Sparkling Cyanide Part 25

"You see that telephone box there?"

"Yes?"

Anthony felt in his pockets.

"d.a.m.n, I haven't got two-pence. Never mind. On second thoughts I'd rather not do it that way. Come back." rather not do it that way. Come back."

They went back into the cafe, Kemp first, Race following with Anthony's hand on his arm. Anthony's hand on his arm.

Kemp had a frown on his face as he sat down and picked up his pipe. He blew down it carefully and began to operate on it with a hairpin He blew down it carefully and began to operate on it with a hairpin which he brought out of his waistcoat pocket. which he brought out of his waistcoat pocket.

Race was frowning at Anthony with a puzzled face. He leaned back and picked up his cup, draining the remaining fluid in it. and picked up his cup, draining the remaining fluid in it.

"d.a.m.n," he said violently. "It's got sugar in it!"

He looked across the table to meet Anthony's slowly widening smile.

"Hallo," said Kemp, as he took a sip from his cup. "What the h.e.l.l's this?" this?"

"Coffee," said Anthony. "And I don't think you'll like it. I didn't."

Chapter 13.

Anthony had the pleasure of seeing instant comprehension flash into the eyes of both his companions. the eyes of both his companions.

His satisfaction was short-lived, for another thought struck him with the force of a physical blow. the force of a physical blow.

He e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed out loud: "My G.o.d - that car."

He sprang up.

"Fool that I was - idiot! She told me that a car had nearly run her down - and I hardly listened. Come on, quick!" and I hardly listened. Come on, quick!"

Kemp said: "She said she was going straight home when she left the Yard." Yard."

"Yes. Why didn't I go with her?"

"Who's at the house?" asked Race.

"Ruth Lessing was there, waiting for Mrs Drake. It's possible that they're both discussing the funeral still!" they're both discussing the funeral still!"

"Discussing everything else as well if I know Mrs Drake," said Race. He added abruptly, "Has Iris Marle any other relations?" He added abruptly, "Has Iris Marle any other relations?"

"Not that I know of."

"I think I see the direction in which your thoughts, ideas, are leading you. But - is it physically possible?" you. But - is it physically possible?"

"I think so. Consider for yourself how much has been taken for granted on one person's word." on one person's word."

Kemp was paying the check. The three men hurried out as Kemp said: "You think the danger is acute? To Miss Marle?"

"Yes, I do."

Anthony swore under his breath and hailed a taxi. The three men got in and the driver was told to go to Elvaston Square as quickly as and the driver was told to go to Elvaston Square as quickly as possible. possible.

Kemp said slowly: "I've only got the general idea as yet. It washes the Farradays right out." Farradays right out."

"Yes."

"Thank goodness for that. But surely there wouldn't be another attempt - so soon?" attempt - so soon?"

"The sooner the better," said Race. "Before there's any chance of our minds running on the right track. Third time lucky - that will be the minds running on the right track. Third time lucky - that will be the idea." He added: "Iris Marle told me, in front of Mrs Drake, that she idea." He added: "Iris Marle told me, in front of Mrs Drake, that she would marry you as soon as you wanted her to." would marry you as soon as you wanted her to."

They spoke in spasmodic jerks, for the taxi-driver was taking their directions literally and was hurtling round corners and cutting through directions literally and was hurtling round corners and cutting through traffic with immense enthusiasm. Turning with a final spurt into traffic with immense enthusiasm. Turning with a final spurt into Elvaston Square, he drew up with a terrific jerk in front of the house. Elvaston Square, he drew up with a terrific jerk in front of the house.

Elvaston Square had never looked more peaceful.

Anthony, with an effort regaining his usual cool manner, murmured: "Quite like the movies. Makes one feel rather a fool, somehow."

But he was on the top step ringing the bell while Race paid off the taxi and Kemp followed up the steps. and Kemp followed up the steps.

The parlourmaid opened the door.

Anthony said sharply: "Has Miss Iris got back?"

Evans looked a little surprised.

"Oh, yes, sir. She came in half an hour ago."

Anthony breathed a sigh of relief. Everything in the house was so calm and normal that he felt ashamed of his recent melodramatic fears. and normal that he felt ashamed of his recent melodramatic fears.

"Where is she?"

"I expect she's in the drawing-room with Mrs Drake."

Anthony nodded and took the stairs in easy strides. Race and Kemp close beside him. In the drawing-room, placid under its shaded close beside him. In the drawing-room, placid under its shaded electric lights, Lucilla Drake was hunting through the pigeon holes of electric lights, Lucilla Drake was hunting through the pigeon holes of the desk with the hopeful absorption of a terrier and murmuring the desk with the hopeful absorption of a terrier and murmuring audibly: audibly: "Dear, dear, now where did I put Mrs Marsham's letter? Now, let me see..." see..."

"Where is Iris?" demanded Anthony abruptly.

Lucilla turned and stared.

"Iris? She - I beg your pardon!" She drew herself up. "May I ask who you are?" you are?"

Race came forward from behind him and Lucilla's face cleared. She did not yet see Chief Inspector Kemp who was the third to enter the did not yet see Chief Inspector Kemp who was the third to enter the room. room.

"Oh, dear, Colonel Race! How kind of you to come! But I do wish you could have been here a little earlier - I should have liked to consult you could have been here a little earlier - I should have liked to consult you about the funeral arrangements - a man's advice, so valuable - and about the funeral arrangements - a man's advice, so valuable - and really I was feeling so upset, as I said to Miss Lessing, that really I really I was feeling so upset, as I said to Miss Lessing, that really I couldn't even think - and I must say that Miss Lessing was really very couldn't even think - and I must say that Miss Lessing was really very sympathetic for once and offered to do everything she could to take sympathetic for once and offered to do everything she could to take the burden off my shoulders - only, as she put it very reasonably, the burden off my shoulders - only, as she put it very reasonably, naturally I should be the person most likely to know what were naturally I should be the person most likely to know what were George's favourite hymns - not that I actually did, because I'm afraid George's favourite hymns - not that I actually did, because I'm afraid George didn't very often go to church - but naturally, as a clergyman's George didn't very often go to church - but naturally, as a clergyman's wife - I mean widow - I do know what is suitable -" wife - I mean widow - I do know what is suitable -"

Race took advantage of a momentary pause to slip in his question: "Where is Miss Marle?"

"Iris? She came in some time ago. She said she had a headache and was going straight up to her room. Young girls, you know, do not seem was going straight up to her room. Young girls, you know, do not seem to me to have very much stamina nowadays - they don't eat enough to me to have very much stamina nowadays - they don't eat enough spinach - and she seems positively to dislike talking about the funeral spinach - and she seems positively to dislike talking about the funeral arrangements, but after all, someone has to do these things - and one arrangements, but after all, someone has to do these things - and one does want to feel that everything has been done for the best, and does want to feel that everything has been done for the best, and proper respect shown to the dead - not that I have ever thought motor proper respect shown to the dead - not that I have ever thought motor hea.r.s.es really reverent - if you know what I mean - not like horses with hea.r.s.es really reverent - if you know what I mean - not like horses with their long black tails - but, of course, I said at once that it was quite all their long black tails - but, of course, I said at once that it was quite all right, and Ruth - I called her Ruth and not Miss Lessing - and I were right, and Ruth - I called her Ruth and not Miss Lessing - and I were managing splendidly, and she could leave everything to us." managing splendidly, and she could leave everything to us."

Kemp asked: "Miss Lessing has gone?"

"Yes, we settled everything, and Miss Lessing left about ten minutes ago. She took the announcements for the papers with her. No flowers, ago. She took the announcements for the papers with her. No flowers, under the circ.u.mstances - and Canon Westbury to take the service -" under the circ.u.mstances - and Canon Westbury to take the service -"

As the flow went on, Anthony edged gently out of the door. He had left the room before Lucilla, suddenly interrupting her narrative, paused to the room before Lucilla, suddenly interrupting her narrative, paused to say: "Who was that young man who came with you? I didn't realise at say: "Who was that young man who came with you? I didn't realise at first that you had brought him. I thought possibly he might have been first that you had brought him. I thought possibly he might have been one of those dreadful reporters. We have had such trouble with them." one of those dreadful reporters. We have had such trouble with them."

Anthony was running lightly up the stairs. Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned his head, and grinned at Chief Inspector Kemp. him, he turned his head, and grinned at Chief Inspector Kemp.

"You deserted too? Poor old Race!"

Kemp muttered.

"He does these things so nicely. I'm not popular in that quarter."

They were on the second floor and just preparing to start up the third when Anthony heard a light footstep descending. He pulled Kemp when Anthony heard a light footstep descending. He pulled Kemp inside an adjacent bathroom door. inside an adjacent bathroom door.

The footsteps went on down the stairs.

Anthony emerged and ran up the next flight of stairs. Iris's room, he knew, was the small one at the back. He rapped lightly on the door. knew, was the small one at the back. He rapped lightly on the door.

"Hi - Iris." There was no reply - and he knocked and called again. Then he tried the handle but found the door locked. he tried the handle but found the door locked.

With real urgency now he beat upon it.

"Iris - Iris -"

After a second or two, he stopped and glanced down. He was standing on one of those woolly old-fas.h.i.+oned rugs made to fit outside doors to on one of those woolly old-fas.h.i.+oned rugs made to fit outside doors to obviate draughts. This one was close up against the door and Anthony obviate draughts. This one was close up against the door and Anthony kicked it away. The s.p.a.ce under the door at the bottom was quite wide kicked it away. The s.p.a.ce under the door at the bottom was quite wide -sometime, he deduced, it had been cut to clear a fitted carpet instead of stained boards. of stained boards.

He stooped to the keyhole but could see nothing, but suddenly he raised his head and sniffed. Then he lay down flat and pressed his raised his head and sniffed. Then he lay down flat and pressed his nose against the crack under the door. nose against the crack under the door.

Springing up, he shouted: "Kemp!"

There was no sign of the Chief Inspector. Anthony shouted again.

It was Colonel Race, however, who came running up the stairs. Anthony gave him no chance to speak. He said: Anthony gave him no chance to speak. He said: "Gas - pouring out! We'll have to break the door down."

Race had a powerful physique. Both he and Anthony made short shrift of the obstacle. of the obstacle.

With a splintering, cracking noise, the lock gave.

They fell back for a moment, then Race said: "She's there by the fireplace. I'll dash in and break the window. You get her." fireplace. I'll dash in and break the window. You get her."

Iris Marle was lying by the gas fire - her mouth and nose lying on the wide open gas jet. wide open gas jet.

A minute or two later, choking and spluttering, Anthony and Race laid the unconscious girl on the landing floor in the draught of the pa.s.sage the unconscious girl on the landing floor in the draught of the pa.s.sage window. window.

Race said: "I'll work on her. You get a doctor quickly."

Anthony swung down the stairs. Race called after him: "Don't worry. I think she'll be all right. We got here in time."

In the hall Anthony dialled and spoke into the mouthpiece, hampered by a background of exclamations from Lucilla Drake. by a background of exclamations from Lucilla Drake.

He turned at last from the telephone to say with a sigh of relief: "Caught him. He lives just across the Square. He'll be here in a couple of minutes." of minutes."

"-but I must know what has happened! Is Iris ill?"

It was a final wail from Lucilla.

Anthony said: "She was in her room. Door locked. Her head in the gas fire and the gas full on." fire and the gas full on."

"Iris?" Mrs Drake gave a piercing shriek. "Iris has committed suicide? I can't believe it. I don't believe it!" can't believe it. I don't believe it!"

A faint ghost of Anthony's grin returned to him.

"You don't need to believe it," he said. "It isn't true."

Chapter 14.

"And now, please, Tony, will you tell me all about it?"

Iris was lying on a sofa, and the valiant November suns.h.i.+ne was making a brave show outside the windows of Little Priors. making a brave show outside the windows of Little Priors.

Anthony looked across at Colonel Race who was sitting on the window-sill, and grinned engagingly: window-sill, and grinned engagingly: "I don't mind admitting, Iris, that I've been waiting for this moment. If I don't explain to someone soon how clever I've been, I shall burst. don't explain to someone soon how clever I've been, I shall burst. There will be no modesty in this recital. It will be a shameless blowing There will be no modesty in this recital. It will be a shameless blowing of my own trumpet with suitable pauses to enable you to say 'Anthony, of my own trumpet with suitable pauses to enable you to say 'Anthony, how clever of you' or 'Tony, how wonderful' or some phrase of a like how clever of you' or 'Tony, how wonderful' or some phrase of a like nature. Ahem! The performance will now begin. Here we go. nature. Ahem! The performance will now begin. Here we go.

"The thing as a whole looked simple enough. What I mean is, that it looked like a clear case of cause and effect. Rosemary's death, looked like a clear case of cause and effect. Rosemary's death, accepted at the time as suicide, was not suicide. George became accepted at the time as suicide, was not suicide. George became suspicious, started investigating, was presumably getting near the suspicious, started investigating, was presumably getting near the truth, and before he could unmask the murderer he was, in his turn, truth, and before he could unmask the murderer he was, in his turn, murdered. The sequence, if I may put it that way, seems perfectly murdered. The sequence, if I may put it that way, seems perfectly clear. clear.

"But almost at once we came across some apparent contradictions. Such as: A. George could not be poisoned. B. George was poisoned. Such as: A. George could not be poisoned. B. George was poisoned. And: A. n.o.body touched George's gla.s.s. B. George's gla.s.s was And: A. n.o.body touched George's gla.s.s. B. George's gla.s.s was tampered with. tampered with.

"Actually I was overlooking a very significant fact - the varied use of the possessive case. George's ear is George's ear indisputably the possessive case. George's ear is George's ear indisputably because it is attached to his head and cannot be removed without a because it is attached to his head and cannot be removed without a surgical operation! But by George's watch, I mean the watch that surgical operation! But by George's watch, I mean the watch that George is wearing - the question might arise whether it is his or maybe George is wearing - the question might arise whether it is his or maybe one lent him by someone else. And when I come to George's gla.s.s, or one lent him by someone else. And when I come to George's gla.s.s, or George's teacup, I begin to realise that I mean something very vague George's teacup, I begin to realise that I mean something very vague indeed. All I actually mean is the gla.s.s or cup out of which George has indeed. All I actually mean is the gla.s.s or cup out of which George has lately been drinking - and which has nothing to distinguish it from lately been drinking - and which has nothing to distinguish it from several other cups and gla.s.ses of the same pattern. several other cups and gla.s.ses of the same pattern.

"To ill.u.s.trate this, I tried an experiment. Race was drinking tea without sugar, Kemp was drinking tea with sugar, and I was drinking coffee. In sugar, Kemp was drinking tea with sugar, and I was drinking coffee. In appearance the three fluids were of much the same colour. We were appearance the three fluids were of much the same colour. We were sitting round a small marble-topped table among several other round sitting round a small marble-topped table among several other round marble-topped tables. On the pretext of an urgent brainwave I urged marble-topped tables. On the pretext of an urgent brainwave I urged the other two out of their seats and out into the vestibule, pus.h.i.+ng the the other two out of their seats and out into the vestibule, pus.h.i.+ng the chairs aside as we went, and also managing to move Kemp's pipe chairs aside as we went, and also managing to move Kemp's pipe which was lying by his plate to a similar position by my plate but which was lying by his plate to a similar position by my plate but without letting him see me do it. As soon as we were outside I made an without letting him see me do it. As soon as we were outside I made an excuse and we returned, Kemp slightly ahead. He pulled the chair to excuse and we returned, Kemp slightly ahead. He pulled the chair to the table and sat down opposite the plate that was marked by the pipe the table and sat down opposite the plate that was marked by the pipe he had left behind him. Race sat on his right as before and I on his left - he had left behind him. Race sat on his right as before and I on his left - but mark what happened - a new A. and B. contradiction! A. Kemp's but mark what happened - a new A. and B. contradiction! A. Kemp's cup has sugared tea in it. B. Kemp's cup has coffee in it. Two cup has sugared tea in it. B. Kemp's cup has coffee in it. Two conflicting statements that cannot both be true - But they are both conflicting statements that cannot both be true - But they are both true. The misleading term is Kemp's cup. Kemp's cup when he left the true. The misleading term is Kemp's cup. Kemp's cup when he left the table and Kemp's cup when he returned to the table are not the same. table and Kemp's cup when he returned to the table are not the same.

"And that, Iris, is what happened at the Luxembourg that night. After the cabaret, when you all went to dance, you dropped your bag. A the cabaret, when you all went to dance, you dropped your bag. A waiter picked it up - 'a' waiter, not the waiter attending on that table waiter picked it up - 'a' waiter, not the waiter attending on that table who knew just where you had been sitting - but a waiter, an anxious who knew just where you had been sitting - but a waiter, an anxious hurried little waiter with everybody bullying him, running along with a hurried little waiter with everybody bullying him, running along with a sauce, and who quickly stooped, picked up the bag and placed it by a sauce, and who quickly stooped, picked up the bag and placed it by a plate - actually by the plate one place to the left of where you had been plate - actually by the plate one place to the left of where you had been sitting. You and George came back first and you went without a sitting. You and George came back first and you went without a thought straight to the place marked by your bag - just as Kemp did to thought straight to the place marked by your bag - just as Kemp did to the place marked by his pipe. George sat down in what he thought to the place marked by his pipe. George sat down in what he thought to be his place, on your right. And when he proposed his toast in memory be his place, on your right. And when he proposed his toast in memory of Rosemary, he drank from what he thought was his gla.s.s but was in of Rosemary, he drank from what he thought was his gla.s.s but was in reality your gla.s.s - the gla.s.s that can quite easily have been poisoned reality your gla.s.s - the gla.s.s that can quite easily have been poisoned without needing a conjuring trick to explain it, because the only person without needing a conjuring trick to explain it, because the only person who did not drink after the cabaret, was necessarily the person whose who did not drink after the cabaret, was necessarily the person whose health was being drunk! health was being drunk!

"Now go over the whole business again and the set-up is entirely different! You were the intended victim, not George! So it looks, different! You were the intended victim, not George! So it looks, doesn't it, as though George is being used - what, if things had not doesn't it, as though George is being used - what, if things had not gone wrong, would have been the story as the world would see it? A gone wrong, would have been the story as the world would see it? A repet.i.tion of the party a year ago - and a repet.i.tion of - suicide! Clearly repet.i.tion of the party a year ago - and a repet.i.tion of - suicide! Clearly people would say, a suicidal streak in that family! Bit of paper which people would say, a suicidal streak in that family! Bit of paper which has contained cyanide found in your bag. Clear case! Poor girl has has contained cyanide found in your bag. Clear case! Poor girl has been brooding over her sister's death. Very sad - but these rich girls been brooding over her sister's death. Very sad - but these rich girls are sometimes very neurotic!" are sometimes very neurotic!"