The Locked Room (Ruth Galloway #14)(51)

‘Tina was in the dangerous age zone,’ says Tanya. ‘People over seventy are more at risk from Covid. Plus she was overweight. Petra says obesity is a contributory factor.’

‘She wasn’t obese,’ says Judy. She feels oddly protective about Tina. She remembers the active figure bustling around her kitchen, feeding children and chickens, answering their questions with matter-of-fact kindness. I’ll relax when I’m dead.

‘You’d be surprised at the clinical definition of obesity,’ says Tanya.

This reminds Judy of her Lean Zone theory. She fills Tanya in now. ‘It’s the only link between all the deaths.’

‘Did Tina go to Lean Zone?’ asks Tanya.

‘I don’t know,’ says Judy. ‘I’ll find out.’ She can’t really go back to Denise on Tina’s phone, but she can ask Jacquie and Barb to check their membership files.

‘I keep going back to that third person’s fingerprints on the door handle,’ says Nelson. ‘Someone was in Avril’s house on the day she died. Or some time very close to it.’

‘It might be worth talking to Avril’s daughter again,’ says Judy. ‘Sometimes the shock of a death can wipe out recent memories. It’s been a few weeks now. Something might have come back to her.’

A few weeks. It seems like years since she and Tanya visited the bungalow with the veranda around it.

‘Good idea,’ says Nelson. ‘And let’s keep trying to trace Joe McMahon. For his own safety as much as anything.’

‘He hasn’t done anything wrong though,’ says Tanya. ‘Apart from having pictures of Ruth all over his room.’ She flicks a glance at Judy.

‘Like I say,’ says the boss, rather stiffly. ‘I’m concerned for his safety. A fellow student mentioned that he might have had suicidal thoughts.’

‘Which is more than any of our so-called suicides did,’ says Tanya.

‘You never know what people are thinking,’ says Nelson. ‘But we need to do some more digging on Avril. Good idea to go back to the daughter, Judy. Let’s keep the other women in mind too. They might have taken their own lives but, then again, they might not. If so, there’s a serial killer out there.’

It’s the first time any of them have said these words. Judy wonders if they are all thinking the same thing. Lockdown could make life very easy for a serial killer.



Ruth is, once again, Zooming with her first-year students. There’s no sign of Joe McMahon and, more worryingly still, Eileen does not appear. It’s hard to engage them, online, with field methods in archaeology. Normally, this module is taught on site. Ruth had hoped to include Martha, the Tombland skeleton, this year. But today they have to make do with photographs of landscapes, spotting the topographical features – hillocks, dips or lines – that might be evidence of archaeological activity. Ruth’s mind is slightly distracted and she’s glad when the two hours are over.

Afterwards Ruth emails Eileen – Just checking you’re OK? – but doesn’t get any answer. Has Eileen gone home? Ruth hopes so. She wonders if Nelson has had any luck tracing Joe. She hasn’t spoken to him since he left on Sunday morning. She wonders how he’s getting on with Laura and whether seeing his daughter, who looks very like her mother, is making him miss Michelle. She also sincerely hopes that Laura is feeling better. She’s very fond of Nelson’s daughter and Kate adores her. It’s all very complicated.

Kate has already finished the work set by the school and is embarking on another Lego construction. Ruth wonders if they should go out for a walk. Cathbad unexpectedly cancelled yoga this morning so they haven’t had any fresh air. But she can’t face disturbing Kate, so she goes back to her laptop and starts to prepare her next lecture. Excavating human remains.



Judy rings Bethany Flowers but there’s no answer. She leaves a message and, keen to escape from the police station and Tanya’s at-desk fitness regime – she stands up every fifteen minutes and performs lunges – decides to drive into Hunstanton. The library and the church are both shut. There’s a note on the latter giving Mother Wendy’s number in case of emergencies. Judy writes it down, wondering whether it’s worth asking the vicar more about Avril’s state of mind. Of course she was worried. That’s what the church is here for. For worried people.

It’s a sunny morning. Sunny Hunny, Judy’s parents used to call the town, and it’s certainly living up to its name today. Judy drives to the seafront and walks along the promenade. There are a few people walking along the beach, but the funfair is shrouded under plastic sheeting and there’s police tape across the band stand. Of course, it’s still only March. Will the tourists flock back in summer, even if everything is still shut? If so, it will be up to the local police to send them home. Judy walks back to her car, remembering trips to the sea-life centre and rides on the Tractor Train. However much she enjoys having the beach to herself there’s something very sad about an empty seaside resort.

On impulse, Judy drives to Hugh Baxter’s house. The garden is as neat as ever, now full of daffodils and tulips. Hugh Baxter answers the door almost before she knocks. He’s dressed, as before, in a neat shirt and tie, slacks and leather slippers.

‘DI Johnson,’ he says. ‘How nice to see you again.’