Sue for Mercy - Veronica Heley Page 0,51

do with — nothing to do with the purchase of shares. The money we paid into our bank account was to purchase a partnership in the Maudsley firm for my husband. You see, my father-in-law has been very pleased with the way Julian has been settling down at the firm, and he thought it would be a nice gesture to buy him a partnership. Charles brought us the cheques personally, because...”

“I saw Mr. Charles Ashton yesterday and he told me he and his boss were to lunch here today with you. Perhaps we might ask them to join us — just to confirm what you say.”

Robert began to wheeze; I could hear him from the kitchen. Charles sighed softly, and bent his head to rest against mine. J.B. reached out to pick a strand of turkey from the carcass.

“Charles left early,” said Julian. “He quarrelled with my father and left. He said there was something the matter with his car, and that he wanted to take it to a garage on his way home. As a matter of fact, we heard a loud bang just after he left, and wondered if he’d come to grief. We were just discussing whether we ought to go and have a look when you arrived.”

“That’s right,” said Ruth. “Almost like an explosion.”

“Something leaking from the engine? He said he smelt something.”

“I saw nothing like that on the way,” said the Inspector stolidly. “No crashed cars, or explosions, or any other such nonsense. So Mr. Ashton was here, but isn’t now and can’t confirm your story. He had a quarrel with Mr. John Brenner, you say? What about? Well, I don’t suppose it’s relevant. What we have to do now is ask Mr. John Brenner whether he meant those cheques as a personal gift or not. Where is he?”

“He wasn’t feeling too good after lunch,” said Bianca. “He had this quarrel, and somehow... he went to lie down in Julian’s den. Shall I go and ask him if he’s feeling well enough to join us?”

“I’ll go,” said the Inspector. “This door?” There was a pause, and then the Inspector’s voice came back, angry. “There isn’t anyone here. Is this supposed to be a joke?”

“He must be!” screamed Ruth, as usual losing her cool.

“Let me see...”

“Where could he have gone? He was lying down when I last saw him.” That was Julian. “He couldn’t have moved, I tell you! He was in a coma...”

“A coma?” repeated the Inspector. “That’s not what you said before. Sergeant, I think we’d better call for reinforcements.”

A new voice overrode agitated protests. “The phone cord’s been cut clean through, sir!”

“So I see. Now precisely what is going on here, may I ask? There’s money turning up here, there and everywhere, and two people missing... no, wait a minute! There’s seven cups of coffee poured out; four on the tray here — that’s for you lot — and three more I can see hiding in that big cupboard over there. You four, Mr. John Brenner and Mr. Charles Ashton make six. Whose was the seventh cup?”

“Someone who came to cook lunch for us,” said Bianca. “She left after lunch.”

“Do you normally invite a cook to sit down and have coffee with you after a meal? I’d like to meet this paragon. Where does she live?”

“She...”

“...she might be home by now, or she might...”

“She was going off somewhere for the afternoon, I think. To see her parents. I don’t know where they live.”

“I think,” said the Inspector, “that it’s more than time that we adjourned to the Station. Sergeant, phone from the car outside, will you, and...”

“Our cue,” said Charles, sliding me off his knee and recovering his jacket. Ronald and J.B. filed through into the sitting-room behind us. Ruth saw us first. She rammed her fingers into her mouth and shrieked. Robert went a peculiar shade of purplish-red, and reached for his inhaler. Bianca whirled round, her eyes dilated. I saw that she at least now understood everything.

“May I ask...?” This was the Inspector, a heavy-faced, dark man, squat and powerful. “Mr. John Brenner, Mr. Charles Ashton and Mr. Ronald Ashton, Interesting. And the young lady?”

“Allow me to explain!” said J.B. He took the Inspector by the arm, and led him into Julian’s den. The Sergeant had disappeared, presumably to phone in for reinforcements.

“We’ve been conned!” said Bianca, in a surprised voice. Julian sank into a chair and covered his face with his hands. I think, although I can’t be quite sure,