Read Online An Amateur Corpse by Simon Brett - Free Book Online Page B

South London twang. ‘So sorry to have kept you waiting. Detective-Sergeant Harvey. Mr. Paris, isn’t it?’
    Charles nodded.
    â€˜Fine. I must just get a few personal details and then, if I may, I’ll ask a few questions about.., what happened. Then Constable Renton will write it down as a statement, which you sign – if you’re happy with it. Okay?’
    Charles nodded again.
    â€˜It’s late, and I’m afraid this could take some time. Say if you’d like more tea. Or a sandwich or something.’
    â€˜No, I’m fine, thanks.’
    So it started. First, simple information, name, address and so on. Then details of how he came to know Mr. and Mrs Mecken. And then a resume of the last two days.
    As he spoke, Charles could feel it going wrong. He told the truth, he told it without bias, and yet he could feel the false picture that his words were building up. Everything he said seemed to incriminate Hugo. The more he tried to defend him, the worse it sounded.
    Detective-Sergeant Harvey was a good poker-faced questioner. He didn’t force the pace, he didn’t put words into Charles’s mouth, he just asked for information slowly and unemotionally. And to damning effect.
    â€˜After your lunch on Monday you say that you and Mr. Mecken went on to a drinking club?’
    â€˜Yes, a sort of strip joint in Dean Street.’
    â€˜And what did you drink there?’
    â€˜Hugo ordered a bottle of whisky.’
    â€˜So, by the time you left there, you had both had a considerable amount to drink?’
    â€˜I didn’t drink a great deal in the club.’ Immediately Charles kicked himself for prompting the next question.
    â€˜But Mr. Mecken did?’
    â€˜I suppose he had quite a bit by some people’s standards, but you know how it is with advertising people – they can just drink and drink.’ The attempt at humour didn’t help. It made it sound more and more of a whitewash.
    â€˜Yes. But you then both returned to Breckton and continued drinking at the theatre club. Surely that made it rather a lot of alcohol, even for an advertising man.’
    â€˜Well, yes, I agree, we wouldn’t normally have drunk that much, but you see Hugo was a bit upset and . . .’ Realizing that once again he had said exactly the wrong thing, Charles left the words hanging in the air.
    â€˜Upset,’ Detective-Sergeant Harvey repeated without excitement. Have you any idea why he should have been upset?’
    Charles hedged. ‘Oh, I dare say it was something at work. He was involved in a big campaign to launch a new bedtime drink – that’s what I was working on with him-and I think there may have been some disagreements over that. You know, these advertising people do take it all so seriously.’
    â€˜Yes. Of course.’ The slow response seemed only to highlight the hollowness of Charles’s words. ‘You have no reason to believe that Mr. Mecken was having any domestic troubles?’
    â€˜Domestic troubles?’ Charles repeated idiotically.
    â€˜Worries about his marriage.’
    â€˜Oh. Oh, I shouldn’t think so. I mean, I don’t know. I don’t think anyone can begin to understand anything about another person’s marriage. But I mean Charlotte is a – I mean, was a beautiful girl and . . .’ He trailed off guiltily.
    â€˜Hmm. Mr. Paris, would you describe Mr. Mecken as a violent man?’
    â€˜No, certainly not. And if you’re trying to suggest that –’
    â€˜I am not trying to suggest anything, Mr. Paris. I am just trying to get as full a background to the death of Mrs Mecken as I can,’ Detective-Sergeant Harvey replied evenly.
    â€˜Yes, of course, I’m sorry.’ Blustering wasn’t going to help Hugo’s cause. As his interrogation continued, Charles kept thinking of his friend, in another interview room, being asked other questions. Where