Read Online Coroner's Pidgin by Margery Allingham - Free Book Online Page B

see the time, but his objection was as sulky as a child.
    â€œI shall be fearfully early. Besides, I want to look at these scraps of mine. This is the only opportunity I have to studymy own job. I don’t care if you are all against me; I tell you I’ve got used to that. You’ve no idea what I have to put up with, but I’ve learnt to be callous, I . . .”
    â€œMy dear chap, get out, will you?”
    â€œAll right, if you’re in that mood. I think you’re being very silly, Johnny. You think you can trust all these people, but you can’t. Every single one of them was in London when this woman must have died. I know, because I saw them. Oh yes, I was here too, but I can prove what I was doing. They’ve all been on leave longer than you think.”
    He was moving as he talked, and the last words brought him to the doorway.
    â€œThis war’s made people awfully reckless and—
coarse
,” he said, and went out.
    In the silence which followed his departure, Captain Gold began to laugh. He had a deep-throated chuckle like a very old dog beginning to growl.
    â€œPoor Ricky,” he said, “if this army is anything like the last he must be in purgatory.”
    Onyer, who appeared to feel some sort of responsibility for his Service, nodded. “Frightful,” he said. “They keep him clerking, I suppose? He’s a ghastly little cat, though. Gwenda and I have been in Town since Friday, by the way, Johnny; I got leave earlier than I expected and we stayed at the Dorchester over the week-end. I didn’t mention it because it didn’t arise.”
    â€œI came up on Saturday myself,” said Gold. “I’m not explaining where I’ve been. Does it matter?”
    â€œAnd I’ve been here the whole time,” said Dolly Chivers briskly. “I . . .” Her hearty voice ceased abruptly as the door opened. Ricky had come back. He wandered in with the studied nonchalance of the naughty child, a square parcel in his hands.
    â€œI found this in the hall, Johnny,” he said. “It’s another wedding present, I suppose. You’ll have to send them all back. What a pity, isn’t it?”
    He spoke quite seriously and stepped back to await the unwrapping. His curiosity was so frank and innocent that Campion saw for the first time a reason why Carados hadever liked him sufficiently to allow him to live in the house. There was an honesty about his faults which was engaging.
    The interruption was welcome; no one in the room was comfortable after his little confession, and Johnny plucked at the knots with nervous relief.
    â€œOh, cut it,” said Ricky, drawing a little penknife from his blouse. “I’ll do it, shall I?”
    As he watched the operation Mr. Campion was struck by something unexpected about the box and its wrapping, but he did not identify the impression immediately. Carados pulled off the brown paper, lifted the lid of the stout cardboard box within, and turned its contents on to the table.
    â€œMainly paper,” he said, and paused. Something in the rigidity of his pose caught the general attention. As they watched the angry colour poured into his face. “What the hell’s the meaning of this?” he said furiously.
    Lying amid the crumpled tissue was a battered, artificial rose around the stem of which was wound a string of unconvincing pearls. It was a curious trophy, possibly in bad taste, but by far the most interesting thing about it was its effect upon Johnny Carados. The man was outraged, he was so angry that it occurred to Campion that he must be also startled.
    â€œWhat a damn silly trick, Ricky,” he said. “Who put you up to it?”
    â€œMe? I haven’t done anything. I only saw it in the hall and brought it in to you.”
    There was no mistaking the genuineness of the squeal of protest and Carados turned from him impatiently.
    â€œWhere did it come