Agatha Raisin and the Love from Hell

demanded police and an ambulance. Then she lurched out into the front garden and took in great gulps of fresh air. ‘Morning,’ said an old man, peering over the fence at her. ‘Lovely day.’
    ‘Yes, lovely,’ said Agatha. He looked at her curiously for a moment and went on his way.
    Oh, James, thought Agatha, what have you done?
    They were gathered in Agatha’s sitting-room later that afternoon, Wilkes, Bill Wong, another detective, and a thin, serious policewoman.
    Agatha gave them the letter and she explained her reaction and her desire to confront Melissa. She did not say anything about trying to find James herself. Asked about her movements during the previous days, she said honestly that until Mrs Bloxby had called, she had been too depressed to move much at all.
    ‘I’ve heard it’s almost impossible to pin-point the exact time of death,’ said Charles.
    ‘The corpse was cold but not stiff, which means she had been dead over thirty-six hours,’ said Wilkes. ‘Of course, I’m sure the flies will give us some clue.’
    ‘Flies?’ asked Agatha.
    The policewoman, who had not previously spoken, suddenly threw back her head, closed her eyes and began to recite, ‘After death the body begins to smell, and attracts different types of insects. The insects that usually arrive first are the Diptera, in particular the blowflies, and the flesh-flies, or Sarcophagidae. The females will lay their eggs on the body, especially around the natural orifices and in any wounds. Flesh-flies do not lay eggs, but deposit larvae instead.
    ‘After about a day, depending on the species, the eggs hatch into small larvae. These larvae live on the tissue and grow fast. After a short time, they moult, and reach the second larval stage. They continue eating and moult to the third stage. This takes about four to five days. When the larvae are fully grown, they become restless and begin to wander. They are now in their pre-pupal stage, about eight to twelve days after the eggs were deposited. Typically it takes between eighteen and twenty-four days from the eggs to the pupae stage. The exact time depends on the species and the temperature in the surroundings, so by estimating the age of the insects, the scientist can estimate the time of death.’
    She closed her mouth like a trap. ‘Are you for real?’ demanded Agatha.
    ‘ Thank you , Constable Morrison,’ said Wilkes. ‘But I think this is neither the time nor place for a forensic lecture.’ He turned to Agatha. ‘The hunt has now intensified for your husband.’
    ‘You think James did it, don’t you?’ said Agatha. ‘I thought so at first. But why?’
    Constable Morrison threw back her head again. ‘Crime of passion,’ she said.
    ‘We don’t know who did it,’ said Bill Wong. ‘We have to look into Melissa Sheppard’s background, see what, if any, enemies she had. Mr Lacey’s disappearance and her death may not be related.’
    The following day, Harriet Comfrey, her rotund figure bulging over a swim-suit, was relaxing on the deck of the Sleeping Princess in the harbour at Honfleur.
    She saw her husband coming along the harbour, clutching a sheaf of newspapers. When he joined her, Harriet said crossly, ‘You’ve broken our holiday agreement. No newspapers!’
    ‘I didn’t mean to buy them,’ said Tubby, ‘but James’s face is all over the front page. Look!’
    Harriet picked up the Daily Express . There, sure enough, was a photograph of James Lacey. She quickly scanned the story. Some woman called Melissa Sheppard had been found battered to death. Police were anxious to contact Mr Lacey to help them with their inquiries. Mr Lacey had disappeared some weeks ago after evidence of a fight in his cottage at Carsely, Gloucestershire. He was wounded and believed to be suffering from a brain tumour.
    Harriet raised shocked eyes to her husband’s face. ‘And we helped him out of the country! We’d better go to the police. Anyway, we may do him some good. We can tell them he left with us before this murder.’
    ‘Who’s to say he didn’t go back?’ said Tubby gloomily. ‘I mean, he got me to row him ashore at that rocky beach down the coast. Imagine what the police will say. Why didn’t you come forward before? You say he had a wound in his head? Aiding and abetting a criminal. All that stuff. Bang goes our holiday.’
    Harriet bit her lip. ‘Better say nothing about it, then. I mean, he didn’t go through any passport control.’
    ‘But