by Lee Strauss
Under no illusion that they'd get past the reception, or that they'd be given any information about the diplomat, Ginger knew that it never hurt to try.
Basil pulled out his police identification card. "I'm Chief Inspector Basil Reed. It's important that I see Ambassador Jonathon Phillips."
The receptionist, an intelligent-looking woman, had long hair pinned up into a faux bob and round, gold-rimmed glasses resting on full cheeks. She regarded Basil and Ginger carefully, her small eyes blinking slowly. "You mean Ambassador Henry Jenkins."
Basil glanced sideways at Ginger. Had they been duped?
"Mr. Jonathon Phillips is on staff at the embassy, but he's a secretary."
"I see,” Basil said. "How long has Mr. Phillips been in the ambassador's employ?"
"Since January. Is there a problem? Should I pass a message along?"
"No, that's fine, madam. I'm sure you'll hear from Scotland Yard soon enough."
Chapter Twenty-Seven
"So let me get this straight," Haley lounged on the sitting room settee; her flesh-coloured stockings evident from the hem of her tweed skirt that landed below the knees. Her feet crossed at the ankles, and her arm draped languidly over the armrest. " John Phillips is not a diplomat. Cindy is selling udder salve as elite, age-defying face cream from Paris. John Phillips had an interest in Emelia. Cindy had an interest in Phillips."
"It would appear that Cindy is the killer." Ginger, like Haley, had her feet up on the ottoman, ankles crossed. In one hand she held a cut-crystal glass with one finger of bronze-coloured brandy. The other hand rested on Boss' soft body as he snored blissfully on Ginger's lap.
"Will there be an arrest?"
"Basil is with the superintendent as we speak. But with Superintendent Morris, one never knows. I do plan to return to North Star for one more turn as Antoinette."
"What on earth for?"
Ginger scratched Boss under his collar and around his ears. She found it as calming as he did. "There's something that's bothering me about this case."
Haley's dark brow lifted. "You don't think Cindy is guilty?"
"Oh she's guilty, all right. I'm just not sure if it's of murder."
"A hunch?"
"For one thing, the murder weapon hasn't been found.”
"Good point. According to evidence, Cindy's snake is indeed a wild scarlet and isn't venomous."
"Neither has the scene of the crime been determined, at least that we know of," Ginger said. "It's possible Superintendent Morris has stumbled on it, but if he has, Basil's inside man hasn't mentioned it."
Haley sipped her brandy then said, "I guess I'm going to the club again. I've never seen so much burlesque in all my years."
"You and me both, Haley," Ginger lifted Boss and pressed her cheek against his head. "I'll be glad when this is done and over with."
Haley headed upstairs in search of Felicia since both she and Ginger agreed that Felicia would be put out if not invited. Ginger's sister-in-law had proven to be an asset, and Ginger wanted to give her the opportunity to continue to prove herself. Hopefully, Felicia's wayward behavior was a thing of the past.
Ginger paused at the foot of the steps at the sight of a frazzled-looking Langley—Ambrosia's maid—scampering towards the drawing room with a plate of sandwiches in hand. Ambrosia's voice filtered through the door when the maid opened it, and if Ginger could go by Langley's demeanour, Ambrosia wasn't enjoying her visitor. Mrs. Schofield, Ginger suspected. She knocked before entering and had her suspicions verified.
"Hello, Mrs. Schofield." Ginger entered with Boss at her heels. "I thought it might be you enjoying tea with Grandmother."
Mrs. Schofield was a dainty white-haired lady with sharp eyes and bony fingers. Her hand trembled slightly as she lifted her teacup. "I heard that the Dowager Lady Gold had had her hair cut, so I just had to come over to see it for myself. Very avant-garde. On another lady of her generation, one would think it a poor attempt at holding on to one’s youth, but we know your dear grandmother is anything but vain."
Ambrosia's face flushed several shades of red, and Ginger had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from breaking out in laughter. Mrs. Schofield certainly had a way to conceal insults with flattery.
"Grandmother's new style is stunning, I agree," Ginger said. "I'm sure it will soon catch on for ladies of all ages wanting to stay fresh with the times."
Ambrosia gave Ginger a glance of appreciation and, dare Ginger say, gratitude.
Mrs. Schofield pursed her wrinkled lips and raised her teacup. "Perhaps you are correct. I might have to make an appointment with my hairstylist myself soon."
Ambrosia's round eyes sparkled with a look of triumph. "It would do wonders for you, Mrs. Schofield. Simply take years off." Ambrosia was on a roll. "My hairdresser also told me about a fabulous face cream from France, Jeune et Belle. It’s quite difficult to come by, apparently. I purchased a year’s supply."
Oh, mercy. Ginger covered her mouth to hold in the threatening chuckle. If Ambrosia ever discovered the cream she championed was cow udder salve, she'd simply die of humiliation.
Cindy was back at the club with Jake in tow. Ginger wondered why she chose to dance when it seemed like she was making loads of money with her face cream swindle. Ginger watched surreptitiously as the girls got ready. Conway stuck his head in without knocking. This wasn't unusual. What was unusual was the way he waved Cindy over and the heated discussion that followed.
"Jake is harmless. Ask one of the coppers."
Ginger couldn't hear Conway's response as they'd stepped further into the passageway. The way they spoke to each other was more familiar than was usual between an employer and employee. Perhaps there was a connection between the two that Ginger and Basil had missed.
Cindy insisted on closing the show and had a few unsavoury words to say to one of the new dancers when she argued against the suggestion. Now that Cindy had been held in custody for the suspicion of murder, the others gave her a wider berth.
Haley and Felicia were at their usual table minus Mr. Phillips, but plus Basil. Ginger sensed his protective nature towards them and smiled.
Nuala and Sorcha performed their bird and hunter routine, and a new girl did a Little Bo Peep number. Ginger's French maid song and dance had the crowd hooting and applauding until the curtain fell. Like the other dancers, she joined the crowd, nodding to her friends as she headed to the back by the bar. She wanted to get a wide-angle look at things.
Basil stood and retreated to the bar as well. The barman reappeared from the door behind the bar and was soon ready to serve them with the requisite folded white tea towel draped over his well-built shoulder. His blue eyes twinkled as he stared at Ginger. "What can I get you, Antoinette? It is Antoinette tonight?"
Ginger laughed a light sparkly laugh, keeping her French persona intact. "Of course it is, silly. Why would I be anyone else?"
When Billy attended to patrons at the other end of the bar, Ginger asked Basil, “Did your man find out anything about Billy Foster?”
Basil shook his head. "No one by the name of William or Billy Foster is known to the Met."
The piano player started Cindy's eastern-sounding dance tune, and the curtain rose to reveal Cindy in her colourful sari. The snake cage was covered and sat on a table to the side.
As Cindy dropped layers of her costume on the stage, Billy left to make their drinks. He returned shortly with a whisky for Basil and a cola for Ginger. Ginger’s gaze locked onto the barman's crystal-blue eyes. They looked strangely familiar to her. "Mon ami," she said. "We were wrong about Cindy. She's not a murderess after all. So unkind of us to jump to conclusions."
Billy grunted. "Most interesting thing that has happened around here for a while."
"Did you know that Mr. Phillips is dead?" Basil asked.
Billy showed mild shock at the question. "The diplomat? Outraged husband finally caught up with him, eh?"
On stage, Cindy whipped off the cover of Jake's cage to the
gasp of the crowd. She stealthily removed the reptile and wrapped it around her arms as her hips swivelled.
"He was bitten by a snake, the same as Destiny." Basil continued.
"Ain't that an odd coincidence," Billy said.
Then all hell broke loose.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Screams and shouts erupted. Tables were turned, drinks crashed to the floor. Women ran out of the doors.
Cindy lay crumpled on the stage.
"That's not part of her act," Ginger said. She and Basil dodged panicking customers and abandoned chairs.
A man shouted, "That snake bit her on the neck! It's on the loose."
Ginger and Basil ran to the stage.
The man was right. Two bite marks were evident on Cindy's ghostly white neck. Haley was already on stage checking for a pulse. She shook her head.
"She's gone."
"I thought wild scarlets were nonvenomous," Ginger said.
"They are," Haley said.
Felicia disappeared backstage and returned with a waste bin in her hand.
"I’ve found Jake."
Ginger grimaced at the slithering reptile inside. "Someone swapped the wild scarlet for a coral snake. In this dim lighting, the slight difference in marking would be easy to miss."
"It's over here!" a man shouted.
"Stand back," Basil said. He dug out his identification card. "Scotland Yard."
"It's still moving!"
"Someone do something!"
A gunshot fired and the snake crumpled to the floor. The men in the room turned to the shooter. Ginger, as Antoinette, stood legs apart, arms firm and pistol smoking. "Je suis désolée, gentlemen. It's a gift from America." Ginger made a show of putting it back in her garter. "A girl must protect herself."
Basil's jaw dropped and closed again. "I never get used to you doing that."
"Nobody move!"
Ginger and Basil froze. Not because of the command but because of who the voice belonged to.
"We heard a revolver fire," Superintendent Morris said.
Fingers pointed at Ginger.
Superintendent Morris approached her, and though Ginger worked to keep him from gaining eye contact, she failed. The superintendent’s heavy jaw dropped open in surprise as recognition dawned. “Well, well, well.”
Superintendent Morris had the upper hand. One word and he could expose her and irreparably ruin her reputation. Desperate, she begged.
“Please, monsieur, I beg of you to keep a girl’s secret.”
“I told you to stay out of police business.”
“I appeal to your sense of propriety.”
Superintendent Morris' jowls jiggled as he fought back a grin. He turned to his constable. "Arrest her."
"But, sir!" Basil protested. "She prevented a poisonous snake from taking another victim."
Superintendent Morris was unmoved. "She killed the evidence."
"Sir!"
"Arrest him too!"
"On what charge?" Basil demanded.
"Obstructing a police investigation. I told you to stay out of it."
Ginger recognised the futility in resisting and held her hands in front of her. Good thing she had a good solicitor.
"Sorry, sir," Sergeant Scott muttered as he snapped the handcuffs on Basil.
As a constable marched Ginger and Basil out of the club, Felicia and Haley ran to Ginger's side.
"Are the cuffs really necessary?" Haley asked sternly.
"Just following orders, madam."
Ginger's gaze locked onto Haley's. "Call my solicitor."
"Oh, Ginger!" Felicia cried, following along. "This is ghastly! Grandmama will faint at the news."
"Don't tell her. Make an excuse for me," Ginger said over her shoulder. "A believable one!"
Out of the corner of her eye, Ginger saw Conway do something she'd never seen him do as he watched Superintendent Morris lumber towards Cindy's body.
He smiled.
The smell in the holding area of the police station hadn't improved since the last time she was there visiting Basil. Sweat, bad breath, and sickly sweet perfume came from her cellmate who was dressed in a skimpy dress, torn stockings and thick makeup around her eyes.
"Hiya, sister," she'd said when Ginger was pushed into the cell with her. She was stretched out on the only bench, and didn’t bother to make room. "Tough night on the streets, eh?"
Ginger's outfit garnered hoots and whistles from the male population as well.
Basil put a quick stop to that from his cell to the left of hers.
"Cut it out!"
"Or you'll what?"
Basil stripped out of his fine dinner jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves revealing toned biceps. Perhaps he really had been a boxer at one time. The drunks had enough sense to back off. He shoved his jacket through the adjoining bars. “Put this on.”
Ginger accepted Basil’s offering and easily slipped into it, wrapping the oversized coat around her body. It concealed her décolletage, however, it wasn’t long enough to hide her legs.
"Constable," Basil called. "Get the lady a blanket."
Ginger's cellmate snorted. "Pfft, some lady." Her greasy hair rolled to the side, and she emitted a less than ladylike snore.
The blanket arrived. Ginger grimaced at the sharp odour then tied it around her waist. What she wouldn't give for a nice hot, bathtub soak, with pleasant smelling soaps.
Basil leaned against the bars.
"How long do you think Superintendent Morris will keep us here?" Ginger asked.
"Who knows," Basil replied. "He's punishing us, me for sure, so it could be a while."
Ginger was glad she was given a telephone call and that her solicitor had answered at the late hour.
“At least he didn’t give me away,” Ginger said.
“Morris has a heart,” Basil said, “even if it’s a small one.”
Ginger snuggled deeper into Basil’s jacket, finding comfort in its warmth and the lingering scent of Basil’s cologne. She took a deep breath then whispered, "Someone swapped Cindy's snake.”
Basil nodded. "The question is who?"
"Conway Sayer was acting suspiciously tonight. More fidgety than usual. He showed no emotion over the death of one of his dancers or the upsetting of the club’s evening."
"News like this can actually draw attention, bring in clients," Basil said.
"Exactly. I saw him smile. For the first time since I've met him."
Now that the drunks had joined Ginger's cellmate in a chorus of snores, Basil rolled down his sleeves, aggression no longer necessary. "We need to go back to Harrods Animal Kingdom," he said. "Maybe they've sold a coral snake recently and can give a description of the person who bought it."
Ginger tightened the smelly blanket to stave off the growing chill. "Surely, they're closed now."
"First thing in the morning," Basil said. "Assuming we've been let out by then."
Ginger didn't relish the idea of spending the night in custody, especially since her cellmate had no intention of sharing the bench.
"I've never been on this side of the bars before," she said.
Basil's hazel eyes raked her from head to toe. He scowled. "It's not a good look for you."
Ginger huffed. He didn't look that great either. Well, actually, he did, but drat the man.
The jangle of keys drew their attention.
"Lady Gold," the constable said as he worked the lock open. "You're free to go. Seems the superintendent agrees with the witnesses who say that shooting the poisonous snake was the sensible thing to do. There's a taxicab waiting."
"Oh, thank goodness!"
Ginger turned to her cellmate and carefully laid the blanket over the woman's thin form. Her eyes cracked open. "See ya later, sister."
"What about me?" Basil said when the constable failed to open his cell.
"Sorry, Chief Inspector. Superintendent Morris said to leave you in. Apparently, you need to learn a lesson."
Bas
il growled and hit the bars with the soft side of his fist.
"I'll fetch you in the morning," Ginger said. She added a silent prayer of thanks for her miracle-working solicitor.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Having indulged in the hot bath the night before and a short brandy with Haley to rehash the night's events, Ginger slept like a baby. She awoke to Boss licking her ear as if he were reminding her that she had an important errand to run.
She sat up straight. Harrods Animal Kingdom.
Boss sat upright, his stub of a tail wagging, big brown eyes hopeful.
"Oh, Bossy, I'm sorry. You can't come with me this time. I wouldn't want you to get eaten by a crocodile or stomped on by an elephant."
Boss had the good sense to whimper as he flattened himself on the bed. Ginger scrubbed his ears and kissed the top of his soft black head.
"Next time I go somewhere, I promise to take you."
Ginger dressed quickly and headed straight to her study where she rang Basil. Six rings and no answer. Drat! Where are you, Basil? Had he gone to Harrods without her? Or perhaps Superintendent Morris hadn’t yet released Basil from custody. She rang the police station.
"Hello. This is Lady Gold. Has Chief Inspector Basil Reed been released?"
"Er, no, madam. The superintendent wants to hold him until dusk."
"Whatever for! He's committed no crime!"
"The superintendent begs to differ. If it's any consolation madam, the chief inspector’s solicitor has been to visit."
"Thank you. Please let him know I've called, and that I'm heading to Harrods."
"Yes, madam."
Mrs. Beasley had tea and crumpets waiting in the morning room. "I heard you were up early today, m'lady. I can whip up eggs and bacon in a jiffy."
"Not for me. I'll eat a late breakfast when I return." Ginger sipped the tea and picked up a crumpet, which she ate while heading out to her Crossley. Clement was there, looking under the bonnet.
"Good morning, Clement. Is everything all right with the motorcar?"
