where you were overnight on Saturday?”
Rennie laughed softly. “I certainly can. I was at home with my wife. We had her brother, his wife, and her niece and nephew to dinner. The brother and sister are twins and it was in honor of their joint birthday. We gave the boy a rather good watch and the girl a long silk scarf.“
“And after dinner?“ Walker asked.
“A bridge party with a few neighbors invited along.”
You are so smooth that you’re downright slick, Howard thought.
“And what were you doing at midnight and after?“
“The guests left at eleven. My wife and I said our prayers and went to bed.“
“In the same bed?“
“My dear sir, you shock me!“ Rennie said, still smiling. “How can that possibly be any of your business?”
Deputy Lawrence, posted at the door, snorted.
“How can it not be?“ Walker answered easily.
Rennie looked out the long windows for a moment and, not meeting Walker’s eyes, said, “My wife is in somewhat fragile health. The preparations and long evening of socializing had made her tired. I went to the adjoining dressing room and read a bit of a fine book of old sermons for a while. Then I went to check that my wife was sleeping and went to sleep myself in the single bed in the dressing room.”
Walker knew Rennie was lying. There probably wasn’t even a book of sermons in his house. He knew, too, that Rennie knew he knew it.
Walker rose and said, “That’s all I have to ask you now. All the Institute’s records are being sent to Albany today. You and your cohorts will shortly be taken to lodge at Matteawan for a few days, where I’ll be questioning all of you more thoroughly.”
This shook him. “The insane asylum? Have you yourself gone mad?“
“Quite the contrary“ Walker rose and went to the door. “Officer Lawrence, stay at the door until I summon you, if you please.“ He glanced back at Big Jimmy Rennie, who’d gone extraordinarily pale under his tan.
By three o’clock, the asylum had sent their truck. Walker inspected it. The cab was blocked off from the back part with metal and a very small thick glass window. The body of it was sturdy. The truck had no windows except in front, and the back door had three separate locks on it.
Walker had decided to send all the guests to the asylum. He’d considered keeping Edward Price at Grace and Favor and close at hand, but on second thought had decided against it. Price seemed honest and his best source of information about this Institute. But Walker simply didn’t like Price and didn’t feel he could trust him. Price was obviously now out of work and might disappear. What’s more, the Brewsters and Prinneys deserved to be rid of all their guests.
Price was the last to get in the truck and was looking scared to death. Lily and Robert were watching from a window above.
“I know!“ Lily exclaimed.
“Know what?“
“Who Edward Price reminds me of. Albert Campion.“
“Who is that?“
“Margery Allingham’s detective. That’s not his real name, of course. He’s Rupert and some kind of relative of royalty. But he detects as Albert and acts like a stupid idiot and tricks people out of information to solve the murders.”
Robert stared at her for a long moment. “What on earth are you talking about? How do you know these people and who is Margery Allingham? Does she live around here?“
“No, she writes mystery novels.“
“You’re not talking about real people?“
“They seem real to me. She’s a good writer. The first one I read was The Black Dudley Murder. And I just finished Police at the Funeral. Campion is better in that. Miss Exley ordered it especially for me and let me borrow it first.“
“And how do you know Price looks like this fictional Campion?“
“Because Miss Allingham describes him so well, I know exactly what he looks like. But he wears a different kind of glasses. Horn-rimmed, instead of metal. I knew it would come to me eventually.”
Robert puffed up
Rennie laughed softly. “I certainly can. I was at home with my wife. We had her brother, his wife, and her niece and nephew to dinner. The brother and sister are twins and it was in honor of their joint birthday. We gave the boy a rather good watch and the girl a long silk scarf.“
“And after dinner?“ Walker asked.
“A bridge party with a few neighbors invited along.”
You are so smooth that you’re downright slick, Howard thought.
“And what were you doing at midnight and after?“
“The guests left at eleven. My wife and I said our prayers and went to bed.“
“In the same bed?“
“My dear sir, you shock me!“ Rennie said, still smiling. “How can that possibly be any of your business?”
Deputy Lawrence, posted at the door, snorted.
“How can it not be?“ Walker answered easily.
Rennie looked out the long windows for a moment and, not meeting Walker’s eyes, said, “My wife is in somewhat fragile health. The preparations and long evening of socializing had made her tired. I went to the adjoining dressing room and read a bit of a fine book of old sermons for a while. Then I went to check that my wife was sleeping and went to sleep myself in the single bed in the dressing room.”
Walker knew Rennie was lying. There probably wasn’t even a book of sermons in his house. He knew, too, that Rennie knew he knew it.
Walker rose and said, “That’s all I have to ask you now. All the Institute’s records are being sent to Albany today. You and your cohorts will shortly be taken to lodge at Matteawan for a few days, where I’ll be questioning all of you more thoroughly.”
This shook him. “The insane asylum? Have you yourself gone mad?“
“Quite the contrary“ Walker rose and went to the door. “Officer Lawrence, stay at the door until I summon you, if you please.“ He glanced back at Big Jimmy Rennie, who’d gone extraordinarily pale under his tan.
By three o’clock, the asylum had sent their truck. Walker inspected it. The cab was blocked off from the back part with metal and a very small thick glass window. The body of it was sturdy. The truck had no windows except in front, and the back door had three separate locks on it.
Walker had decided to send all the guests to the asylum. He’d considered keeping Edward Price at Grace and Favor and close at hand, but on second thought had decided against it. Price seemed honest and his best source of information about this Institute. But Walker simply didn’t like Price and didn’t feel he could trust him. Price was obviously now out of work and might disappear. What’s more, the Brewsters and Prinneys deserved to be rid of all their guests.
Price was the last to get in the truck and was looking scared to death. Lily and Robert were watching from a window above.
“I know!“ Lily exclaimed.
“Know what?“
“Who Edward Price reminds me of. Albert Campion.“
“Who is that?“
“Margery Allingham’s detective. That’s not his real name, of course. He’s Rupert and some kind of relative of royalty. But he detects as Albert and acts like a stupid idiot and tricks people out of information to solve the murders.”
Robert stared at her for a long moment. “What on earth are you talking about? How do you know these people and who is Margery Allingham? Does she live around here?“
“No, she writes mystery novels.“
“You’re not talking about real people?“
“They seem real to me. She’s a good writer. The first one I read was The Black Dudley Murder. And I just finished Police at the Funeral. Campion is better in that. Miss Exley ordered it especially for me and let me borrow it first.“
“And how do you know Price looks like this fictional Campion?“
“Because Miss Allingham describes him so well, I know exactly what he looks like. But he wears a different kind of glasses. Horn-rimmed, instead of metal. I knew it would come to me eventually.”
Robert puffed up
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