Dialogues of the Dead

138 in the gallery a potential witness. Pursuing the departed guests was going to soak up a lot of man hours, so it made good sense to hang on to those still in the gallery. 'Not that bright when he's a key witness himself, Pete. It's his statement I want to hear. Get him down here, will you?' Pascoe had learned not to defend himself against Dalziel's reproofs. No way you could win even when you were entirely in the right. Also there was a trade-off, which was that if anyone else dared reprove you, the Fat Man was usually ready to interpose his own body, even if you were entirely in the wrong. In this case, Pascoe, seeing how shook up the young detective had been by his discovery of the body, had thought it best to keep him fully occupied. Now he went personally to fetch him. It was an act both kind and professional. Bowler must know he wasn't the Fat Man's favourite son at the moment and could easily be intimidated into stupidity. So a bit of tender loving reassurance would be timely, both to cheer him up and to make him a better witness. In the gallery he found the previewers had adopted a defensive huddle round the priapic totem pole, like a herd of antelope scenting a marauding lion. An exception to this was Edwin Digweed who was patrolling round the group with a look of repressed rage on his face, more leonine than cervine. Bowler and DC Dennis Seymour had set up tables by the doorway, presumably to prevent flight, and were busy taking down details. Bowler's witness was a man so nervously prolix that Pascoe stood around for several minutes before finally intervening by placing one hand under the man's elbow, easing him out of the chair, and guiding him through the exit, the whiles murmuring the platitudes of gratitude. 'Thanks,' said Hat with a smile that faded when Pascoe told him the superintendent would like a word. 'Just tell him what you told me,' said Pascoe. 'You know Mr Dalziel, he likes to hear things from the horse's mouth. I've already told him that in my opinion you acted with good sense and dispatch and did everything by the book.' The youngster looked a little reassured and Pascoe asked, 'Where's Sergeant Wield, by the way?' 'He's through there,' said Bowler, indicating one of the small