SCENE ONE.
A library. Julia, stands with her back to us.

A member of the audience (young woman) is asked to take her flowers.

JULIA

Gemma! (turns to the audience)
Twenty- five years I have been library manager. They said it would be difficult to enter such a tight knit community. But I can honestly say I do feel as if I belong.

Little Gemma. First time I came across her, she was just a tiddler and now ... final year at law school! Not that I\\\'m surprise. Gemma has always had the determination of a pit bull terrier: read Ulysses, only fifteen, without incurring one late fine.

I always say forget Shakespeare, it\\\'s books, not eyes, that are the windows to the soul.

The council cuts ... well ... short sighted, that’s what that is. I could have saved the NHS a great deal of money by giving an early diagnosis of Mrs Talbot\\\'s Munchausen\\\'s: “Maladies you never knew existed” combined with extended borrowing of “Twenty ways to keep your doctor on his toes.”

It\\\'s not just books that speak volumes, reading habits provoke conversation. People like to explain why they\\\'re borrowing certain books. They might say; “Charley Dickens - I\\\'m studying him at night school, or “Keeping Goats - I\\\'m thinking of going into the cheese making business.”

All in all, over the years, I’ve gotten to know more about my fellow man than is perhaps necessary.

But to be candid ... these past six months... this murder, well It has, so to speak, put the cat amongst the pigeons.

It may appear that I have not been ... as involved ... as some ... in the proceedings ... but .... I feel now ... at this point it might be best to ..... lay my cards on the table.

I have always admired the library at Hortishall Hall, though not officially open to the public. I have found the Royal British Legion fete, third Sunday in June, fortuitus. It being perfectly plausible to lose ones way, in search of the lavatories.

It was well worth a visit: a number of first editions, some signed, an Elliot with a lovely dedication and a doodle of a butterfly. I\\\'m not sure if Elliot actually did the doodle, or someone added that at a later date. But ...

Look at me, I’ve come over all emotional. Twenty five

I can\\\'t say as I wasn\\\'t disappointed never to have received an official invitation. However, I found comfort in the will ... not will as in self determination. No, Lord Hotershall\\\'s will: his Last Will and testament. You see I heard things from our lovely local solicitor Reese Trumpington.

(to Reese) Please put your hand up Reese, so everyone can see where you are. That’s right. Don’t be shy.

Now Reese reads books which I would class as porn.

Reese on the other hand would class as having a mildly erotic nature. Isn’t that right Reese? And that, of course, is why you’re always so keen to talk, when the self-service machine is out of action.

(to Audience) Reese opens the book offering me the barcode like he\\\'s trying to be helpful. But I don\\\'t need to see the jackets of “Babes of Babylon” or “Three Large Ladies on a Camel,” to know that these are not biblical texts.