Read Online Death in Albert Park by Leo Bruce - Free Book Online

“Index Three’s being terse tonight,” he observed. “I think it’ll be over before half past ten.” Then added unexpectedly—“We like to get round to the Wheatsheaf before it closes, when we can.”
    â€œDo you think I might wait for Starkey—I mean Index Eleven—round there? I’m dying for a drink, you see.”
    â€œYes,” said the young man huffily, “but you’ll miss the big Interloc between Indexes Eight and Five. It’s the best thing they’ve done so far.”
    â€œAnother night, perhaps?” suggested Carolus. “You know what it is when one wants a drink? Most interesting, I’m sure.”
    â€œNext week we’ve got
Oedipus Limbo
on again. It’s the most neoteric thing we’ve done.”
    â€œI mustn’t miss that,” said Carolus, “but just now, if you don’t mind …”
    â€œVery well. I’ll tell Index Eleven. Who shall I say wants him?”
    Carolus had an inspiration.
    â€œC-a-r D-e-e,” he spelt out and left Hy Nox looking a little happier.
    But Eamon Starkey, when he reached the Wheatsheaf later, was something of a disappointment. A rather ordinary-looking man in his early forties, he wore conventional clothes and talked in a tiresomely refined voice.
    â€œI wonder if you’d mind telling me a little about your sister,” Carolus said when drinks were bought and Carolus had explained himself as tactfully as possible.
    â€œI suppose so,” said Starkey wearily. “To tell you the truth I’m getting a little bored with the whole subject. I was quite fond of my sister, but to find oneself involved in a sensational murder case is not funny.”
    â€œInvolved?”
    â€œWhat else could you call it? The press never stopped asking me questions. I might have been the murderer, the way they went on.”
    â€œOh no,” Carolus pointed out. “You had a cast-iron alibi.”
    â€œThat, yes. I got to the theatre at six o’clock that evening and did not leave till about this time. But that hasn’t stopped them asking questions. That man Dyke is a menace. Now what do you want to know?”
    â€œRather an odd thing, really. When you first heard of your sister’s death, before anyone knew it was one of several murders, what did you think about it? Had you any suspicions at all?”
    â€œSuspicions? Do you mean of anyone in particular?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œNot really. I suppose if I thought anything at all it was that…well, something to do with that school, I suppose. All those terrifying women. Poor Hester wasn’t popular, you know.”
    â€œI see. Anyone in particular?”
    â€œI didn’t know them well enough. I met that appalling Munshall once or twice. Capable of anything, I should have thought. But all that’s been wiped out, hasn’t it, by the other murders? If anyone at the school
could
have been suspected—and I don’t seriously see how they could—they were certainly out of it when the other murders happened, weren’t they?”
    â€œThat’s the general and I must say quite logical view. Tell me, had your sister any men friends?”
    Eamon Starkey smiled in a rather superior way.
    â€œHester? Surely you must have realized that she and that appalling.Munshall spent
all
their time together and thought men altogether inferior beings?”
    â€œThat doesn’t quite answer my question.”
    â€œNo, I don’t think she had. Unless you count old Scatton.”
    â€œI have never heard of him.”
    â€œI don’t expect you have. He’s our solicitor. Known us since we were children. Father’s executor. All that sort of thing. He’s a bachelor and I suppose in his funny old way been in love with Hester all his life.”
    â€œWhere does he live?”
    â€œBlackheath. Owns a lot of property there. Our flat belongs to him, as a matter of