Mr. Colliver waved his hand as if not deigning to answer.
“Greed, Monsieur Monk, it too made you conspire against your friend Monsieur Hassocks, a man, who is straight, who will never pay the bribes to receive the government contracts. But other arms manufacturers, they would pay handsomely, but only if Monsieur Hassocks, he was out of the way.”
“You’re mad!” said Monk.
“Non, Monsieur, the locksmith he has made the deal with Poiret. Poiret, he can make the deals too. He will tell everything.”
“There is no amount of lies a convict will tell to stay out of jail.”
“There is still the time, Monsieur, for the deal.”
Mrs. Bromley stood up.
“I will talk, if we get to keep our money.”
“Shut up!” said her husband, trying to pull her back down on her chair, but she fought back.
“We can get out of this, George! Just make the deal! We get to keep our property.”
Inspector Watkins, who had been silent, now moved quickly. He told sergeant Demille to take Mrs. Bromley to the police station and wait for him. He instructed his other offices to take the judge, Mr. Colliver, the Secretary for Armaments, Mr. Bromley, the Member of Parliament, Mr. Monk and the newly minted oil tycoon, Mr. Cooper to the police station and put them in the holding cells.
After having given his orders and seeing the room empty, he looked at Kimberley.
“Policewomen,” he demanded, “release her.”
The policewomen took the handcuffs off Kimberley’s wrists.
Watkins looked at Poiret.
“If Mrs. Bromley doesn’t talk, we’re finished!”
Poiret smiled. He pointed at his head.
“The psychology, Monsieur, it is never wrong.”
Poiret left the room, stood on the patio and glanced at the garden one more time. He sighed then walked out of the gate. As he walked along the road, he heard someone tapping on the windowpane. He looked up. Lady Hassocks stood behind the window. She waved a handkerchief to him. Mr. Poiret had made her see everything in the right light, but she didn’t dare to embrace him. Kimberley appeared too. She threw him a respectful kiss.
The little man smiled then tipped his hat. He continued on his way. His work was done. He knew, in spite of their gratitude, there was no longer a place for him in their lives.
The End
The Jules Poiret Mystery Series
Down To The Abbey
The Murder of Lady Malvern
Sir Alexander dies
Lord Hammershield dies
The Murder in Torquay
English Rose (A Jules Poiret Mystery Book 13) Page 19
