Death is a Lottery

"Ms Montague, you told Officer Jacobson that you have some information regarding the Cranbourne case."

"Mrs Montague."

"Hmm?"

"My name is Mrs Montague."

"Okay. Mrs Montague, could you tell us what happened on the night of December the thirty first?"

"Oh, it was such a wonderful New Year's Eve party. I host it every year, you know. They all love this room. Don't you think it's just gorgeous? Everyone was having such a lovely time in here, but she was hiding it from him."

"Who was hiding what from whom?"

"She'd promised him she'd stop gambling."

"Who had promised whom that she would stop gambling?"

"Susan, of course."

"Susan Cranbourne? Prime Minister Cranbourne?"

"Yes. It was her New Year's resolution last year. She even told him she'd stop buying lottery tickets, but we all knew she didn't."

"She told whom?"

"Geoff."

"Mr Cranbourne? Geoffrey Cranbourne?"

"Yes, that's right. Geoff."

"It seems strange that a Prime Minister would play the lottery. How would she handle the publicity if she won?"

"That's how we got her to acknowledge she had a problem. She had this elaborate system to have different members of her staff collect winnings from her gambling."

"And how does this relate to the night in question, Ms Montague?"

"Mrs Montague."

"Sorry. Mrs Montague. How does this relate to New Year's Eve?"

"She was hiding it from him."

"Susan Cranbourne was hiding it from Geoffrey Cranbourne?"

"Yes, that's right."

"What was she hiding?"

"The lottery ticket. That's why she was out in the hallway, just there."

"She was hiding a lottery ticket in the hallway?"

"No, she was checking the numbers. She didn't want him to see. Geoff was in here, singing Auld Lang Syne with everyone else. She was in the hallway, checking the numbers on her phone. I assumed, at first, that she was admiring the new wallpaper---it's bespoke, don't you know? I have to confess to being a bit of a... to being a bit nosy. I just had to know what she was doing, so I hid over by the stairs. I was just able to see her phone and the ticket."

"And Mrs Cranbourne had told Mr Cranbourne that she had stopped playing the lottery?"

"Yes, that's right. That's the whole point."

"What's the whole point?"

"She played the lottery."

"Go on."

"I mean, the media always portrayed her as weak. Not like Maggie Thatcher, you know? That always bothered her."

"It bothered her that the media portrayed her as weak?"

"Yes. And maybe they had a point. I mean, she wasn't strong enough to stop gambling. He hated keeping it a secret."

"Geoffrey Cranbourne hated it?"

"Yes. He hated that everyone saw her as so virtuous when she had so little self control. It put a strain on their marriage."

"Again, Ms Montague, how does this relate to the case?"

"Mrs Montague."

"Mrs Montague. How does it relate?"

"She won."

"Susan Cranbourne won the lottery?"

"Yes."

"I see. And I assume that, because it hasn't been in the news, she had a member of her staff collect the winnings."

"No."

"She hasn't claimed the winnings?"

"No. I mean, she once... when she had a bit too much to drink... she asked whether people might see her as stronger if Geoff died and she didn't resign. You know, if she carried on in the face of personal tragedy."

"Geoffrey Cranbourne was killed in a hit and run. Are you suggesting that Susan Cranbourne was responsible?"

"Yes. That was this New Year's resolution."

"What was this New Year's resolution?"

"To have Geoff killed."

"I see. And how do you know this, Ms Montague?"

"Mrs Montague."

"How do you know this, Mrs Montague?"

"She told Patricia."

"Patricia... Patricia Thornton?"

"That's right. She'd had too much to drink again. Patricia didn't think she was serious. He hated the drinking, too. Patricia told me that Geoff told her that Susan wasn't sober for many of the Cabinet meetings. He was talking about leaving her."

"Geoffrey Cranbourne talked about leaving Susan Cranbourne?"

"Yes, that's what I said, isn't it? He told her he would leave if she didn't see a doctor... a psychiatrist or something. But she refused. She said that the papers would find out and it would be the end of her."

"I see. Did he speak to you directly on this matter?"

"No, he told Patricia and made her promise not to tell anyone else. She said he'd been making plans to leave but he was trying to do it quietly. I mean, who knows what Prime Minister Susan could do...? Well, I suppose we know now."

"What was he going to do, exactly?"

"Patricia said something about him planning to take a holiday in Europe and then never coming back. I don't remember the details."

"Sergeant, talk to Ms Thornton... also find out whether a vehicle belonging to anyone connected with Susan Cranbourne can be matched with the description of the hit and run car."

"But that's what I'm trying to tell you. You won't find a connection."

"Why won't we find a connection, Ms... Why won't we find a connection?"

"She paid."

"Susan Cranbourne paid for Geoffrey Cranbourne to be killed in a hit and run?"

"Yes, I heard the whole thing. She thought everyone was in here, singing. She got on the phone as soon as she found out she'd won. I've been trying to tell you. It's the lottery ticket."

"What about the lottery ticket, Ms... Mrs Montague?"

"I was going to talk her out of it... but not during the party, of course. Everyone loves my parties so much. I couldn't dampen the mood with an argument! But then it was too late. Do you think I should have...? Anyway, I'm telling you now. What I'm telling you is that's how she paid. The ticket was unsigned. They claimed the winnings and it couldn't be traced back to her. I mean, have you even checked who won the lottery that week?"

"You... you thought your party was more important... you waited until now! Sergeant..."

"I'll get right on it, sir."