The Stratford Murder by Mike Hollow (love books to read txt) 📕

‘Yes. The last one was in November 1935, and the law says a parliament can only last five years, so that means we ought to be having an election by next month. But now the government’s talking about delaying it for a year because of the war, so who knows when it’ll be? We’ll just have to add it to all the fun we’re going to have when this war’s over.’

‘Well, the result we get in the States next month could have a significant influence on how soon that day comes.’

‘Is the war a big issue?’

‘It certainly is, and especially what we can do to keep out of it. The Republicans have been saying Roosevelt’s too keen on war and he’s supporting you British too much when he should be building up our own defences instead, and the Democrats are accusing the Republicans of being sympathetic to the fascists.’

‘Who do you think will win?’

‘It’s difficult to say. Back in June it looked like the Republicans would win and had a strong candidate in Wendell Willkie, but now it’s not so clear. Roosevelt’s been ahead in the polls, but it could be a close-run thing.’

Cradock followed this conversation, looking from Jago to Dorothy and back again and realising that he didn’t know the first thing about American politics.

‘So what result would be best for us?’ he interjected, hoping this remark would not sound too stupid. ‘For Britain, I mean. Who do we want to win?’

‘An interesting question, Peter,’ Dorothy replied, to his ill-concealed pleasure. ‘Although you have to remember it isn’t always a clear-cut issue. I believe it was one of your English lords – Lord Morley – who once said an election offers the voters an opportunity to make a choice between two mistakes. You might think it’s obvious that we should join the war on your side, but there are plenty of influential people in the States who want to keep the country out of it. Charles Lindbergh, for example. You know – the famous aviator.’

‘The one whose baby boy was kidnapped?’

‘That’s the one. A few weeks back they set up a thing called the America First Committee – they’re very opposed to Roosevelt, because they think he wants to drag America into the war.’

‘And does he?’

‘Well, I’m not sure I can tell you what he wants. He’s talked a lot about keeping America out of the war too, but at the same time he’s been helping you. We’ve been here before, of course. In the last war President Wilson did everything he could to keep America neutral. He’d seen what the Civil War did to our country and he didn’t want to put us through that kind of destruction and suffering again. When he campaigned for his second term in 1916 his slogan was “He’s kept us out of war”. And just like now, we weren’t ready for it. It was only when German submarines started sinking our ships that he was finally persuaded, and Congress voted for war.’

‘Roosevelt’s the one who gave us those fifty destroyers, isn’t he? Doesn’t that mean he’s on our side?’

‘According to people I’ve spoken to in London, both candidates know that Germany’s a huge threat to the USA, and that you’re our last line of defence against it. My friends in Washington say President Roosevelt’s biggest fear is that if Britain’s defeated the Royal Navy will fall into German hands, and then Germany will be unstoppable – and America will be its next target. He can see you’ve got your backs to the wall and he doesn’t want you to lose – that’s why he pushed that destroyer deal through.’

‘No wonder he’s worried,’ said Cradock, moved by a vague sense of obligation to be patriotic when talking to Dorothy. ‘We’ve got the biggest fleet in the world.’

‘It certainly worries me, dear, I don’t mind telling you,’ said another voice, joining the discussion. It was Rita, who had arrived noiselessly at Cradock’s shoulder. Jago looked up and saw her staring down at him, notebook in hand, as if expecting him to say something.

‘What’s that?’ he said. ‘What worries you?’

‘The war, of course. I’m a Gemini, see.’

‘A Gemini?’

‘Yes, my star sign. Geminis always worry, although you wouldn’t know it because they hide their troubles behind their light-hearted exterior.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes. They’re good-natured, kind and affectionate. And unselfish too. I thought you’d know about that sort of thing, Mr Jago, what with you being a detective. Understanding what makes people tick.’

‘I see. For some reason the Metropolitan Police Service doesn’t include star signs in its training for detectives.’

‘They will one day, you mark my words. You can’t just rely on fingerprints and alibis. You’ve got to understand the heart. Men don’t see that kind of thing, though, do they? You want to get some women detectives, that’s what you should do. Some Geminis. They’re quick, you know – lots of insight into human nature. And Geminis make very good wives – that’s what they say.’

‘You don’t believe in that nonsense, do you?’ Jago replied, and immediately felt guilty when he saw Rita’s crushed expression.

‘It’s not nonsense,’ she said timidly. ‘I find it very comforting, especially these days. There was an astrologist in the paper, an American lady.’ She turned to Dorothy as if looking for sympathy and support. ‘One of yours. Last year she predicted the war was going to start in the autumn, and it did. And she said Germany’s going to lose, and Hitler’s going to fall in 1943.’

‘The papers are hardly likely to report an astrologist predicting that we’ll lose the war, are they?’ Jago retorted, unable to disguise the tone of impatience in his voice. ‘Besides, what is the future? It doesn’t exist, does it? So how can anyone predict something that doesn’t exist? All we know is the present, and what we might remember of the past. That’s all the truth there is, and all the rest is either made up or unknowable.’

‘I don’t know about that, Mr Jago,’