Murder Fantastical

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

AS A MATTER OF FACT Henry had had every intention of returning to Cregwell Grange that afternoon, once the frenzy of preparation for the Fête had died down; but things did not work out like that.

On arriving back at The Viking, he first of all put to Emmy Violet Manciple’s proposition that she should take over from the ailing Mrs. Penfold and assume charge of the Vicar’s weight. Emmy, outwardly amused but secretly flattered, said she would try anything once.

“Well, you’d better ring Mrs. Manciple and tell her so,” said Henry. “It’s like a madhouse up there, but I expect you’ll be able to get the message through to her. It’ll set her mind at rest.”

“You don’t think I should go up and see her?”

“Heavens, no. I tell you, it’s like Piccadilly Circus at the rush hour. Just call her.”

Emmy disappeared down the corridor into the small, dark box under the stairs which housed The Viking’s telephone, and Henry applied himself to compiling his official report on the death of Raymond Mason. In a few minutes Emmy was back.

“Did you get her?” Henry asked.

Emmy laughed. “I did in the end,” she said. “Madhouse is about right. But after I’d spoken to her, Major Manciple came on the line, wanting to speak to you. He’s waiting now.”

“Oh blast,” said Henry. “Did he say what it was about?”

“No, he wouldn’t tell me. Another of his crack-brained theories, I expect.”

“Oh, well, I’d better go and see what he wants.”

“Tibbett?” George Manciple’s voice made a gruff solo against the accompaniment of shrill sounds that floated down the wire from the Grange.

“Speaking,” said Henry.

In the background a feminine voice said, “Where’s Frank Mason? He promised…”

“You were up here yesterday,” Manciple went on, “searching the place, looking for things.”

“That’s right,” said Henry.

“Jumble in the study!” came the ghostly echo of Violet’s voice from far away.

“And one of the things you were looking for was my gun. The one I reported missing.”

“Right again.”

“Well, I just thought you’d like to know that it’s turned up.”

“It’s — what?”

“Turned up. Can’t you hear me?”

There was a crash from somewhere in the background and Maud’s voice said, “Everything for the Lucky Dip has to be wrapped…”

Henry said, “Where has it turned up?”

“Why, in its proper place. In the rack in the cloakroom with the others.”

“Oh, damnation,” said Henry.

“What’s that? I thought you’d be pleased.”

“Well, I’m not. Everybody in Cregwell has been milling around your house this morning, and any of them could have slipped the gun back. I don’t like it.”

“Well, I can’t help that, Tibbett.” George sounded nettled that his good news had not been better received. “Anyhow, I reported it missing, and now I’m reporting it back again.”

“Well, I suppose there’s a hope of fingerprints. Now, listen carefully, Major Manciple. I want you to wrap that gun up in…”

“Too late for that, I’m afraid,” said George.

“What do you mean, too late?”

“Well, I wouldn’t have known the thing had been returned, with all the rush and to-do, if it hadn’t been for Edwin.”

“What has the Bishop to do with it?”

“He’s helping me on the range on Saturday, you see. He’s a surprisingly good shot, for a clarinet player. I always say these things run in families.”

“Please, Major Manciple, would you just give me the facts?” Henry was experiencing the now-familiar woolly sensation.

“I lend the range every year, you see,” said George, who was evidently in no hurry. “Partly philanthropy, of course, but I won’t hide from you the fact that I welcome the chance of demonstrating to all and sundry that it’s perfectly safe — after that unpleasant business with the Council. We don’t use the traps, of course. Too difficult for amateurs, and too cumbersome to prepare. No, we set up ordinary targets — outers, inners, and bulls — and charge half-a-crown for six shots. There’s a small prize for the winning score at the end of the afternoon.”

Again Violet’s voice floated distantly by. “Well, if Julian has taken Maud’s car, and Frank has gone, you’ll just have to see if Mrs. Thompson will…”

“Could we get back to the missing gun?” asked Henry.

“Oh, indeed. Yes, to be sure. As I was saying, Edwin is helping me on the range on Saturday, so I asked him today, would he do the usual maintenance job on the guns? Cleaning, oiling, and loading — all ready for the fray. He came to me just now and said, ‘Well, that’s done, George, all five of them.’ ‘All five?’ I said. ‘But there’s only four. The police still have the gun that shot poor Mason and another one is missing.’ ‘There’s five as sure as I’m standing here,’ he said. ‘Come and see for yourself.’ It seems Edwin hadn’t realized there was one missing, you see. So I went along to the cloakroom and there they were…”

“All nicely cleaned and polished by the Bishop,” said Henry bitterly.

“Yes, he’d made a very nice job of them, I’ll say that for him. Now he’s quite positive that all five were in the rack when he started on them about an hour ago. And I’m sure that there were only four first thing this morning. So…”

“Yes,” said Henry, “I can draw a deduction from that.”

“Well, there we are. That’s all I wanted to tell you. I thought you’d be interested. What’s that? Yes, dear, tell your mother I’ll be along in a minute. Good-bye for now, Tibbett.”

Henry walked back to his room with mixed feelings. On the face of it, it was a good thing that the gun had been returned to its rightful owner; at least it was not being concealed for some sinister purpose. On the other hand, it had been placed in the most convenient position for speedy use, and Henry had some misgivings about leaving five loaded guns freely available in a house where he was reasonably sure that one murder had been committed. The thought of the shooting range and its equipment being open to all on Saturday was also an uneasy one. He returned to his report and worked on it steadily, pausing only for a quick lunch.

It was at half-past four, when Henry had put the finishing touches to his report and was contemplating another assault on Cregwell Grange, that he was again summoned to the telephone. This time it was Scotland Yard. According to the sergeant in London, a Mr. Mumford had been persistently trying to get in touch with Henry. Other than his name he had refused to disclose any particulars of himself or his business, simply insisting that he must speak to Chief Inspector Tibbett, and that the matter was confidential. He had first telephoned at about three o’clock. Every effort had been made to persuade him to talk to somebody else or to explain what he wanted, but to no avail. All that took time, as Henry would appreciate. Finally, Mr. Mumford had admitted that he had important information concerning the Raymond Mason case. At which the sergeant had decided that Henry should be contacted. He passed on Mr. Mumford’s telephone number — a Mayfair one, which Henry recognized as being that of Raymond Mason Ltd. — and suggested that Henry might like to ring Mr. Mumford directly. Henry said that he would.

“Oh, Inspector Tibbett, thank heavens I’ve been able to get in touch with you at last!” Mr. Mumford was more than agitated; he was terrified, and his terror shivered down the telephone line like cracking ice. “I really am at my wits’ end. Nothing like this has ever happened before. Never. And of course I can’t call in the police. That would be quite impossible.”

“What has happened?” Henry asked.

“I hardly like to tell you over the telephone.”

“Just give me some idea.”

“Well,” Mr. Mumford gulped. “First of all you may remember that when you were here the other day, we had some — er — unwelcome visitors.”

“I remember,” said Henry.

“I have been waiting with some apprehension, as you can imagine, for the — em — the results of their visitation.”

“I haven’t seen anything in the papers myself,” Henry remarked.

Mr. Mumford drew in his breath sharply at such plain speaking on a public telephone line. He said, “There has been nothing to see — until today. You have not noticed — anything — today?”

“No,” said Henry, “but I’ve been busy.”

“There is a most scurrilous, a most — well — you’ll just have to read it, Chief Inspector. In the — em — one of our most popular dailies. I won’t mention its name. It concerns itself with — em — with my late employer. It hints, definitely implies that there was an irregularity between Mr. — my late employer — and some of his clients. It has been cleverly written, for I immediately contacted the firm’s solicitor, but he gives it as his opinion that we cannot sue. The insinuations are all too oblique, if you see what I mean. That makes it none the more pleasant.”

“I’m very sorry to hear about this, Mr. Mumford,” said Henry, “but I really don’t see what I can do to help you.”

“Nobody can help me,” said Mr. Mumford with epic resignation. “Not over that matter, at any rate. It was not primarily about that that I telephoned you. It was bad enough to read all that in the paper this morning, but I had no idea then what was in store for me later in the day. This has been a day I shall not lightly forget, Chief Inspector.”

“What happened later in the day?”

“I arrived back at the office later than usual after lunch,” said Mr. Mumford. “The reason being that I had spent a long time with the solicitor, as I told you, and did not get to Fuller’s for my customary modest meal until two o’clock. At three I was back at the office. At first I noticed nothing wrong. But then…”

“Then what?”

“I really don’t know if I should tell you over the telephone.”

“I’m afraid you’ll have to,” said Henry.

There was a little pause. Then Mr. Mumford brought out a single word like a bullet. “Robbery!”

“You mean your office has been burgled?”

“Precisely. Straightforward burglary!”

“What has been taken?”

“That’s the point, Chief Inspector. That is the terrible thing. The — the very private files belonging to my late employer. I hope I need not say more. You will understand.”

“If you have been robbed,” said Henry, “you should have called in the police at once. Why didn’t you?”

“I fear I have not made myself clear, Chief Inspector. You see, I know who is responsible for this robbery.”

“You do?”

“Of course. My — my late employer’s son. I can say no more. No more at all. Chief Inspector, you must come to London and see for yourself.”

“Yes,” said Henry, “yes, I think I should do that.” He looked at his watch. “It’s a quarter to five now. I can be with you in about an hour, or better say an hour and a half to allow for the rush-hour traffic. What time does your office close?”

“Six o’clock, thank God,” said Mr. Mumford, showing a gleam of humanity. “I’ll wait here for you. That way we shall be quite alone here. I can’t thank you enough, Chief Inspector.”

Henry went back to the bedroom and broke the news to Emmy that he had to leave for London at once, and did not know when he would be back.

“Is it bad?” Emmy asked.

“It’s most peculiar,” said Henry.

“What does that mean?”

“Just what it says. I don’t understand what is happening, but I have a nasty feeling that I may have been a bloody fool. And that’s a feeling I don’t like.” He put on his coat. “Will you be an angel and call Sergeant Duckett for me? Tell him I’ve had to go to London, but that I’ll see him tomorrow. And don’t wait up for me. I may be late.”

The drive to London took longer than Henry had anticipated, for he hit the suburban rush-hour traffic fair and square. After a frustrating series of crawls and jams he eventually found himself at the offices of Raymond Mason Ltd. just before seven o’clock. The street door was firmly locked, but Henry’s ring brought a harassed Mr. Mumford at a run to open it. Together, they walked through the inner office, past the shrouded typewriters and calculating machines, and into the manager’s sanctum.

The first thing that Henry noticed — he could hardly miss it — was the fact that Raymond Mason’s private filing cabinet was open, and that it was empty. Mumford, following Henry’s glance, sat down heavily in the big swivel chair behind the desk and said, “You see? You see? Empty. All gone. Everything.”

“Tell me about it,” said Henry.

“There’s very little to tell. As I told you, I didn’t get back until about three. As I came through the big office, Miss Jenkins said, ‘You’ve just missed Mr. Frank, Mr. Mumford. He was waiting for you, but he left a few.’ Frankly, Chief Inspector, I was pleased rather than sorry. As you know, my relationship with Mr. Frank has never been — well — let us just say that he is not the man his father was. Let us just say that.”

“By all means,” said Henry. “So, Mr. Frank had just left.”

“That’s right. He had been waiting in my office to see me. Arrived about half-past two, as far as I could make out, and left about ten to three. I said something to Miss Jenkins about it being too bad — I don’t believe in letting the staff know if there is any slight — em — friction in the upper echelons. It makes for bad discipline. Anyhow, I came in here, and saw — what you have just seen. I was appalled. That is not too strong a word, Chief Inspector. Appalled. I didn’t know what to do.” Mr. Mumford sounded amazed as he made this admission. Henry supposed that it was probably the first time in his life that he had found himself in such a predicament.

Mumford went on. “Loth as I was to divulge anything to the staff, I felt compelled — I called in Miss Jenkins, who is the senior typist, and asked her whether Mr. Frank had taken any documents with him when he left the office. ‘Oh, yes,’ she said, quite unconcerned. ‘He had quite an armful. Files and boxes and things. He said to tell you he was taking some things of his father’s.’ So you see, Chief Inspector…”

“I notice,” said Henry, “that he took the money as well as the files, not to mention the whiskey. And the…”

“Where did he get the key?” demanded Mumford in a sort of wail. “Where? You had the key, which you said was on Mr. Mason’s own key ring…”

“That’s right,” said Henry, “and it still is.”

“Then how did Mr. Frank…?”

Henry sighed. “He has been living in his father’s house, Cregwell Lodge, for the past week,” he said. “It’s perfectly possible that Raymond Mason kept a duplicate key somewhere and that Frank Mason found it.”

“Those files were confidential, Chief Inspector. Supposing that he…? I don’t like to think about it. You know the names involved. People of the very highest standing.”

“You mean,” said Henry, “that those files would be extremely useful to a blackmailer.”

“To a…? What a terrible word, Chief Inspector!”

“By the way,” Henry added, “do you have a copy of that newspaper handy, the one you were telling me about?”

“I certainly do!” Momentarily, Mumford’s indignation got the better of his fright. “Of all the disgraceful… Oh, if I knew who was to blame!”

“The journalist concerned, I suppose,” said Henry.

“No, no. Who was to blame for setting the press on to us in the first place. Somebody must have drawn their attention to…”

“Yes. It’s interesting, isn’t it?” said Henry. “Let’s have a look at that paper.”

Mumford opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out the current copy of a best-selling daily newspaper. It was open at an inside page article entitled, “The Life and Death of a Gambler,” which featured a large photograph of the late Raymond Mason. There were also photographs of some of Mason’s more aristocratic clients, but none of them, Henry noted, was a “private” client. Each time that the name of a titled or celebrated person was mentioned in the text it appeared in heavy type, even though the connection might be as tenuous as the mention of a John Smith who was “a kinsman of the Earl of Fenshire.” In this way the writer had managed to pepper his story with illustrious names. He had also spiced it, very cleverly, with the most gossamer of innuendoes. Phrases like “walking a financial tightrope, like all of the bookmaking fraternity,” “steering an unimpeachable course between the pitfalls of near-legality and downright roguery which have besmirched the good name of this profession,” and “profitable sidelines, generously helped along by influential acquaintances,” all added up to create a certain effect.

The story was, in fact, a rags-to-riches epic. The poor boy from the East End of London who wound up as “a friend to Dukes and Earls.” And yet this success story had ended in tragedy and mystery. The writer pointed out that Scotland Yard had been called in to investigate Mason’s death, that although no statement had been made, the police were actively pursuing their inquiries, and that the inquest on Friday should be an interesting affair. It occurred to Henry that the writer of the article would have a great deal more juicy material had he had access to Mason’s private files, and he wondered whether in a subsequent piece he might have the benefit of their aid.

Mumford was saying, “You will know the legal position better than I…”

Henry said, “I thought that you had consulted your solicitor and that he told you that this article gave you no grounds for taking legal action.”

“No, no, no. I am talking about Mr. Frank. The will, you see.”

“What about the will?”

“The solicitor told me today. Mr. Mason’s will is horribly simple. Everything is left to Mr. Frank. Everything. So, you see, Mr. Frank obviously felt that he was entitled to walk in here and take anything he wanted. But is that so, Chief Inspector?”

“No,” said Henry, “it isn’t. The will hasn’t been proved yet. Frank Mason has no right to anything, for the moment. Of course, executors often advance money to heirs, if they need it to tide them over until the will is admitted to probate, but the heirs have no legal right. None at all.”

“So I could sue Mr. Frank for theft?”

“You could,” said Henry, “but I wouldn’t, if I were you. The will will be proved long before you could get the case into court, and — well — I can’t imagine that you’d welcome the sort of publicity that it would bring.”

“That’s just the point, Chief Inspector. I’m not a fool, I realize the position I am in, that the firm is in. That’s why I telephoned you rather than the police.”

Henry hardly knew whether or not to be flattered at this distinction. Mumford went on. “I knew you would understand and be able to advise me. What am I to do now?”

“The best advice I can give you,” said Henry, “is to do absolutely nothing.”

“Nothing? But those files…”

“There’s nothing useful you can do, except go home and try to have a good night’s sleep, and carry on as usual in the office tomorrow. If you are seriously troubled by the press, call the police. If anything else interesting happens, call me.” Henry scribbled the numbers of The Viking and the Cregwell police station on a piece of paper, and handed it to Mumford.

“But, Chief Inspector…”

“Meanwhile,” said Henry, “I will do something.” He looked at his watch. “It’s five to eight. The roads will be clear now, so I should be back in Cregwell by nine, with any luck. I shall visit Mr. Frank Mason.”

Mr. Mumford’s face lit up as though some unseen hand had pressed a switch. “You will? And you’ll get the files…”

“I don’t know what I shall get,” said Henry, “but I’ll do my best.”

***

Henry was relieved to see that lights were burning in Cregwell Lodge, when he parked his car outside the house soon after nine o’clock. He was also intrigued to see that the heavy red velvet curtains of the study were tightly drawn, for Frank Mason had given him the impression of a man who had no use for such bourgeois devices.

Henry rang the front doorbell loudly. This had an interesting effect. First, the curtain was drawn aside fractionally, as though someone were looking out to see who was ringing. Then there was a slight scuffling sound inside the house, and all the lights went out. A palpitating silence followed.

Henry rang again. When this had no effect, he walked to the study window, unable to resist the thought of the occasion when the Bishop of Bugolaland had done the same thing. The curtains were tightly closed and the light was out, but a smaller, more erratic light flickered behind them. Henry, moving quietly, tried the handle of the French window which opened into the garden. As he had hoped, it was not locked. It opened easily, and Henry slipped between the curtains and into the study.

Frank Mason was standing by the door which led to the hallway listening anxiously. He evidently expected another summons from the front doorbell. In the large open fireplace a pile of logs burned merrily, making the room insufferably hot, for the September evening was mild. On the desk lay what remained of Raymond Mason’s confidential files. The others were in the process of being reduced to ash in the fireplace.

“Good evening,” said Henry.

Mason wheeled around as though he had been stung. For a moment he looked at Henry with real panic in his face; then, suddenly, he grinned.

“I forgot the garden door,” he said.

“Luckily for me,” said Henry. “You might as well put the lights on again.”

Frank Mason did so. Then he said, “Sorry I was unsociable. No special reason, you know. I just didn’t feel like company.” He paused, and then added awkwardly, “I was burning some old papers.”

“So I see,” said Henry. He sat down in a leather armchair. “Why did you set the hounds of the press on to poor Mr. Mumford?”

“I didn’t.”

“Oh yes you did. There was nobody else who…”

“I didn’t set them on to Mumford. He has nothing to do with it. He’s a sycophantic cipher. Mumford isn’t worth a minute of anybody’s time.” Frank paused. Then he said, “I thought the world ought to know about people like my father.”

“You seem to me,” said Henry, “to be in a very muddled frame of mind. Only a few days ago you were claiming that your father had been murdered, and demanding justice and revenge.”

“You don’t have to murder a man simply because you disapprove of his way of life,” said Mason. He smiled suddenly. “Not even if you’re a revolutionary Communist. Besides, he was my father. You said just now that I was demanding justice. Well, I am. Justice for the person who killed him, and justice for the community at large by warning them against other men like him. I don’t call that muddled thinking.”

“You and I,” said Henry, “should get a few things straight. For a start, nobody killed your father.”

“But…”

“I’ll explain,” said Henry. He did.

When he had finished, Frank Mason said slowly, “I suppose you must be right. Which means that I owe Manning-Richards an apology, but I’m damned if he’s going to get it.” After a pause he added, “A bit ironic, isn’t it? Dad got himself shot to save old Miss Manciple’s life, and now she’s dead anyway, not a week later. He needn’t have bothered.”

Henry looked at him curiously. “Nobody could possibly have known that Miss Manciple was going to die,” he said, “could they?”

“No. No, of course not.”

“Right,” said Henry. “Now we’ll go on from there. Starting with the gun. What did you do with it?”

“I told you. I put it in this drawer…”

“You didn’t take it back to Cregwell Grange this morning when you called there with your jumble for the Fête?”

“Certainly I didn’t. Why, has it turned up?”

“Yes,” said Henry.

“Oh well, that’s a good thing. One more mystery out of the way.”

“Perhaps,” said Henry. “Now, about the things you took from your father’s private filing cabinet today.”

Frank Mason looked decidedly rattled. “How did you…?”

“You don’t think that Mr. Mumford would let a thing like that pass, do you? He got in touch with me at once. He’s extremely upset.”

Mason grinned. “Good,” he said.

“Why on earth,” Henry asked, “didn’t you simply lock up the cabinet again? Then he’d never have known that the things had disappeared.”

“Because I wanted him to be upset, of course,” said Mason. “I hope he bursts a blood vessel. He can shout all the imprecations he can think of at the top of his tiny voice and brandish his tiny fists. There’s not a damned thing he can do about it.”

“What makes you so sure of that?”

“Well, everything in that office is my property now, isn’t it? Including Mumford, come to that.”

“No,” said Henry, “it isn’t.”

“But my father’s will…”

“Has not yet been proved. Legally, you aren’t entitled to anything yet. Your action today was just as much burglary as if you’d put a nylon stocking over your face and robbed a bank.”

Frank Mason looked alarmed. “Are you sure? You mean — he can’t actually do anything about it, can he?”

“He could,” said Henry, “but I don’t think he will. Not if you are sensible.”

“What do you mean by sensible?”

“First thing tomorrow,” said Henry, “you must go up to London, apologize to Mumford, and return everything that you took out of the cabinet.”

“But,” instinctively, Mason’s eyes went to the fire.

“I do appreciate your difficulty,” said Henry. “Why are you destroying them?”

“You know what they are?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Well, wouldn’t you destroy them?”

“I might feel inclined to,” said Henry, “but I should have thought that they’d be just the thing to give to the press if you are set on blackening your father’s memory.”

Mason flushed, “He was my father,” he said.

“You mean, there are limits?”

Mason said, “I hold no brief for the useless parasites concerned, but I’m neither a toady nor a blackmailer. When I take over the business, it’s going to be honestly run.”

“And profitably?”

“Why not? In a competitive society one has to compete.”

After a pause Henry said, “I should go ahead and burn the lot. I imagine that all those dossiers show the client in a state of indebtedness, don’t they?”

“Of course. That was the whole filthy idea.”

“Then nobody is going to complain.”

“But Mumford…”

“Least of all Mumford,” said Henry. He added, “When you take over, don’t sack him. He’s an honest man and extremely useful to the firm. You’ll never make a profit without him.”

Mason stared at Henry. “You’re a curious character,” he said.

“In every sense of the word,” said Henry. “Among other things I’m curious about why your father was so keen on buying Cregwell Grange.”

“Snobbery.” The word came out like a reflex action.

“No other reason?”

“Not that I know of. What other reason could there be?”

“He never said anything to you…?”

“Never when he could help it,” said Frank shortly. He picked up a file from the desk. Henry saw that it had Sir John Adamson written neatly on its label. “Well, another for the holocaust.”

As the flames licked around the buff cardboard and its contents, Henry felt a momentary pang of doubt, but he put it aside. He said, “When did you find out about these secret flies?”

“When I found the spare key to the cabinet. It was in a drawer in my father’s dressing table, and it was rather indiscreetly labeled. I put it into my pocket the day I arrived here — before you started your snooping around — but I didn’t think much about it until I connected it up with a list of names that I found in an old diary of his. Then I decided to investigate. I was delighted to find that Mumford was out. That gave me an opportunity for a cozy little that with Sarah Jenkins. She’s a bright girl, and she knew a lot more about what went on in that office than Mumford did.”

“Do you still have the key?”

“Yes. It’s here,” Mason pulled a small key out of his pocket. It bore no label of any sort and Henry remarked on this. Mason said, “I burned the label.”

“Can you remember what it said?”

“No.”

“Not even in general terms?”

“Oh, something about this being the key to the private account files.”

“Nothing else?”

“No.”

“Oh well,” said Henry, “that’s that. But it’s very important that you should take the other things back tomorrow.”

“The money, you mean?”

“The money, the whiskey, and the book. By the way — may I see the book?”

Mason looked surprised. “I didn’t know that you went in for pornography, Inspector.”

Henry said blandly, “It’s a book that is banned in this country. I should take it into custody.”

Mason got up. “Curiouser and curiouser,” he said. He opened a drawer in the desk. “Here it is. But I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s only the dust cover that is wicked. I suppose Dad thought it would give him a certain standing with some of his less attractive customers to have a notorious piece of banned filth lying around in his office. He had that sort of mentality.”

He tossed the book over to Henry. Inside the lurid cover was a sensational but morally unimpeachable detective story. Watching Henry’s face, Mason said, “I was disappointed myself. That’s ruined your bedtime reading for tonight, hasn’t it?”

“Yes,” said Henry. He grinned. “Yes, it has.”

Mabel was just shutting up the bar when Henry got back to The Viking. It had been a busy evening, she said. Sir Claud Manciple had been in with his niece and that nice young man of hers. They’d had a drink with Mrs. Tibbett. Only left a few minutes ago — what a shame Henry had missed them. They were here for the funeral tomorrow, of course. Poor Miss Dora — it was sad, wasn’t it, but she’d had a good life after all. Mrs. Tibbett had gone upstairs to bed. Would Henry like a nightcap, him being a resident? No? Then she wished him a very good night.

Emmy was already in bed when Henry got upstairs. He told her briefly what had happened in London and at Cregwell Lodge, and she replied with an account of the pleasant evening she had spent with Maud, Julian, and Sir Claud.

“Oh, I knew there was something I had to tell you, Henry. Sir Claud said that Violet had asked him to tell you, if he saw you, that it was all a mistake about Lady Manciple’s sleeping pills. She’s found them. She’d apparently quite forgotten having packed them in her cosmetic bag; usually she has some other special place for them. So that clears that up.”

Henry sat down on his bed looking glum. “Yes,” he said.

“You ought to be pleased.” said Emmy. “First the gun and now the pills. All your mysteries are turning out to be no mysteries at all.”

“That,” said Henry, “is exactly what worries me.”