Maxwell's Return Read Free Page A

I?’
    ‘No, no,’ she said, turning. ‘It’s stuff for you. I know Hector was going to fill the fridge but he is so …’
    ‘… American,’ Maxwell completed her thought. ‘Yes, he is a tad, oops, a little. However, Nolan was delighted to find a fridge full of Gatorade and a cupboard full of Oreos and granola but personally if I never drink another crocodile pee I shall be a happy man.’
    ‘Crocodile pee?’
    ‘I always assumed that that was the main ingredient in Gatorade, but I may be wrong.’ He peered into the bag and saw with delight rashers of unsmoked bacon, thick cut and gave her another hug. Home at last. ‘I must take issue with you, though, Sylv,’ he said. ‘Why didn’t you let me know about Bernard?’
    ‘I did. I sent you the
Advertiser
. It knows more or less what I know.’
    ‘We didn’t get that issue. The chap next door took rather a shine to the rag and pinched it half the time.’
    ‘Strange neighbours you must have had. I wonder what he liked about it?’
    ‘I think he thought it was deeply satirical. Remember our favourite headline?’
    ‘
Spaniel Uninjured
,’ they chorused.
    ‘So, you missed the story,’ she said.
    ‘Yes. Fill me in.’
    ‘I don’t know all the ins and outs,’ she said, ‘but it all started back in June, or at least that’s when we heard of it. I understand that the actual beginning of it all was before that.’
    ‘Tell me as if you were writing it down,’ Maxwell advised, pointing at a chair for her to sit on. ‘Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop, as the King of Hearts would say.’
    ‘All right, then. I’ll do my best. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.’
    ‘Twenty twenty,’ Maxwell agreed and settled back, looking expectant.
    Sylvia looked at him. ‘Do you know anything about this, Max?’ she asked.
    ‘No,’ he said, frowning. ‘Why?’
    ‘Because this isn’t some juicy goss about him running away with one of the dinner ladies or similar. It’s serious.’
    The Head of Sixth Form sat up straighter and looked her in the eye. ‘Go on,’ he said. ‘I really am listening.’
    ‘Well,’ she began, ‘it turned out that Bernard had been doing some home tutoring. Not for the money, one would assume, on his salary, but for the satisfaction, company, whatever it might be. He didn’t advertise, just took on kids whose parents knew him or friends of theirs knew him –word of mouth, you know, the usual thing.’
    ‘He lives alone, doesn’t he?’ Maxwell checked.
    ‘Yes. I think in the early days he used to have a lodger, a flatmate, call it what you will. But since he became first deputy, he hasn’t needed the money and I think like most of us he didn’t really like virtual strangers in the house.’
    ‘No girlfriend?’
    ‘Again, possibly at one time, but not at the moment. Where was I?’
    ‘Bernard tutoring.’
    ‘Right. Yes. So, he did a bit of tutoring and he was coming up to the exams so he wasn’t doing so much. One evening, or so the story goes, he was getting ready to go out when one of his tutees – is that a word?’
    ‘Possibly,’ Maxwell said, doubtfully.
    ‘One of the kids he tutored came round in a state. She was crying, a bit hysterical, in fact, and begged him to let her stay. He was doubtful but he has been a teacher now for …’
    ‘Allegedly,’ Maxwell put in.
    ‘Indeed, but even he knows the score re kids and homes, I should hope. Anyway, he was doubtful, but he mopped her up and heard her out. Apparently, some family member, he wasn’t sure who, was … well, behaving inappropriately towards her. This person had always been touchy feely, but had recently upped the game.’
    ‘Nasty,’ Maxwell agreed. ‘One of ours?’
    ‘No. She went to St Olave’s, along the coast.’
    ‘That’s a boarding school, surely?’
    ‘Well, yes,’ she agreed. ‘But they do have about 20 percent day girls. She was one of those. So, as you know, Bernard has nothing to do with