A Pocket Full of Rye Page 0,44

Hotel if anything urgent turns up."

"Yes, sir."

"And find out anything you can about blackbirds," added Neele over his shoulder.

"Blackbirds, sir?" Sergeant Hay repeated, thoroughly mystified.

"That's what I said - not blackberry jelly - blackbirds."

"Very good, sir," said Sergeant Hay bewilderedly.
Chapter 17
Inspector Neele found Mr Ansell the type of solicitor who was more easily intimidated than intimidating. A member of a small and not very prosperous firm, he was anxious not to stand upon his rights but instead to assist the police in every way possible.

Yes, he said, he had made a will for the late Mrs Adele Fortescue. She had called at his office about five weeks previously. It had seemed to him rather a peculiar business but naturally he had not said anything. Peculiar things did happen in a solicitor's business, and of course the Inspector would understand that discretion, etc., etc. The Inspector nodded to show he understood. He had already discovered Mr Ansell had not transacted any legal business previously for Mrs Fortescue or for any of the Fortescue family.

"Naturally," said Mr Ansell, "she didn't want to go to her husband's firm of lawyers about this."

Shorn of verbiage, the facts were simple. Adele Fortescue had made a will leaving everything of which she died possessed to Vivian Dubois.

"But I gathered," said Mr Ansell, looking at Neele in an interrogating manner, "that she hadn't actually much to leave."

Inspector Neele nodded. At the time Adele Fortescue made her will that was true enough. But since then Rex Fortescue had died, and Adele Fortescue had inherited 100,000 pounds and presumably that 100,000 pounds (less death duties) now belonged to Vivian Edward Dubois.

II

At the Golf Hotel, Inspector Neele found Vivian Dubois nervously awaiting his arrival. Dubois had been on the point of leaving, indeed his bags were packed, when he had received over the telephone a civil request from Inspector Neele to remain. Inspector Neele had been very pleasant about it, quite apologetic. But behind the conventional words the request had been an order. Vivian Dubois had demurred, but not too much.

He said now:

"I do hope you realise, Inspector Neele, that it is very inconvenient for me to have to stay on. I really have urgent business that needs attending to."

"I didn't know you were in business, Mr Dubois," said Inspector Neele, genially.

"I'm afraid none of us can be as leisured as we would like to appear to be nowadays."

"Mrs Fortescue's death must have been a great shock to you, Mr Dubois. You were great friends, were you not?"

"Yes," said Dubois, "she was a charming woman. We played golf quite often together."

"I expect you'll miss her very much."

"Yes, indeed." Dubois sighed. "The whole thing is really quite, quite terrible."

"You actually telephoned her, I believe, on the afternoon of her death?"

"Did I? I really cannot remember now."

"About four o'clock, I understand."

"Yes, I believe I did."

"Don't you remember what your conversation was about, Mr Dubois?"

"It wasn't of any significance. I think I asked her how she was feeling and if there was any further news about her husband's death - a more or less conventional inquiry."

"I see," said Inspector Neele. He added, "And then you went out for a walk?"

"Er - yes - yes, I - I did, I think. At least, not a walk, I played a few holes of golf."

Inspector Neele said gently:

"I think not, Mr Dubois... Not that particular day... The porter here noticed you walking down the road towards Yewtree Lodge."

Dubois's eyes met his, then shied away again nervously.

"I'm afraid I can't remember. Inspector."

"Perhaps you actually went to call upon Mrs Fortescue?"

Dubois said sharply:

"No. No, I didn't do that. I never went near the house."

"Where did you go, then?"

"Oh, I - went on down the road, down as far as the Three Pigeons and then I turned around and came back by the links."

"You're quite sure you didn't go to Yewtree Lodge?"

"Quite sure. Inspector."

The Inspector shook his head.

"Come, now, Mr Dubois," he said, "it's much better to be frank with us, you know. You may have had some quite innocent reason for going there."

"I tell you I never went to see Mrs Fortescue that day."

The Inspector stood up.

"You know, Mr Dubois," he said pleasantly, "I think we'll have to ask you for a statement and you'll be well advised and quite within your rights in having a solicitor present when you are making that statement."

The colour fled from Mr Dubois's face, leaving it a sickly greenish colour.

"You're threatening me," he said. "You're threatening me."

"No, no, nothing of the kind."