Taken At The Flood Part 14

"Got the report on this. Graves?"

"Yes, sir. Mainspring's broken."

"And the mechanism of the hands?"

"Quite all right, sir."

"What, in your opinion. Graves, does the watch tell us?"

Graves murmured warily, "Seems as though it might give us the time the crime was committed." the crime was committed."

"Ah," said Spence, "when you've been as long in the Force as I have, you'll be a little suspicious of anything so convenient as a smashed you'll be a little suspicious of anything so convenient as a smashed watch. It can be genuine - but it's a well-known h.o.a.ry old trick. Turn watch. It can be genuine - but it's a well-known h.o.a.ry old trick. Turn the hands of a watch to a time that suits you - smash it - and out with the hands of a watch to a time that suits you - smash it - and out with some virtuous alibi. But you don't catch an old bird that way. I'm some virtuous alibi. But you don't catch an old bird that way. I'm keeping a very open mind on the subject of the time this crime was keeping a very open mind on the subject of the time this crime was committed. Medical evidence is: between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m." committed. Medical evidence is: between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m."

Sergeant Graves cleared his throat.

"Edwards, second gardener at Furrowbank, says he saw David Hunter coming out of a side door there about 7.30. The maids didn't know he coming out of a side door there about 7.30. The maids didn't know he was down here. They thought he was up in London with Mrs Gordon. was down here. They thought he was up in London with Mrs Gordon. Shows he was in the neighbourhood all right." Shows he was in the neighbourhood all right."

"Yes," said Spence. "I'll be interested to hear Hunter's own account of his doings." his doings."

"Seems like a clear case, sir," said Graves, looking at the initials on the lighter. the lighter.

"H'm," said the Superintendent. "There's still this to account for."

He indicated the lipstick.

"It had rolled under the chest of drawers, sir. Might have been there some time." some time."

"I've checked up," said Spence. "The last time a woman occupied that room was three weeks ago. I know service isn't up to much nowadays - room was three weeks ago. I know service isn't up to much nowadays - but I still think they run a mop under the furniture once in three weeks. but I still think they run a mop under the furniture once in three weeks. The Stag is kept pretty clean and tidy on the whole." The Stag is kept pretty clean and tidy on the whole."

"There's been no suggestion of a woman being mixed up with Arden."

"I know," said the Superintendent. "That's why that lipstick is what I call the unknown quant.i.ty." call the unknown quant.i.ty."

Sergeant Graves refrained from saying "Cherchez la femme." He had a very good French accent and he knew better than to irritate very good French accent and he knew better than to irritate Superintendent Spence by drawing attention to it. Sergeant Graves Superintendent Spence by drawing attention to it. Sergeant Graves was a tactful young man. was a tactful young man.

Chapter 17.

Superintendent Spence looked up at Shepherd's Court, Mayfair, before stepping inside its agreeable portal. Situated modestly in the before stepping inside its agreeable portal. Situated modestly in the vicinity of Shepherd's Market, it was discreet, expensive and vicinity of Shepherd's Market, it was discreet, expensive and inconspicuous. inconspicuous.

Inside, Spence's feet sunk into soft pile carpet, there was a velvet covered settee and a jardiniere full of flowering plants. covered settee and a jardiniere full of flowering plants.

A small automatic lift faced him, with a flight of stairs at one side of it. On the right of the hall was a door marked Office. On the right of the hall was a door marked Office.

Spence pushed it open and went through.

He found himself in a small room with a counter, behind which was a table and a typewriter, and two chairs. One was drawn up to the table, table and a typewriter, and two chairs. One was drawn up to the table, the other, a more decorative one, was set at an angle to the window. the other, a more decorative one, was set at an angle to the window. There was no one visible. There was no one visible.

Spying a bell inset on the mahogany counter, Spence pressed it. When nothing happened, he pressed it again. A minute or so later a door in nothing happened, he pressed it again. A minute or so later a door in the far wall was opened and a resplendent person in uniform the far wall was opened and a resplendent person in uniform appeared. His appearance was that of a foreign General or possibly appeared. His appearance was that of a foreign General or possibly Field Marshal, but his speech was of London and uneducated London Field Marshal, but his speech was of London and uneducated London at that. at that.

"Yes, sir?"

"Mrs Gordon Cloade."

"Third floor, sir. Shall I ring through first?"

"She's here, is she?" said Spence. "I had an idea she might be in the country." country."

"No, sir, she's been here since Sat.u.r.day last."

"And Mr David Hunter?"

"Mr Hunter's been here, too."

"He's not been away?"

"No, sir."

"Was he here last night?"

"Now then," said the Field Marshal, suddenly becoming aggressive.

"What's all this about? Want to know every one's life history?"

Silently Spence displayed his warrant card. The Field Marshal was immediately deflated and became cooperative. immediately deflated and became cooperative.

"Sorry, I'm sure," he said. "Couldn't tell, could I?"

"Now then, was Mr Hunter here last night?"

"Yes, sir, he was. At least to the best of my belief he was. That is, he didn't say he was going away." didn't say he was going away."

"Would you know if he was away?"

"Well, generally speaking, no. I don't suppose I should. Gentlemen and ladies usually say if they're not going to be here. Leave word about ladies usually say if they're not going to be here. Leave word about letters or what they want said if any one rings up." letters or what they want said if any one rings up."

"Do telephone calls go through this office?"

"No, most of the flats have their own lines. One or two prefer not to have a telephone and then we send up word on the house phone and have a telephone and then we send up word on the house phone and the people come down and speak from the box in the hall." the people come down and speak from the box in the hall."

"But Mrs Cloade's flat has its own phone?"

"Yes, sir."

"And as far as you know they were both here last night?"

"That's right."

"What about meals?"

"There's a restaurant, but Mrs Cloade and Mr Hunter don't very often use it. They usually go out to dinner." use it. They usually go out to dinner."

"Breakfast?"

"That's served in the flats."

"Can you find out if breakfast was served this morning to them?"

"Yes, sir. I can find out from room service."

Spence nodded. "I'm going up now. Let me know about that when I come down." come down."

"Very good, sir."

Spence entered the lift and pressed the b.u.t.ton for the third floor. There were only two flats on each landing. Spence pushed the bell of There were only two flats on each landing. Spence pushed the bell of No. 9. No. 9.

David Hunter opened it. He did not know the Superintendent by sight and he spoke brusquely. and he spoke brusquely.

"Well, what is it?"

"Mr Hunter?"

"Yes."

"Superintendent Spence of the Oatshire County Police. Can I have a word with you?" word with you?"

"I apologise, Superintendent." He grinned. "I thought you were a tout. Come in." Come in."

He led the way into a modern and charming room. Rosaleen Cloade was standing by the window and turned at their entrance. was standing by the window and turned at their entrance.

"Superintendent Spence, Rosaleen," said Hunter. "Sit down, Superintendent. Have a drink?" Superintendent. Have a drink?"

"No, thank you, Mr Hunter."

Rosaleen had inclined her head slightly. She sat now, her back to the window, her hands clasped tightly on her lap. window, her hands clasped tightly on her lap.

"Smoke?" David preferred cigarettes.

"Thanks." Spence took a cigarette, waited... watched David slide a hand into a pocket, slide it out, frown, look round and pick up a box of hand into a pocket, slide it out, frown, look round and pick up a box of matches. He struck one and lit the Superintendent's cigarette. matches. He struck one and lit the Superintendent's cigarette.

"Thank you, sir."

"Well," said David, easily, as he lit his own cigarette. "What's wrong at Warmsley Vale? Has our cook been dealing in the Black Market? She Warmsley Vale? Has our cook been dealing in the Black Market? She provides us with wonderful food, and I've always wondered if there provides us with wonderful food, and I've always wondered if there was some sinister story behind it." was some sinister story behind it."

"It's rather more serious than that," said the Superintendent. "A man died at the Stag Inn last night. Perhaps you saw it in the papers?" died at the Stag Inn last night. Perhaps you saw it in the papers?"

David shook his head.

"No, I didn't notice it. What about him?"

"He didn't only die. He was killed. His head was smote in as a matter of fact." fact."

A half-choked exclamation came from Rosaleen. David said quickly: "Please, Superintendent, don't enlarge on any details. My sister is delicate. She can't help it, but if you mention blood and horrors she'll delicate. She can't help it, but if you mention blood and horrors she'll probably faint." probably faint."

"Oh, I'm sorry," said the Superintendent. "But there wasn't any blood to speak of. It was murder right enough, though." to speak of. It was murder right enough, though."

He paused. David's eyebrows went up.

He said gently:

"You interest me. Where do we come in?"

"We hoped you might be able to tell us something about this man, Mr Hunter." Hunter."

"I?".

"You called to see him on Sat.u.r.day evening last. His name - or the name he was registered under - was Enoch Arden." name he was registered under - was Enoch Arden."

"Yes, of course. I remember now."

David spoke quietly, without embarra.s.sment.

"Well, Mr Hunter?"

"Well, Superintendent, I'm afraid I can't help you. I know next to nothing about the man." nothing about the man."

"Was his name really Enoch Arden?"

"I should very much doubt it."

"Why did you go to see him?"

"Just one of the usual hard luck stories. He mentioned certain places, war experiences, people -" David shrugged his shoulders. "Just a war experiences, people -" David shrugged his shoulders. "Just a touch, I'm afraid. The whole thing was rather bogus." touch, I'm afraid. The whole thing was rather bogus."

"Did you give him any money, sir?"

There was a fractional pause and then David said: "Just a fiver - for luck. He'd been in the war all right."

"He mentioned certain names that you knew?"

"Yes."