Latter End

CHAPTER 36

As soon as Polly had hurried away Miss Silver put on her dressing-gown, went downstairs to the study, and called up the Bull. When Frank Abbott came on the line, it was to tell her that the Chief was breakfasting with a view to an early start for Crampton, where he was meeting the Chief Constable and Inspector Smerdon.

Miss Silver coughed in a manner which informed him that she had not come to the telephone to listen. In grammatically correct but unmistakably homemade French she informed him that important new evidence had come to light, and that he should lose no time in repairing to Latter End.

Frank whistled.

“It’s really important?”

Miss Silver coughed.

“It clears my client,” she said, and replaced the receiver.

Sergeant Abbott reported to his Chief Inspector, who was putting away bacon and eggs and looking forward to toast and marmalade. The beds at the Bull had exceeded Frank’s worst fears-lumpy flock mattresses, short sheets, and narrow blankets. The bacon was underdone, but the eggs, being local produce, were fresh. Lamb was not so fastidious as his Sergeant. When he went to bed he slept, and when he sat down to a meal he ate with good appetite. He looked up now as Frank took the chair beside him, observed his expression, and said,

“Well, what is it?”

Sergeant Abbott lifted an eyebrow and said, “Maudie,” adding after an explosive pause-“in French. All very hush-hush.”

Lamb’s shining morning face had become decidedly overcast.

“What’s she want?”

Frank was smiling.

“You, sir-or, shall I say, us. I told her you were meeting the Chief Constable. She says evidence has turned up which will put Latter in the clear.”

Lamb’s voice said in its deepest growl,

“Tell you what it was?”

“No, sir.”

“Mare’s nest,” grunted Lamb. He added gloomily-“as like as not.”

“It sounded a good deal more like the ace of trumps.”

Lamb banged the table.

“Go on-back her up! That’s what you’re here for, isn’t it? Who do you take your orders from?”

“You, sir,” Voice and manner were deferential in the extreme.

His Chief Inspector looked at him sharply and said,

“Just keep on bearing that in mind, will you!” Then, after a pause, “Well, you’d better go along and see what she’s got. I can be back by half-past ten. If there’s anything urgent, you can give me a ring-Crampton 121.”

Sergeant Abbott had his breakfast, eschewing the bacon and playing for safety by ordering two boiled eggs. He then betook himself to Latter End, and after a short interval rang up the Chief Inspector, who was not best pleased.

“Well, what is it? I’m talking to the Chief Constable.”

“Well, sir, you told me to ring you up if the new evidence was important-and it is. I think you’d better come out here as soon as you can. Meanwhile I’ve got specimens of a white powder taken from the lady’s bathroom which ought to be analysed without delay. I’ve sealed them up, and the local constable is bringing them out on his bike. We ought to have a report before the inquest opens.”

“Probably toothpowder!”

“I don’t think so, sir.”

The Chief Inspector said, “Tchah!”