are you sure you haven’t opened this, sir? It looks a bit soggy. 

JA: No, I haven’t 

EM: Thank you, Dr Ampleforth, you’re free to go. 

(Sounds of chair scraping, movement and door opening and closing) 

(Sounds of paper ripping) 

EM: Well nothing unusual in here for his best friend. Clues the same as others, nothing else. Unless he’s opened it. 

SB: Does look like a bit of a kettle job, sir. 

EM: Well, Sergeant, get all this typed up. I’m leaving – I have an appointment tonight. 

SB: A hot date, sir? 

EM: I would that it were. And turn that bloody tape recorder off!