It was such a universal human fault—failure to accept the obvious. Like my loving Ian, and Ian loving me. We’d both of us shut away that knowledge because it didn’t square with what we wanted to believe. Ian was a surly brute who had been caught out acting suspiciously. Dulcie had been a glamour-puss actress with no thought or care about her lonely old father. It is so easy to overlook the truth when you won’t let yourself know.
I said, ‘It makes the prospect pretty grim, doesn’t it? If they, whoever they are, guess we’re wise to their racket, what money would you put on our lives? Hadn’t we better go to the police?’
‘Not yet. If we did, this thing would blow sky high. We dare not risk interrupting supplies of MJ71. We’ll go to them when we’ve got more information.’
‘And meantime...?’
‘Meantime, I’m going to take very good care of you, Dulcie my darling.’ Ian wrapped both his arms around me again, protectively. ‘Right now I’m going to drive you over to Ruth Truscott’s. I’m not taking any chances.’
Swiftly he bent his head and kissed me. It was the first time, and it was such a very little kiss. ‘You’re much too precious to take chances with, my love,’ he said huskily, briefly touching my lips with his again.
It was as though I’d never been kissed before. All past kisses became nothing more than stage embraces in my memory, passionless exchanges with men I was indifferent to. I’d only imagined I was in love before, I could see that plainly now. This was love, this was the real thing. A kiss that was barely more than a brother’s peck had set me on fire.
There was a bustle of noise downstairs, outside the window. I came back to the present realizing that the works had closed down, and the staff were setting off home in the minibus.
Gently I broke away from Ian. ‘We’d better get going, then,’ I said. ‘It won’t take me many minutes to pack a few things.’
All at once I was timid. It was only now, with Ian right there ready to do battle for me, that I understood how much I’d needed him.
‘Come through to the house with me,’ I asked. ‘I don’t feel like facing Mrs. Cass just now. I keep looking at her and wondering….’
Chapter Sixteen
Ruth Truscott accepted the situation without fuss or too much curiosity, and I was mighty grateful to her for that.
Surprisingly I slept well. But when I woke up on Sunday morning, all the problems of Malverton came back to me in a depressing flood. Yet it was so deceptively peaceful, lying there in the sunny yellow and grey bedroom.
My hostess brought me early-morning tea, and stopped to talk for a moment. ‘Ian was most insistent that you shouldn’t sleep over at Malverton just now. He was really very worried about you.’
‘I hope I shan’t have to impose on you for long,’ I said.
‘Well, Dulcie, I hope that it won’t be necessary. But you know how very welcome you are. I love having your company.’ The enormously wide mouth curved up in a sad smile. ‘Your father often used to urge me to get myself a dog. He said it was the answer to loneliness. Jenner was wonderful company for him.’
Jenner! In all the rush and confusion of yesterday I had forgotten the poor half-blind old spaniel. I flushed with shame that he should have slipped out of my mind, however worried I had been. He wasn’t around when I had packed my things, and spurred on by an impatient Ian, I had hurried out of the house without sparing him a thought. Of course Mrs. Cass would look after Jenner in the dutiful but rather cold way she had with him. But since I’d been there, he had got used to a bit of fussing again. He’d grown to expect it.
Jenner was on my conscience all through breakfast. When we were in the kitchen afterwards, washing the dishes, I told Mrs. Truscott I thought I’d like to go over to Malverton to fetch him.
‘You’re welcome to use my car, of course, but do you think you should go?’ She looked doubtful, and then fired her big gun. ‘I’m sure Ian wouldn’t approve.’
‘I won’t be long,’ I said in a voice decided enough to clinch the matter. ‘I’ll go straight there and back. The house will be empty now because Mrs. Cass will have gone to her niece’s already.’
I was impatient to go. As soon as I had tidied my room I set out in Mrs. Truscott’s car. It took fifteen minutes or so to reach Malverton.
That curious sixth sense that knows whether or not a house is empty didn’t seem to be working. The ominous brooding quality I had experienced when I first came to Malverton was settled on it again now. Cold unreasoning fear gripped me. It was a relief, as I opened the kitchen door, to be greeted by the familiar background smells of cooking and cleaning. An appetizing tang of bacon lingered faintly on the air.
Everything was neat and tidy, almost to a fault. The only slight flaw in the general orderliness was a feed-bowl of dog biscuits on the floor, with some spilled over the side by Jenner’s clumsy nose. So Mrs. Cass hadn’t neglected him, after all.
The old spaniel woke up at the sound of the door opening. He cocked a sleepy eye, then heaved himself out of his basket under the table and pattered over to me, tail wagging furiously.
I stooped down to pat him. ‘There there, old boy. Did you think I had forgotten you?’
I took down the leash that now I always left hanging by the back door. ‘Guess you’d better have a run around before you get in the car. Come along, boy.’
As I unlocked the door Jenner pushed past me eagerly, obviously misunderstanding the purpose of the outing. He sniffed around outside, and then started lolloping off down the path leading past the laboratory. In a moment he had disappeared into the laurels.
I ran across the grass after him. When I reached the bushes, he was just scrambling through the gap in the wall.
‘Hey,’ I called out. ‘Come back, Jenner. We’re not going for a walk.’
I blessed him for being so obedient. He stopped where he was, patiently waiting until I came up and clipped the leash on his collar.
We walked back together, and as we came into sight of the house, I saw a car parked outside the laboratory entrance. It was Max’s big Jaguar. Thank heavens he was back from London. He must have heard about Leeson and come straight over here.
I had my keys with me, so with Jenner in tow, I let myself in and made for the stairs up to the office.
The door of the Drying room opened behind me. I swung round and saw Max’s powerful figure. He had taken his jacket off, and his white shirt-sleeves were rolled up to the elbow. He looked surprised to see me then, but he was smiling like the big friendly bear he had always seemed to me—up to his sudden passionate outburst the other evening.
‘Why hallo there, Dulcie my love. What brings you here today? I’d heard you were staying over at Ruth Truscott’s for the weekend.’
‘I am,’ I said, a bit staggered at the way the news got around. ‘I just came over to fetch Jenner. I suppose you’ve heard about Leeson?’
I walked over to him. For a second he stood in the doorway, then he moved aside and let me in.
‘That was a nasty business,’ he said. ‘Still, the man probably deserved what he got, the way he used to fool around with women.’
‘Max! How can you?’ I was shocked at this callous attitude, but then I changed my tone. ‘Do you know, the police actually think I was responsible for Leeson’s death? I’m the number one suspect, it seems.’
‘Get along with you.’ Max sounded so easy, so casual about it. ‘How could they possibly imagine it was you? I hear they found a fountain-pen up there.’
‘It was my pen.’
He looked astonished. ‘Was it really? Still, that doesn’t prove anything, does it? They’ll need more evidence than that to pin it on you.’
‘They found the tracks of my car up there too. In fact it all fits so conveniently that it looks as if Leeson’s death wasn’t accidental at all. I reckon he was deliberately pushed over the edge, and whoever did it is trying to frame me.’
Max’s astonishment grew. ‘Come off it, Dulcie. Who on earth would wa
nt to frame you? What point would there be anyway?’
‘There’s so much you don’t know yet, Max,’ I said grimly. ‘Ian Hamilton has suspected for some time that a lot of our stock of Physolaria was missing, but it didn’t seem to make sense because it was so valueless. But now Ian has discovered that it’s a fairly simple matter to treat the dried plants to make a very potent narcotic drug. It’s pretty clear that Leeson was in on this in some way, or else he discovered what was going on and had to be got rid of. Either way it adds up to murder.’
‘Good God! I had no idea there was anything like that going on.’
‘Well you wouldn’t have. But my Father knew, I’m pretty sure about that. He found out just before he died, and that’s why he died. He was murdered, too!’
It seemed more than Max could digest. He wasn’t accustomed to taking life seriously. He stood there looking at me, his face such a mixture of emotions that it was almost blank.
‘We’re up against a vicious gang, Max. They’ll do anything. First Father, then Leeson. And now they’re trying to involve me, getting me up the Beacon on a pretext.’
Max stirred into life. ‘So you think that letter you got was part of the plan, then?’
‘What else? It was all so darned clever. You see, how could I admit about getting it to anyone? I mean, it wouldn’t be just myself I was implicating.' I stammered to a stop. My heart had given an almighty lurch. I was overcome by a wave of nauseous fear.
Max was watching me. ‘Yes, Dulcie?’
‘Well, I mean...' In my fright I couldn’t think of anything to say. ‘Oh, it’s all so complicated,’ I finished quickly. ‘I hardly know what I mean.’
My brain was hammering with the one horrible thought. I hadn’t shown that note to anyone, absolutely nobody at all except Ian. There could only be three people in the world who knew about it—Ian, myself ... and whoever had sent it.
But Max had known about the note. There was only one way he could have known!
I looked up at him now, towering above me, and saw only a sympathetic smile. Could I be wrong? Could I possibly be mistaken in my reasoning? It couldn’t be Max surely, not the happy-go-lucky Max Tyler.
But I knew with a deadly certainty that my flash of inspiration had been right. The answer had been there under our noses. Like Ian had said, we so often overlook the obvious. The friendly, easy-going, lazy Max had all the opportunities needed to be the missing link in the mystery of the drug-making.
I could feel the clamminess of a cold sweat all over my body. But I had to carry on quite naturally, not let Max get wise to what I knew. He would never let me go once he realized what a crazy slip he had made in mentioning that letter to me.
I began to talk hurriedly. ‘Unluckily Leeson’s death has brought the police into it now. I only hope they don’t stop us importing Physolaria. It would be so dreadful if we couldn’t manufacture MJ71 for lack of supplies. So many folks depend on us….' I chatted on like a phonograph, just letting the words flow. ‘Of course it’s possible the police will never find the man who killed my father and Leeson. I’ll bet this gang is well-organized, so he’s probably miles away by now—perhaps even out of the country.’ I was hoping to lull Max into a false sense of safety. ‘I don’t suppose they’ll nail him, and I can’t say I care very much if they do or not.’
‘Don’t you, Dulcie?’ Max shot at me.
‘Well, I know he ought to be punished. But as far as I’m concerned I want him out of here, well away from Malverton, so we can get on with our job. I shouldn’t think after two murders the gang will try anything more here, do you? I expect they’ll leave us alone now....'
I was putting everything I’d ever learned into playing convincingly the role of Max’s unsuspecting business partner. But I’d never before had to try and act when I was shaking with terror.
‘Well,’ I said brightly, 'I suppose I’d better be getting back to Mrs. Truscott’s, or she’ll be wondering what’s become of me. I told her I wouldn’t be long. I’ll be seeing you tomorrow, Max. Come along, Jenner.’
I stepped towards the open door, but Max moved ahead of me. He closed the door firmly, and stood with his back to it, blocking my way.
‘You’re a smart girl, Dulcie. Too smart for your own good.’
I did my feeble best to sound innocent. ‘Why, what do you mean, Max?’
‘I was a clot to mention that letter, wasn’t I? But how could I guess you’d have kept it so close to your fluttering little heart? Fancy not even showing it to the police in to help clear you. And all for pretty-boy Hamilton!’
The scene was taking on an air of fantasy. Max was admitting to these frightful crimes with a benign smile on his face. I backed away from him, a step, two steps, and then collided with one of the big benches. There was a tinkling as some of the glass retorts trembled.
‘Be careful, my love. I’ve just been setting it up for the day’s work.’
I was horrified. Somehow it seemed all the worse for being on the actual site of manufacture of the beastly drug. ‘You don’t mean ... you were going to ... today?’
‘Well, I was going to lay off for a bit until things cooled down. But when I heard you were so conveniently staying with Mrs. T. I thought it was too good a chance to miss.’
In a friendly conversational manner, Max went on, ‘Don’t you think it was a very clever little note I sent you? I knew you’d never be able to resist going to hear what George had to say about Hamilton. Of course, if by chance you hadn’t taken the bait, it wouldn’t have mattered terribly, but your going up to Crofter’s Point did nicely confuse the issue. Only it’s gone a bit wrong now, hasn’t it? I’ve got you on my hands....’
‘What are you going to do?’ I asked, my heart pounding.
‘Well now, that’s a problem. It would be nice to find a way out without having to kill you.’
“Kill me? But you can’t mean it .'
‘I’m very much afraid I may have to, my love. Still, don’t quite give up hope yet. You never know, I might think of some way out. And I’ve got plenty of time to think. That’s the beauty of this place, nobody’s ever around on Sunday—or rather, nobody ever was, until you came on the scene. It was perfect for George Leeson and me. A couple of hours’ work on the quiet and we were sitting pretty. We’d made a fortune for ourselves.’ Then he added sadly, ‘And now you’ve turned up and spoilt it all.’
‘You must be mad, Max. If you kill me, you’ll never get away with it.’
‘Oh, but I shall. I’ve got things nicely organized for a quick disappearance. You weren’t so far wrong about getting out of the country. Everything’s laid on, cash stacked away where it will be most useful ... I can just vanish. But of course I simply can’t allow you to raise the hue and cry too soon.’
What a stupid crazy fool I’d been not to take Ian’s concern for me seriously enough. I should never have come to Malverton alone this morning. Ian was to have lunch with us at Hatherfield, and could easily have driven me over to collect Jenner afterwards.
I’d promised Ruth Truscott not to be away long. How soon would she start to worry about me? Would she ring Ian to tell him where I’d gone? And would he come looking for me as soon as he heard?
There were plenty of questions, but no answers.
I prayed for Ian to come. Without him I was lost. Somehow I had to keep Max talking.
Numbed with dread, I managed to force the words out. ‘Why did you become involved in all this, Max? Why couldn’t you keep straight?’
He smiled at my naiveté. ‘My dear Dulcie, the sort of money I made out of the set-up here wouldn’t pay my petrol bills. I’m not the sort of chap to work my guts out for peanuts. Not when there was a nice sideline all ready and waiting to be used.’
‘But how did you find out about the drug’?
‘My old man told me what the doc had once discovered. When he snuffed it, and I took over, I was able to do something about it.’
‘With Eric Reade, I suppose?’
> ‘Good Lord no, whatever gave you that idea? Actually I had to arrange to get Reade sacked so I could bring in George Leeson. With his know-how we worked out a simplified process, and got under way. We made a batch every Sunday, and everything went like a bomb.’
‘Until my father got wise to you?’
‘Yes. The doc got suspicious because, by some unlucky chance, he noticed that stock was missing. I knew he’d never let it go until he’d got at the truth, because his darling boy Hamilton had to be cleared of wasting the stuff. It was only a matter of time—and not much time at that. So I arranged a neat little accident. All I had to do was follow your dad up into the hills and give him a nice heavy shot of insulin. Oh, and I took away his sugar supply, just in case. You don’t have to worry, Dulcie, he didn’t suffer at all.’
‘You must be utterly inhuman,’ I burst out. ‘Murder means nothing to you.’
Max looked shocked at the suggestion. ‘Believe me, Dulcie, I didn’t enjoy having to dispose of your father. I liked the old boy. But unfortunately it was necessary to kill him.’
‘And Leeson too’?
He grinned. ‘Now I can’t pretend I liked George very much. But he’d have been all right if he hadn’t got big ideas. Do you know,’ he went on, quite indignant, ‘Leeson tried to blackmail me? He came to my flat the other evening and demanded a bigger cut of the proceeds. Well, I mean to say....” He spread out his two huge hands. ‘What else could I do?’
Casually Max strolled over to where his jacket was slung on the back of a chair. Unhurried, he rolled down the sleeves of his shirt and heaved on his jacket.
‘It’s your own fault, Dulcie my love, getting involved in all this. Now why didn’t you let me buy you out when I offered? You’d have been safely out of the way by now.’
Yes, I’d have been out of the way of Max—and out of Ian’s way too! It was only the trouble at the laboratory that had brought us together at all. And now it was going to separate us for good.
A Cotswolds Legacy Page 14
