The wind caught Eleanor's coat as she stepped out of the car.
Weller's vehicle stood near an isolated building. Beyond it, shingle stretched towards the sea. Officers were searching the surrounding ground.
The doors had been locked. There was no sign of a struggle.
Relf spoke to the officer in charge while Eleanor walked a little way towards the car. Weller might have left it there to meet someone, or continued on foot. She could see no indication of which.
Relf joined her.
"Nothing yet."
"What was he wearing when you last saw him?"
"A coat. Ordinary trousers."
"Shoes?"
"Loafers, I think."
She looked at him.
"The mark by the church door."
He took out his telephone.
The enquiries established a size nine. It was compatible with the smaller impression, but gave them no match to the tread.
Before Relf finished writing it down, a search officer called him over.
They had found a folded photocopy of Romney Marsh in Weller's car.
Three locations were circled. Beside two, someone had written WREN and LAMB.
The third annotation read:
MARTIN
Eleanor took out her telephone.
Martin Vale did not answer.
She tried again while Relf called the church, then Martin's house.
Nothing.
"Could be another place name," she said.
Relf was already walking towards their car.
"We're going back."
They reached the church forty-three minutes later.
The door was open.
Relf called for officers to meet them there, then entered with Eleanor close behind him.
In the ringing chamber, seven ropes were tied. The tenor tail lay loose across the boards.
Eleanor stopped.
Relf put an arm across her path.
"Keep clear of it."
A voice came from above.
"Arthur!"
"Martin?"
"Don't touch the rope!"
Relf looked towards the stairs.
Then another voice called down.
"Inspector."
Tom Weller.
"Where's Martin?" Relf asked.
"With me."
"Is he hurt?"
"He's alive."
Eleanor moved towards the stair door. Relf caught her arm and held her back.
"Come down, Tom."
"No."
"Dr Harcourt there?"
Relf did not answer.
"I assume she is."
"Yes," Eleanor said.
Weller paused.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"To leave."
"Then come down."
"Martin and I have something to settle first."
Martin shouted. They heard a blow, then a scrape against timber.
Eleanor pulled against Relf's hand.
He kept hold of her.
"Martin!" he called.
A low reply reached them.
Weller spoke over it.
"Adrian thought he could understand everything from those inscriptions. He should have left them alone."
"You knew what he'd found," Eleanor said.
"I knew what he was trying to find."
She looked at the loose tenor rope. Martin had warned them twice. Whatever was happening above, he was afraid they might move the bell.
"Tom," Relf called. "Why is the tenor rope loose?"
No answer.
"Martin. Is it safe?"
"No!"
"Stay where you are," Relf said. "We're not touching it."
Weller's voice sharpened.
"He's making rather a fuss."
"What have you done?" Eleanor asked.
"Nothing that can't be put right."
Relf drew her farther from the rope.
"Come down and let us help him."
"No."
For a moment there was silence.
Then an engine started outside.
Relf turned his head towards the church door.
Weller came down the stairs.
Eleanor heard the hurried steps and saw him emerge carrying a stick. Relf turned back as Weller swung it.
The blow caught his forehead.
He fell against the wall and dropped to his knees.
Eleanor moved towards him. Weller seized her shoulder and shoved her aside. She struck the stonework, pain running down her arm.
He went past her and through the door.
Outside, the engine revs rose sharply.
A vehicle pulled away before Weller reached it.
He stopped in the road, watching it disappear.
Eleanor reached the doorway. Behind her, Relf was getting to one knee, blood running from his forehead.
"Tom," he called.
Weller turned.
Then he ran into the churchyard.