Read Online Publish and Be Murdered by Ruth Dudley Edwards - Free Book Online

the previous week to his French stockbroking chum.
    Later, Winterton broke into an excited account of his visit to a Welsh eisteddfod, described how he had been made an honorary Druid, and produced an article he had written at the weekend. Lambie Crump clearly ached to tell him to stuff it, but decorum and self-protection had to prevail. Winterton’s account had been so amusing that no one in his right mind could think of denying it to Wrangler readers. To Amiss, who was getting sicker of Lambie Crump’s self-regarding posturings by the day, it was as much as he could do to keep a straight face.
    When afterwards, Dwight Winterton chatted to him in a friendly way over champagne and suggested lunch or dinner sometime, Amiss realized he must be careful. He could see Lambie Crump gazing fixedly over at them. ‘Good to meet you, Dwight,’ he said quickly. ‘Let’s talk soon.’ And pausing only to curry favour with Lambie Crump by asking if he could spare some time later on to give him a word of advice, he headed for the door. As he was leaving, Potbury caught his eye and gave him an enormous wink, which Amiss prayed Lambie Crump had not noticed.

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    8
    « ^ »
    Detective Sergeant Ellis Pooley finished his cheese, placed his knife in the centre of the plate, picked a few crumbs off the tablecloth, dropped them beside the knife and took another small sip of claret. ‘Very nice indeed. Thank you very much.’
    He looked around the room appreciatively. ‘I must say, Rachel, how delighted I am to see Robert at last living in a place that is both clean and comfortable. You’ve had a most civilizing effect on him.’
    ‘Suburbanizing, you mean,’ said Amiss, and then caught himself guiltily. ‘Sorry, Rach. You know I didn’t mean that.’
    ‘I’m not so sure you didn’t.’ Rachel collected the plates and carried them over to the sink. ‘There are moments, Ellis, when I fear that whether he knows it or not, deep down Robert is bored. Life’s too straightforward for him.’
    ‘For goodness sake.’ Pooley sounded irritated. ‘Ever since I first met you, Robert, you’ve been wailing because you didn’t like where you lived or you didn’t have a proper job or Rachel was out of reach or you didn’t have a penny. Do you mean that now you haven’t any of those problems you’re looking for new ones?’
    Amiss interrupted hastily. ‘Rachel’s exaggerating. Everything’s fine.’ He scratched his ear. ‘I suppose I could just do with a little bit more excitement at work.’
    ‘Being manager of such a peculiar institution as The Wrangler sounds pretty interesting.’
    ‘It is, but in many respects, rather lacking in challenge. A journal as small as that shouldn’t need someone like me.’
    ‘Well, why have they got you then?’
    ‘Because things are in such a mess that they need me. Another proprietor would bring in accountants and management consultants. This one’s too gentlemanly for that. My job is simply to do accountants’ and consultants’ dirty work in a gentlemanly manner.’
    Pooley looked at him dubiously. ‘But you’re absolutely useless with money.’
    ‘I’m useless,’ said Amiss stiffly, ‘with my money. But while I may be personally profligate, I am capable of exercising prudence and perspicacity…’ He stopped. ‘What a lot of “ps”.’
    ‘Try adding “pompous”,’ suggested Rachel.
    Amiss ignored her. ‘…when I’m dealing with that of others. I’ll have you know I’ve cut costs substantially without firing people or lowering morale.’
    Pooley looked incredulous. ‘I didn’t think such a thing was possible.’
    ‘When you go into a place that is still operating according to the customs and practices of the nineteen thirties that is not too difficult. For instance, simply by spending a few hundred pounds on a fax machine I’ve saved us a fortune.’
    Pooley looked puzzled.
    ‘Ah, I forgot this was going to take a leap of the imagination.’ Amiss rose and