Neither woman replied, so Keya keyed the relevant information into the recording equipment, including the date and the location.
Aunt Beanie asked, “Have you discovered how the poor girl died?”
“The result of the post-mortem is inconclusive. Officially, she died because her heart stopped, but isn’t that what happens when someone dies?”
“I suppose so,” Gilly muttered.
Using her professional voice, Keya stated, “Interview commenced. Present are Sergeant Keya Varma.”
She looked at Gilly and Aunt Beanie and instructed, “Please say your names for the recording.”
“Bernadette Devereux,” said Aunt Beanie, loudly.
Gilly mumbled, “Gilly Wimsey.”
Keya continued, “Returning to the cause of death of Daisy Bentham, the pathologist couldn’t find a reason for her heart to stop. There’s no degeneration of her heart muscles to suggest she had a weak heart and was susceptible to a heart attack. There was a considerable amount of fluid in her lungs, but the pathologist couldn’t say if that caused the heart attack, or was a result of it. Blood has been sent for analysis, but Sujin says it could take at least a week to receive the results as the lab has a backlog of cases. He’s also requested a blood sample so he can perform some of the tests himself.”
“I can’t understand how it happened,” stated Aunt Beanie. “I didn’t see anyone near the girl apart from Theo, and he’s clearly devastated by what happened. It must be some sort of freak accident.”
The door opened, and Stan carried in two mugs of tea for Gilly and Aunt Beanie.
“Keya?” he asked.
“I’m fine, thanks. I’ve just had one.”
After Inspector Evans had terminated their previous interview with Theo Watson, the solicitor had insisted on leaving with his client and, as there was no crime to charge him with, the inspector complied.
And Keya agreed with Aunt Beanie. Theo did appear to have idolised Daisy and was devastated by her death.
Aunt Beanie sipped her tea, but Gilly sat despondently and left hers untouched on the table.
Keya decided it was best to get the interview over and done with. “What time did you arrive at the standing stones yesterday evening?” she asked.
“Just after eight,” Aunt Beanie replied. “Gilly invited me over to hers for an early supper with Peter and the kids. Then we left them to clear up, and I drove us both to the stones.”
“And did you notice anything unusual?”
“What’s normal about grown people wearing garlands of flowers and dancing barefoot, playing pipes, or singing ancient songs? But the atmosphere was very peaceful and harmonious, if that’s what you’re getting at.”
“When did you first notice Daisy?”
“About half an hour later. Gilly and I set our chairs up beside the largest stone and enjoyed a cup of tea. Gilly had baked some scones, and I had a pot of Norman’s homemade raspberry jam. We enjoyed them together while we people-watched. Groups of them sat or stood in and around the stones, and others were in the woods at the edge of the field. Couples, mostly, if you get my drift?”
“Er no, I don’t.”
Gilly looked up and said in a flat tone, “The solstice is about nature, love, and abundance.”
Finally, the penny dropped. “Oh, I see what you mean. Did Daisy and Theo emerge from the wood together?” Keya enquired.
“Yes, and Daisy was straightening her skirt,” Gilly added unemotionally.
Keya made a note on her pad to check if the pathologist’s report mentioned any signs of recent sexual activity.
“But she was a lovely figure, dancing beside the fire as the pipes played,” Gilly said in a dreamy voice.
“Did you see her eat, drink, or smoke anything?” Keya asked.
Aunt Beanie and Gilly looked at each other.
“She was holding a can at one point, wasn’t she?” Gilly queried.
“I believe so, and I think I saw her smoking, but I had the impression it wasn’t a regular cigarette,” replied Aunt Beanie, addressing Gilly.
“Do you think that killed her? That she was poisoned?” Gilly spoke to Aunt Beanie, but they both turned and stared at Keya for an answer.
“That is something we need to look into. Thank you.” Then Keya asked, “What else did you see relating to Daisy, or those she was with?”
“She chatted to plenty of people, but as the light started to fade, I heard her say she was feeling tired, and Theo helped her to a stone where they both sat down. I have to say, after that, I didn’t really take much notice of either her or Theo. We watched the campfire, and I did my turn adding wood from the pile beside it,” Aunt Beanie said.
She then added, “And that lady who runs the shop in Lower Rollright stood up and gave a brief history of the stones and then said we could buy merchandise at her shop.”
“Her friend with the black hair read a few people’s palms by torchlight, and there were those young women who read poetry. It was lovely, but I think it sent me to sleep,” Gilly confessed.
“I dozed off eventually, but slept fitfully,” Aunt Beanie admitted. “But whenever I woke, everything was quiet and peaceful. There were always people awake, but they whispered to each other so as not to disturb those who were sleeping.”
Keya concluded, “So you didn’t see or witness anything unusual or untoward in the evening or during the night? What about this morning?”
“The camp started to come alive around four. Gilly and I had a cup of tea and a sandwich, and I went for a stroll, as I was stiff from sleeping in the camping chair. A few women were performing yoga, so I made a half-hearted attempt to join in. I wasn’t any good, but at least I had a stretch,” Aunt Beanie said.
