The Insanity of Murder by Felicity Young Read Free Book Online Page A

suspicions, but to hear them confirmed thus changed everything. The shock of the admission felt like a blow to Dody’s chest, a physical pain. As she closed her eyes and prayed for strength, angry thoughts buzzed around her head like disturbed bees in a hive.
    Steeling herself as best she could, she sat on the edge of the bed. She must not let her anger show. She must remain calm for Florence’s sake, offer her support and then suggest the most honest course of action — that Florence turn herself in and throw herself on the mercy of the courts.
    Florence spoke first. ‘Every time I close my eyes I see that night watchman’s face. He caught us just after we’d planted the bomb. He tried to put his hand on me and I threw him to the ground. He hit his head.’
    ‘You managed to throw a grown man to the ground?’
    Florence ignored the incredulity in Dody’s voice. ‘We knew the bomb would blow any minute and dragged him behind the convenience block outside the station. We stayed with him until the authorities arrived, then made our escape before we were seen by anyone.’ She paused to draw a shaking breath. ‘If I could save him by surrendering myself to the authorities, I would.’ She sat up in the bed and took the handkerchief Dody offered. ‘I really would — but it won’t make any difference to him now, will it?’
    ‘No, I suppose it won’t,’ Dody said, chewing her bottom lip. ‘But it would offer his family some form of justice.’
    Florence appeared not to hear Dody’s last remark, as if still fixated on the scene in her head. It must be a relief to talk the whole ghastly incident through with someone, Dody thought.
    ‘And all those bodies … it was a horrible mistake that should never have happened,’ Florence said.
    ‘Who was your partner? You seem to have been left to face the consequences.’
    She lifted her chin with some of her usual spirit. ‘I will never reveal my accomplice’s name. ’
    ‘But you will turn yourself in, won’t you?’
    Florence swallowed. She shook her head.
    ‘But you have to.’
    ‘I received a note from Christabel. On no account am I to admit to this disaster. This incident has apparently been an embarrassment to them.’
    ‘For goodness sake, Florence, you mean they will take no responsibility for this atrocity at all?’
    ‘No,’ she said, with an amazing absence of rancour.
    Dody wanted to throttle her sister. How could she brush this betrayal off so easily? Her dedication to the cause had made her quite blind to its dark side. Dody jumped up from the bed and began to pace.
    ‘I suppose you’ll tell Pike now,’ Florence said with a sigh. ‘I’ll deny it, of course.’
    Dody said nothing. Her agitated footsteps bounced the floorboards and made the scent bottles on the dressing table tremble.
    ‘So where does this leave you?’ Florence added, finally.
    ‘Between Scylla and Charybdis,’ Dody muttered under her breath as she continued to pace. And think.

Chapter Six
    The afternoon was dull, the pungent breeze from the river worse than none at all. In the police yard, Florence lined up with the other women under a dishwater-grey sky. A residue of sulphurous grease coated her skin, a cold trickle of sweat inched its way down her side. It was impossible to control her perspiration under these conditions. But she knew she must not betray her guilt by appearing too nervous, nor must she be overly nonchalant, as that might also give the game away.
    The woman beside her stiffened as the yard door opened. Her neighbour’s reaction provided Florence with some consolation. It served to remind her that taking part in a police identification parade was not all in a day’s work for most people.
    Despite this comforting thought, when Sergeant Hensman appeared with the witness, Florence could not help but imagine a big red arrow hanging down from the sky and pointing at her head. She held her breath as the old woman shuffled past, like an ageing general inspecting