Read Online Death in High Heels by Christianna Brand - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christianna Brand
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extra. Therefore it couldn’t have been suicide and I honestly don’t see where accident could have come in. The stuff that was spilled was all given to Cecil; three of the girls, at least, saw the charwoman hand it over to him. What he did with it afterwards, heaven only knows—he’s obviously lying when he says he put it down the huh-hah! You don’t suppose he can have left it about and the girl have picked it up accidentally? He might be afraid to say.”
“She was shut in her office with Mr. Bevan and the seckerterry all the morning. After lunch she sat at the table talking to the other young ladies and then she went straight back into her office; Cecil he hadn’t bin into her office so he couldn’t ’ve left it there, and I don’t see what other time there was for her to get hold of it. She couldn’t have taken it except with her lunch, and that’s a fact, Mr. Charlesworth; except it was given to her in her office before she came out to her lunch, and Mr. Bevan and the seckerterry they both alibis each other there.”
Charlesworth reflected, twirling back and forth in his desk-chair. “Except for just a moment while Bevan left them and spoke to Cecil at the carving table and went upstairs. Macaroni came out directly afterwards, but she was alone with Doon for a minute or two.”
“Well, it don’t seem likely, do it, sir? How could she ’ave given the girl a teaspoonful of poison crystals in that short time? Miss Doon wouldn’t have bin taking sweets or anythink of that sort just before lunch; and, anyway, there’s the packet of poison intact in the drawer, and the other young ladies has agreed that it was just the same quantity as they gave the kid to take downstairs.”
“You’re preaching to the converted, Bedd. Personally, I think there’s no doubt about it. Somebody pinched some of the crystals the girls were using upstairs and put it on the bunny they had at lunch-time; but the lord knows how we’re going to find out who.”
“They all seem to have been messing about down in the dining-room while it was being served out, don’t they, sir? I think this is going to turn out to be a question of motive before we’re done with it; find out who could ’ave done it and then choose the chap who had the best reason to do it; but it’s always hard to get a conviction in them cases.”
“Don’t I know it! Who’s your favourite so far, Bedd?”
“That Cecil, sir. He’s not telling the truth and that means ’e’s got somethink to ’ide.”
“What we want is to have a look at his pockets; if he’d taken the powder straight to the huh-hah he’d have carried it th ere in his hand and not put it in his pocket at all; but if he didn’t—and I’m certain he’s lying about it—he’d have shoved it into his pocket and, being what it was, just a screw of paper twiddled up by the charlady, it will have left signs in the lining or I’m a Dutchman. I think we’ll fuss off up to the shop and ask Cissie to take his coat off.”
“Be careful ’e don’t misunderstand you,” said Bedd, with a grin.
Arrived at the silver doors the sergeant remained in the car. “I got another idea, sir. I won’t say anythink about it at the moment, if you don’t mind, but you won’t be wanting me right away; will it do if I get back in ’alf an hour?”
“Yes, all right, if you feel that way about it. But I shan’t start on Cecil till you come back—I need a chaperon!”
Toria came forward again across the parquet and repeated her little joke. “Good God,” thought Charlesworth, “I never saw such eyes in all my days!” Aloud he asked if Mr. Bevan were in.
“Not yet, I’m afraid. Will you wait for him?”
“Yes, I’ve got to meet my sergeant here. Can I come and talk to the lovelies, do you think?”
They gave him a chair in their little cubby-hole. Toria and Rachel shared a table in one corner, Irene’s desk was in the other, with her back to them. They clustered round him in their
“She was shut in her office with Mr. Bevan and the seckerterry all the morning. After lunch she sat at the table talking to the other young ladies and then she went straight back into her office; Cecil he hadn’t bin into her office so he couldn’t ’ve left it there, and I don’t see what other time there was for her to get hold of it. She couldn’t have taken it except with her lunch, and that’s a fact, Mr. Charlesworth; except it was given to her in her office before she came out to her lunch, and Mr. Bevan and the seckerterry they both alibis each other there.”
Charlesworth reflected, twirling back and forth in his desk-chair. “Except for just a moment while Bevan left them and spoke to Cecil at the carving table and went upstairs. Macaroni came out directly afterwards, but she was alone with Doon for a minute or two.”
“Well, it don’t seem likely, do it, sir? How could she ’ave given the girl a teaspoonful of poison crystals in that short time? Miss Doon wouldn’t have bin taking sweets or anythink of that sort just before lunch; and, anyway, there’s the packet of poison intact in the drawer, and the other young ladies has agreed that it was just the same quantity as they gave the kid to take downstairs.”
“You’re preaching to the converted, Bedd. Personally, I think there’s no doubt about it. Somebody pinched some of the crystals the girls were using upstairs and put it on the bunny they had at lunch-time; but the lord knows how we’re going to find out who.”
“They all seem to have been messing about down in the dining-room while it was being served out, don’t they, sir? I think this is going to turn out to be a question of motive before we’re done with it; find out who could ’ave done it and then choose the chap who had the best reason to do it; but it’s always hard to get a conviction in them cases.”
“Don’t I know it! Who’s your favourite so far, Bedd?”
“That Cecil, sir. He’s not telling the truth and that means ’e’s got somethink to ’ide.”
“What we want is to have a look at his pockets; if he’d taken the powder straight to the huh-hah he’d have carried it th ere in his hand and not put it in his pocket at all; but if he didn’t—and I’m certain he’s lying about it—he’d have shoved it into his pocket and, being what it was, just a screw of paper twiddled up by the charlady, it will have left signs in the lining or I’m a Dutchman. I think we’ll fuss off up to the shop and ask Cissie to take his coat off.”
“Be careful ’e don’t misunderstand you,” said Bedd, with a grin.
Arrived at the silver doors the sergeant remained in the car. “I got another idea, sir. I won’t say anythink about it at the moment, if you don’t mind, but you won’t be wanting me right away; will it do if I get back in ’alf an hour?”
“Yes, all right, if you feel that way about it. But I shan’t start on Cecil till you come back—I need a chaperon!”
Toria came forward again across the parquet and repeated her little joke. “Good God,” thought Charlesworth, “I never saw such eyes in all my days!” Aloud he asked if Mr. Bevan were in.
“Not yet, I’m afraid. Will you wait for him?”
“Yes, I’ve got to meet my sergeant here. Can I come and talk to the lovelies, do you think?”
They gave him a chair in their little cubby-hole. Toria and Rachel shared a table in one corner, Irene’s desk was in the other, with her back to them. They clustered round him in their
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