Read Online Murder of a Snob by Roy Vickers - Free Book Online

and put it in his safe, sealed and addressed to his solicitors?”
    Ralph groped for an answer. “You don’t understand the atmosphere—”
    â€œI don’t!” Crisp frowned. “But that Will is growing more and more mysterious. Do you object to my seeing it?”
    â€œYes, I do!” cried Ralph. “I’m very sorry, Colonel, but I definitely object. I can tell you the contents!”
    â€œThen why not let me read ’em?”
    Ralph pouted and fidgetted like a resentful child.
    â€œI wish we could leave that Will alone!” he whined. “Besides, I don’t know where it is. You’re talking as if I had it in my pocket.”
    Crisp took the sealed envelope from the mantelpiece.
    â€œIs this the Will?”
    Ralph stopped fidgetting.
    â€œThat?” He took the envelope, ran his fingers the length of it, as Crisp had done in the library. “No,” he said. “At least—that is—I don’t think it is.” And then that vacuous little question again: “Why should it be?”
    Crisp’s eyes were on the envelope as he asked:
    â€œDid your uncle produce some letters written by Miss Lofting?”
    â€œYes. An abominable trick! But there was nothing in it as far as I was concerned. Miss Lofting had told me all there was to tell.”
    â€œWhat did he do with those letters?”
    â€œI don’t know.” The words were uttered with sulky defiance.
    â€œWe’ll see what’s in that envelope.”
    Crisp opened the door and called Inspector Sanson.
    â€œYou and Benscombe witness this,” he ordered. “I’m going to open a sealed document.”
    The envelope was still in Ralph’s hand.
    â€œPerhaps you would prefer to open it yourself, Mr. Cornboise?”
    Ralph made no move. His expression was vacant and listless. Crisp took the envelope from his fingers, slit the flap and removed the contents, a single folio sheet, folded. He unfolded it, spread it on the table.
    He read the Will aloud, in summary, addressing Ralph.
    â€œHm! Residuary estate left to you, Mr. Cornboise, ‘provided that … he shall hold himself in readiness to marry and shall so marry before his fortieth year a woman of reasonable education and unblemished social reputation.’ Witnessed by the housemaid and the caretaker two days ago.” Crisp looked up. “I don’t see that that is an insult to Miss Lofting.”
    The remains of the sedative drug proved ineffective. From Ralph Cornboise came a burst of high-pitched laughter—and another.
    Crisp watched him with almost clinical interest. So this was why Claudia had begged him to be gentle—she knew that he was subject to hysteria. Moreover, the hysterical attack had been brought on at sight of a Will, of which Ralph already knew the contents—taken from an envelope in which he had, presumably, seen the Will sealed up.
    Ralph had recovered and was lighting a cigarette. His cheeks glistened with tears he had already forgotten.
    â€œYou’re steady enough now to answer a question. You expected me to find something in that envelope beside the Will—”
    â€œThat’s not a question. It’s a statement. And it’s not true.”
    â€œMy mistake,” grinned Crisp. “Here comes a proper question for a plain yes-or-no answer. But take your time.”
    â€œGo ahead, Colonel.” Ralph had swung to the other extreme, and was now unnaturally calm.
    â€œWhen you entered the library through the window, at a quarter past five—” Crisp held himself ready for another outburst “—was your uncle already dead? ”
    There was no more than a slight catch of the breath before Ralph answered:
    â€œNo. He was not dead until I killed him.”
    â€œAh!” sighed Crisp. “I was afraid you’d say that!”
    â€œThe worst of it is,” continued Crisp, “I have to pretend to take you