Page 115 of Murder in the Family

PETER LASCELLES

Ah, the Wilsons.

HUGO FRASER

The Wilsons, exactly.

PETER LASCELLES

Well, as you will appreciate more than most, the investigation remains open – officially, at any rate – so I’m limited as to what I can say publicly.

HUGO FRASER

Understood.

PETER LASCELLES

But speaking hypothetically, in a case where certain parties could have a substantial financial interest in the death of a victim, we would always carry out a thorough investigation as to whether a) they were aware of this financial interest, and b) if they were indeed aware, whether they also had the means and opportunity to carry out the crime.

HUGO FRASER

Our working assumption on a) is yes.

PETER LASCELLES

You may think so, I couldn’t possibly comment. As the saying goes.

HUGO FRASER

Did you establish if the Wilsons had solid alibis for the night of the third of October 2003?

PETER LASCELLES

Let’s just say that neither Mrs Wilson nor her son were ever charged. That is, of course, a matter of public knowledge as no charges have yet been brought against anyone in this case.

HUGO FRASER

Do you know where Ian Wilson’s now living?

PETER LASCELLES

He moved abroad, I believe, in fairly short order after the murder. But as to where, I’m afraid I have no idea.

(pause)

Sorry, I haven’t been much help, have I?

CUT TO: Studio.

HUGO FRASER

So that’s where we are. If we take Lascelles’s word for it, neither of the Wilsons were in the frame for the murder back then. And to be honest, I’m not sure a woman could even carry out an attack like that, especially one as old as Margaret would have been by then.

ALAN CANNING

I’ve seen cases where women were capable of that degree of violence, though they were almost always under acute mental or emotional pressure at the time.

JJ NORTON

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