A Line to Kill

‘We’ve had to be very careful,’ Dr Queripel continued. ‘Charles le Mesurier was quite a formidable opponent and he wouldn’t have hesitated to bring the full force of the law against us if we’d crossed the line. From the very start, we’ve restricted ourselves to what you might call acts of civil disobedience. The signs, some graffiti, pamphleteering, demonstrations …’

‘And murder?’ Hawthorne suggested.

Susan Queripel laughed. ‘That’s a ridiculous accusation. If you think any of us would have harmed Charles, then you obviously don’t know anything. My husband is a doctor. I teach at the school. George is a well-known historian. None of us has ever committed a crime in our lives. We’re merely exercising our democratic right as citizens of this island. We want to stop the power line. It’s true that things may change because of what’s happened. But that had nothing to do with us. The reason we’ve met today is to decide how to continue the struggle.’

‘It’s possible that we may not need to,’ George Elkin added. ‘Now that le Mesurier’s gone, Colin Matheson might explain why he made such a terrible decision to support the line in the first place. My view is that he was running scared. Well, he doesn’t need to be scared any more.’

‘None of us do!’ Georgina exclaimed.

Hawthorne had already returned to Dr Queripel. ‘When we spoke this morning, you suggested that le Mesurier had some sort of hold over Colin Matheson.’

‘I still believe that.’

‘He was firmly against the power line when it was first announced,’ Susan Queripel cut in. ‘He sat at this very table and told us that it was a terrible idea.’

‘So what changed?’

‘What changed was that he was appointed by the States to head up the NAB committee. It’s funny to think that when we heard that, we were all delighted.’

‘It was the best possible news,’ Dr Queripel agreed. ‘He was our friend. We’d known each other for years. I was the best man at his wedding, for heaven’s sake!’

‘But then almost overnight he turned against us,’ Susan Queripel continued. ‘He knew what it meant to us personally, but suddenly that didn’t matter any more. He started talking about the financial benefits it might bring to the island.’

‘There are no financial benefits,’ Georgina scowled.

‘Cheaper energy. Faster internet. New jobs. That’s what they promised, but none of it is true.’

‘I’m surprised Judith went along with it,’ Dr Queripel said. ‘She’s not stupid. And she loves this island. I can’t believe she’d just sit back and watch her husband help to wreck it.’

‘What can you tell me about Judith Matheson?’ Hawthorne asked.

‘Colin’s nothing without her and everyone here knows it.’ It was George Elkin who answered. ‘Her family has been in Alderney for generations. They made a fortune out of travel and tourism. Judith set up Colin with his chambers and she got him into the States. It’s her house they live in and her wealth that keeps their three children in private school. And God help him if he steps out of line. She’s the one who wears the trousers in that relationship.’

I wasn’t surprised to hear this. Even from the emails she had sent me, Judith Matheson had struck me as a bit of a control freak and meeting her had only confirmed this. As for Colin, he was unimpressive enough when he was on his own, but on the only occasion when I had seen them together, the ‘designated driver’ had been almost invisible.

‘He’s a coward!’ Georgina said, solemnly agreeing with her husband.

‘I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Charles le Mesurier had something on him. It’s the only way to explain it.’

‘So what happens now – with your protests?’ Hawthorne asked.

‘We’ll wait and see,’ Dr Queripel said. ‘Nothing’s actually been signed and we’ve written to OLAF—’

‘Who are OLAF?’ I asked. I’d said nothing up to now, remembering Hawthorne’s remarks.

‘They’re the anti-fraud office working for the EU. They investigate dodgy deals, corruption and the rest of it. We never heard back from them, but we’re not giving up.’

‘The whole thing could go away now that le Mesurier is dead,’ Elkin said. ‘Whoever killed him could have done us a huge favour.’

Hawthorne rounded on him. ‘You were there that night,’ he said. ‘At the party.’

‘Yes.’

‘Did you go into the Snuggery?’

‘Why would I have done that?’

‘Well, possibly to put a knife into the man who was going to dig up your old grandpa and stick a cable through his grave.’

‘How dare you say that to me? Have you no shame?’

But Hawthorne had already moved on. ‘What about you, Dr Queripel?’

The doctor’s cheeks reddened. ‘I already told you. I was here in the house all evening, playing bridge.’

‘Who with?’

‘My wife and Georgina.’

‘Forgive me. I may be wrong. But that only makes three.’

‘No. That’s right. It was three-handed bridge.’ There was an awkward pause. ‘We usually play with George, but he felt he had to drive over to The Lookout, even though he didn’t want to attend the party.’