Read Online The Listening Walls by Margaret Millar - Free Book Online

You’d better close the door. If Miss Burton’s ears perk up any further she’ll take off in the first high wind.”
    â€œI have no secrets from Miss Burton.”
    â€œWell, I have,” Helene said dryly. “And you might be going to.”
    Rupert closed the door. “What does that mean?”
    â€œGill has ideas.”
    â€œAbout what?”
    â€œYou and Miss Burton.”
    Rupert let out an explosive sound like an angry laugh. “Oh, for Christ’s sake!”
    â€œI think it’s funny too, but I’m not laughing. Gill’s dead serious. He’s managed to convince himself that you don’t want Amy back because you have—other interests.”
    â€œWhat possible basis could he have for such a screwy idea?”
    â€œMiss Burton has a key to your house.”
    â€œNaturally. I gave it to her so she could feed Mack twice a day while I was away.”
    â€œGill said you usually put him in a kennel.”
    â€œThe last time we left him in a kennel he picked up mange.”
    â€œYou see? There’s a logical explanation for everything but Gill just won’t believe it. He’s practically irrational on the subject of family. I don’t know why, and I prefer not to think about it since there’s nothing I can do about it.”
    â€œI often think about it,” Rupert said.
    â€œSo do I, really. It’s useless, though. We might just as well say ‘Gill is a nice guy but he’s nuts on the subject of Amy,’ and let it go at that.”
    â€œConsider it gone.”
    Helene took a deep breath to signify that that subject was closed and another about to be opened. “Then there’s the lipstick.”
    â€œWhat lipstick?”
    â€œOn the highball glass in the den. Gill says it was ex­actly the same shade as Miss Burton was wearing.”
    â€œAnd thirty million other American women. It was a new color introduced last spring, something or other sher­bet.”
    â€œTangerine sherbet?”
    â€œRight. I gave it to Amy for Easter in one of those fancy doodad cases. Now is that all?”
    â€œNot quite.”
    Rupert struck his palms together in helpless fury. “What else, for God’s sake?”
    â€œI wish you wouldn’t keep swearing. It upsets me. And if I get upset heaven knows what will happen. I seem to be the only calm one in the whole caboodle. Now what was I going to say?”
    â€œI’d be a fool to guess,” Rupert said grimly and sat down behind his desk to wait while Helene sorted through her mind, as she had sorted through her handbag, coming across all sorts of odds and ends she thought she’d lost.
    â€œI should have taken notes, but I couldn’t very well be­cause Gill thought he was talking to me in confidence. I mean, he had no idea I’d come here and tell you. He’d have a cat fit if it . . .”
    â€œYou said that.”
    â€œDid I? Well, it only goes to show. Oh, I remember now. The cigarette butts in the den.”
    â€œThere were no cigarette butts in the den.”
    â€œThat’s just it. None in the ash trays, none in the fire­place. Amy’s a very heavy smoker—it’s one of the few things she’s ever defied Gill about. And since she was particularly nervous that night, Gill said you’d expect to find all the ash trays overflowing.”
    â€œWith fifty years of training, Gill might make a detec­tive.”
    â€œWell, he does notice things,” Helene said defensively, “even if they turn out to be wrong.”
    â€œEven if, yes. In this case he didn’t notice far enough. Amy spent no more than five minutes in the den. He should have taken the trouble to examine the rest of the house. Tell him that next time he’s to bring his micro­scope.”
    â€œYou’re mad, aren’t you?”
    â€œYou’re damn right I’m mad. What’s he trying to