The Affair of the Mutilated Mink (18 page)

'Oh, yes, sir. I'm not trying to claim all the credit.'

'I didn't mean that. We all know the case wouldn't have been solved without you. Fact remains that the espionage element meant that that secret service fellow was
technically
in charge, if not openly. Nobody said as much, but he had direct links with the Prime Minister and could have taken over at any time if it looked as though you weren't up to it. Luckily he didn't have to. But the possibility was there.'

'Yes, sir, but I don't quite see—'

'What I'm driving at, Wilkins, is that if anything had gone wrong the ultimate responsibility wouldn't have been yours - or the responsibility of this force. It would have been his and his department's.'

'True, sir.'

'Well, I'm chewing over the possibility of somehow getting ourselves in the same situation again.'

'You mean ask the secret service to—'

'No, no, the Yard.'

'Call in Scotland Yard, sir?'

'Yes. How does the idea appeal to you? Don't take it as a criticism in any way, old man, but—'

'I don't, sir. I'd welcome it.'

The Chief Constable gave a slight start. 'You would?'

'Yes, sir, I've always wanted to work under a top Yard officer. The idea of just acting as a kind of glorified messenger boy and letting him do all the brainwork - why, it would be heaven. But you've always been dead against it.'

'I know I have. But I think there are special circumstances in this case. If we hand it over to them and they arrest this Carter chappie and then have to let him go, then it's no skin off our nose, what? On the other hand, if, as I suppose is possible, they agree with you that he's innocent, and then it turns out I'm right and he's not—'

'Our noses are still intact, sir. If I may say so, it's a fine idea, very subtle indeed.'

Colonel Melrose clapped his hands. 'Splendid, splendid!' He looked at his watch. 'I'll put through a call straight away and see if they can get somebody here by this evening. They have several men who specialise in these more bizarre mysteries, don't they - John Appleby, Roderick Alleyn, St. John Allgood. What's that name they've got for them up there?'

'The three Great A's, sir. If we can get one of them it'll be marvellous.'

'Yes, and with luck we'll have Car - er, somebody - charged before the story breaks publicly. If we don't, it's going to be grim, reporters all over us. Fortunate that phone at Alderley being out of order. Someone there would certainly have blabbed by now if not. As it is, the only people I've notified are the Italian Embassy. They won't make it public until her next of kin — whoever that may be - has been traced in Italy and informed. So we've got a day or two's breathing space, with luck.'

'I think perhaps we ought to notify her London agent as well, sir. Seems she was going to visit him today. According to Lady Burford's statement, Miss Lorenzo tried to phone him at one o'clock this morning to tell him what time she'd be arriving today. Of course, she couldn't get through, so presumably he won't be worrying yet at her not turning up. However, he obviously will start to get anxious before the day's out. We don't want him notifying the press of her disappearance, or anything like that.'

'Do you know where to contact him?'

'Yes, sir, we found his phone number in her address book.'

'Very well, put through a call. But be sure and tell him to keep it under his hat. Then grab a bite of lunch and get back to Alderley, keep the ball rolling until the Yard arrives.'

He gave Wilkins a clap on the shoulder. And thanks for being so accommodating. I won't forget it.'

Chapter Fifteen

Gerry looked at Paul. 'Ready?' He nodded, tight-lipped. She opened the door of the dining-room. Everybody looked towards her.

Lord Burford said, 'Oh, hullo, my dear. Change your mind about lunch?'

Gerry didn't answer. She said, 'Look who's here.'

She stood aside and Paul walked into the room. Any variation of reaction he might have been expecting from the assembled guests was not forthcoming. On every face, as he looked quickly from one to the other, he saw the same thing: blank astonishment. He let five seconds pass before saying quietly, 'Hullo.'

It was Lady Burford who first recovered herself. 'What - what are you doing here, Paul?'

'I was hoping, if I may, to have some lunch.'

'But we were told you were under - er, with the police.'

Gerry said, 'They let him go. Isn't it marvellous?' It was clear this reaction was not widely shared.

The Earl said, 'But why?'

'Inspector Wilkins believes my story,' Paul said.

From the lower end of the table Hugh uttered an exclamation. 'I don't believe it!'

Paul gave the slightest shrug. 'Ask him. I'm sure he'll be back later.'

'Come on, Paul,' Gerry said, 'let's sit down.'

They did so, Gerry first pulling the bell for Merryweather. There was a strained silence. It was broken by Paul himself.

'I'd like to repeat now the account I gave to Inspector Wilkins of just what happened last night, the account he believed. If anybody afterwards still disbelieves me, I can only say I don't really blame you. I probably wouldn't believe it in your shoes. However, it happens to be true and I hope before long you'll all know that for a fact.' He paused. 'As one of you does already.'

* * *

Wilkins arrived back at Alderley at two-thirty. He asked for Lord Burford, but was told by Merryweather that the Earl was lying down, as was the Countess.

'Perhaps you'd care to see Lady Geraldine, sir?' he said.

Wilkins looked pleased. 'Yes, I would, very much.'

'Then if you will kindly wait in the library I will find her.'

When Gerry entered the library a minute later, Paul was with her. She greeted Wilkins warmly. 'Mr Wilkins, I knew I could rely on you.'

'Very kind of your ladyship.'

'Any developments, Inspector?' Paul asked.

'Yes, sir. Very shortly the case will be out of my hands.'

Their faces fell. Gerry said, 'But why?'

'The Chief's called in the Yard, my lady.'

Gerry gave a gasp. 'Oh, no!'

'Now don't fret, my lady. They're sending one of their very best men, Chief Superintendent Allgood. You want the real killer nabbed, don't you?'

Yes, of course.'

'With Mr Allgood here, he will be. He specialises in this sort of case.'

'I've heard of him,' Paul said. 'Quite a character, isn't he?'

'I'll say so, sir. He's a real lone wolf. Doesn't even have a sergeant to assist him - only his own valet, man called Chalky White. Ex-cat burglar. Mr Allgood saved his life years ago, climbed up a high building and brought him down after a drainpipe broke. Then persuaded the judge to give him a reduced sentence.'

'When will he be here?' Gerry asked.

'In an hour or two, my lady. As luck would have it, he's been investigating a case not far away - the murder of the Dean of Cheltenham. He finally cleared it up this morning - arrested the Bishop, as a matter of fact. After the Assistant Commissioner of Scotland Yard received Colonel Melrose's request, he sent instructions for Mr Allgood to come straight on here. It'll be an education to work under him. I'm really looking forward to it.'

'What do you want to do in the meantime?'

Wilkins scratched his nose. Well, nothing, really, my lady.'

'Wouldn't you like to question the guests?'

'No, I don't think so, thank you. Better leave that to Mr Allgood. Unless there's been any development since you got back, Mr Carter - any noticeable reaction from anybody which ought to be followed up immediately.'

Paul shook his head. 'Nothing.'

Wilkins shrugged. 'Didn't really expect a lot in the first instance, sir. Murderers don't often give away anything by their expressions. But continue to keep your eyes and ears open. I'm sure there's one person in this house very much on edge.'

Gerry said, 'You've convinced the murderer is here, then?'

'I'm afraid so, my lady. True, an outsider could have got in, the burglar alarm being out of action. But he'd have needed an inside accomplice: somebody who knew which room Miss Lorenzo was occupying, the location of a suitable gun in the collection room, where the ammo for it was kept, the fact that there was a spare key in his lordship's safe, and the combination of that safe. And that's the man I want, even if - which I doubt - it should turn out he brought someone in from outside actually to pull the trigger. Incidentally, that business of the safe is a bit of a poser in itself. His lordship thought that nobody but himself, her ladyship, and you, my lady, knew it. Now, could you by any chance have mentioned it to someone else?'

Gerry looked at him. She licked her lips. Then she shook her head.

'Sure, my lady?'

'Yes. Yes, of course.'

Quietly Paul said, 'Thanks, darling, but it's no good.'

'Paul!'

'Sweetheart, I'm convinced that Chief Inspector Wilkins is my best hope. We've got to tell him the complete truth. What faith is he going to have in my innocence if he finds out later I've been lying to him?'

'There's no way he could have found out,' she said sulkily.

'Maybe not. But it'll be more comfortable if everything is open and above board. Fact is, Inspector,
I
know the combination of that safe.'

'But I virtually forced it on him,' Gerry put in.

'How come, your ladyship?'

'It was months ago. We were playing roulette at a place in London. Lord, I suppose that was illegal, too. Anyway, I was betting on the numbers of our birthdays. Paul was pulling my leg about being superstitious, and I said it must run in the family, because Daddy's birthday is on the, eleventh, Mummy's on the eighth, and mine on the twenty-third, so he'd had the combination of the safe made eleven right, eight left, twenty-three right.'

Wilkins nodded slowly. 'Was anybody else present at the time?'

'Of course. We were in a night club.'

Paul said: 'But there was nobody we knew standing close enough to have heard.'

'Oh, really, you are the most utter chump!' Gerry spoke exasperatedly. 'You seem to be going out of your way to paint as black a picture against yourself as possible.'

Wilkins raised a hand. 'With respect, your ladyship, Mr Carter is doing absolutely the right thing. I suppose you didn't mention the combination to anyone else, sir?'

Paul gave a sigh. 'It would be so easy, wouldn't it, to say yes? But, frankly, if a good friend happens to mention the combination of their safe, it's not the sort of thing one goes around blabbing to all and sundry. No, Mr Wilkins, to the best of my recollection I didn't mention it to a soul.'

'I still say somebody could have overheard me,' Gerry muttered.

'Apart from that, you've mentioned it to no one else, your ladyship?'

Reluctantly, she shook her head.

'Well, his lordship is certain neither he nor the Countess has told anybody else.'

'And it's so easy to remember, he's never written it down anywhere,' she said. 'Oh, dear, everything seems to make it worse for Paul than before. I suppose you have got to tell this Yard man, have you, Mr Wilkins?'

'Afraid so, my lady, but I'll also tell him Mr Carter freely volunteered the information. It'll count very much in his favour.'

'Thank heavens something will. In spite of your releasing him, I'm sure everyone's going to think he's guilty once the murder becomes public. Unless you and Scotland Yard can find the real killer first.'

'You just leave it to Mr Allgood, your ladyship.'

'Don't you want to do anything until he arrives?'

Wilkins looked doubtful. 'Suppose I ought to do
some
thing. Don't quite know what, though.' Then he brightened a little. 'Oh, I know. I'll interview the servants.'

'Is there any real point in that?' she asked. 'I'm sure they won't be able to tell you anything. They were all in bed at the time.'

'I agree, your ladyship. It's probably a waste of time, but it's something that's got to be done.'

'In all the hundreds of detective stories I've read,' Paul said, 'the Inspector always leaves that job to his sergeant.'

'No doubt, sir, but I've got to find something to do. And it's a nice, uncomplicated job, as a rule. Just right for me.'

* * *

The stable clock was striking four forty-five when a white Bentley swept up the now slush-covered drive of Alderley and skidded to a halt outside the great front door, with a fanfare on its horn. The driver - a dark, sharp-faced man, with a toothbrush moustache - jumped out and opened the rear door. The man who emerged was tall and broad-shouldered. The driver ran up the steps in front of him and rang the doorbell just a few seconds before it was opened by the imperturbable-as-ever figure of Merryweather. The tall man strode in without being invited.

He was wearing a stylish full-length vicuna motoring coat, a grey Homburg hat, grey suede gloves and grey spats. He had a large Roman nose, piercing dark eyes, and an upturned waxed moustache. He removed his hat to reveal curly black hair, saying as he did so, 'Allgood of the Yard. Kindly inform your master that I have arrived.'

Merryweather turned. 'Oh, here is his lordship, sir.'

The Earl bustled forward, Wilkins at his heels. 'Chief Superintendent Allgood?'

'St. John Allgood, yes. Of Scotland Yard.' He pulled off his gloves and held out his hand. 'How do you do, Burford? We haven't met, but I believe we have several mutual friends — Tubby Charrington, Pongo Smith-Smythe, Bertie Bassington.'

'Oh, yes, yes, of course. Delighted to meet you, my dear chap. How de do?'

Allgood snapped his fingers, and his driver hurried forward and helped to divest him of his coat. Under it Allgood was wearing a superbly cut grey pinstripe suit, with an Old Etonian tie. 'Understand you've been having a spot of bother here, Burford.'

'You could put it like that.'

'Ah, well, we'll soon clear that up.'

'I sincerely hope so. I don't know what you'd care to do first . . . ?'

'First I must meet the local man and get the facts. I take it he's around somewhere.'