Read Online The Case of the Gilded Fly by Edmund Crispin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Edmund Crispin
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staircase to Peter Grahamâs room, or what that person was carrying on its return. The swing-doors creaked a little, and the night porter half awoke; then, seeing nobody dozed again. In his bedroom, Nigel dropped a collar-stud under the dressing-table.
âDamn!â said Nigel.
He was inexplicably uneasy; something was crying out to be investigated. Cool reason told him to forget it and go to bed.But an irrational fear and premonition proved to be stronger than cool reason. This is a damned silly wild goose chase,â he said to himself as he slipped on his dressing-gown. Two minutes later he was opening the door of Peter Grahamâs sitting-room.
He switched on the light. Nothing was different; the haze of cigarette smoke still hung about, the ash remained as it had been, trodden into the carpet. Cursing himself for a superstitious fool, he went softly over to the drawer where the revolver had been put. His scalp tingled unpleasantly as he opened it and looked in.
The drawer was empty. Revolver and cartridges were gone.
He closed it again, and on a sudden wild impulse wiped the handle where he had touched it, with a corner of his dressing-gown. Then he went over to the bedroom door, and pushed it a little ajar. A shaft of light cut into the darkness beyond. From the room came the heavy breathing of one who sleeps deeply. He closed the door softly and went back to his own room.
Nigel slept only fitfully that night. For long stages at a time he was awake, smoking, and thinking over what he had discovered. Nicholas, whose room was next door to Nigelâs, returned late, and made what Nigel thought an unnecessary amount of noise in getting to bed. But that was the least of his worries. In itself there was nothing so particularly disturbing about the disappearance of the gun, which might have been taken as a joke, or might, for all he knew, have been lent by Peter Graham to someone at the party. Yet he had watched them all leave, and could have sworn that nobody had it hidden on his or her person â it was a heavy, bulky thing, a Colt .38. The only conclusion he could come to, then â and it was not a pleasant one â was that someone had slipped back and taken it after the party was over, between the time, that is, when Nicholas left him and the time when he returned to the room. Nicholas? He seemed the most likely person, but anyone could have done it.
He rose and breakfasted early, wondering as he did so what the more riotous members of the party must be feeling like.Then at half past nine he went back to his room to get a book. His way led him through the corridor where Robertâs and Rachelâs rooms were situated, and made him a party to coincidence which afterwards proved to have been of some considerable importance. As he passed Rachelâs room, she came out on her way down to breakfast.
And it was at that precise moment that Yseut emerged from Robertâs room opposite.
All three of them stopped dead; and to Nigel at any rate the implications of Yseutâs presence were obvious. To say that he was astonished would have been the wildest understatement; he was very nearly stupefied. It was unbelievable that Robert had slept with Yseut that night â particularly in view of her condition when Helen took her home. But what else could one think? Rachel apparently was of the same opinion, and the expression on her face was not pleasant to see. Besides, Yseutâs appearance shocked Nigel unutterably. She was slovenly dressed in a blouse and slacks, carrying a bag and a thin red notebook; and in her eyes was an expression of mingled fear and satisfaction which was repellent to a degree.
They looked at one another in silence for a moment. Then Yseut, with a slight sneer, went off downstairs. Not a word had been spoken.
Rachel made to go into Robertâs room, but Nigel caught her arm.
âIs that wise?â he said.
After an almost imperceptible pause she nodded; and
âDamn!â said Nigel.
He was inexplicably uneasy; something was crying out to be investigated. Cool reason told him to forget it and go to bed.But an irrational fear and premonition proved to be stronger than cool reason. This is a damned silly wild goose chase,â he said to himself as he slipped on his dressing-gown. Two minutes later he was opening the door of Peter Grahamâs sitting-room.
He switched on the light. Nothing was different; the haze of cigarette smoke still hung about, the ash remained as it had been, trodden into the carpet. Cursing himself for a superstitious fool, he went softly over to the drawer where the revolver had been put. His scalp tingled unpleasantly as he opened it and looked in.
The drawer was empty. Revolver and cartridges were gone.
He closed it again, and on a sudden wild impulse wiped the handle where he had touched it, with a corner of his dressing-gown. Then he went over to the bedroom door, and pushed it a little ajar. A shaft of light cut into the darkness beyond. From the room came the heavy breathing of one who sleeps deeply. He closed the door softly and went back to his own room.
Nigel slept only fitfully that night. For long stages at a time he was awake, smoking, and thinking over what he had discovered. Nicholas, whose room was next door to Nigelâs, returned late, and made what Nigel thought an unnecessary amount of noise in getting to bed. But that was the least of his worries. In itself there was nothing so particularly disturbing about the disappearance of the gun, which might have been taken as a joke, or might, for all he knew, have been lent by Peter Graham to someone at the party. Yet he had watched them all leave, and could have sworn that nobody had it hidden on his or her person â it was a heavy, bulky thing, a Colt .38. The only conclusion he could come to, then â and it was not a pleasant one â was that someone had slipped back and taken it after the party was over, between the time, that is, when Nicholas left him and the time when he returned to the room. Nicholas? He seemed the most likely person, but anyone could have done it.
He rose and breakfasted early, wondering as he did so what the more riotous members of the party must be feeling like.Then at half past nine he went back to his room to get a book. His way led him through the corridor where Robertâs and Rachelâs rooms were situated, and made him a party to coincidence which afterwards proved to have been of some considerable importance. As he passed Rachelâs room, she came out on her way down to breakfast.
And it was at that precise moment that Yseut emerged from Robertâs room opposite.
All three of them stopped dead; and to Nigel at any rate the implications of Yseutâs presence were obvious. To say that he was astonished would have been the wildest understatement; he was very nearly stupefied. It was unbelievable that Robert had slept with Yseut that night â particularly in view of her condition when Helen took her home. But what else could one think? Rachel apparently was of the same opinion, and the expression on her face was not pleasant to see. Besides, Yseutâs appearance shocked Nigel unutterably. She was slovenly dressed in a blouse and slacks, carrying a bag and a thin red notebook; and in her eyes was an expression of mingled fear and satisfaction which was repellent to a degree.
They looked at one another in silence for a moment. Then Yseut, with a slight sneer, went off downstairs. Not a word had been spoken.
Rachel made to go into Robertâs room, but Nigel caught her arm.
âIs that wise?â he said.
After an almost imperceptible pause she nodded; and
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