The Paw in the Bottle
- Автор: Чейз Джеймс Хэдли
- Год: 1949
- Язык: английский
- Год: Jarrolds
- Жанр: Криминальные детективы
Электронная книга - «The Paw in the Bottle». Краткое содержание книги:
‘Yes, sir.’
Neither of them noticed that the door of Wesley’s study had opened an inch or so. When Garson hurried away, the door silently closed.
Chapter Six
I
When the police finally left there came over the flat a strange quiet. Julie had hoped that Dawson would have come in and seen her again. She longed for an assurance that Harry would be all right; that they didn’t really believe he had killed Blanche, but Dawson didn’t come. She heard his deep voice as he stood in the passage outside her door giving instructions to his men, and she had waited, her nails digging into the palms of her hands, hoping he would remember her. But it seemed either she had gone completely from his mind or else he didn’t consider her to be of any further use to him, for she heard him say good night to Wesley and go off, his heavy tread resounding through the flat.
Then later she heard Gerridge leave. Even he had apparently forgotten her, and when the final policeman had gone she went quickly to the door and peered into the passage. She looked fearfully for bloodstains but someone had scrubbed the carpet clean. There was still a big damp patch on it, and on the white part of the pattern she could make out a faint brown stain.
Silence hung in the passage like the silence in an empty church. The two passage lights, shaded by green parchment shades, threw an eerie light on the pattern of the carpet.
She was frightened of the passage, feeling that Blanche was still in the flat, that she might suddenly materialize before her, and with a little shudder she closed the door and leaned against it.
She couldn’t bear the thought of spending another hour in the flat. Her one thought now was to get away from it as quickly as she could. She had the key to the flat in Vigo Street and she decided to go there. There was no point in staying in this ghastly atmosphere a moment longer, and she immediately set about packing a bag.
Later, she was staring at the contents of the bag, wondering if she had forgotten anything, when a slight sound in the passage made her stiffen and she felt a cold tingle run up her spine.
Blanche?
She told herself not to be ridiculous. Blanche was dead. Then Wesley? Was he coming to her?
She waited and listened, and the sound, no louder than the scratching of mice at the wainscoting, was repeated. She crept to the door and opened it by degrees until it was just wide enough for her to peer into the passage.
Wesley was standing by the front door, looking down at the damp patch of carpet. He stood there for several minutes, his pale face expressionless, and then suddenly he passed his foot gently over the patch of damp. He did this several times, and said softly: ‘She wasn’t fit to go on living.’
Julie felt suddenly tired and ill, and walked unsteadily to her bed and sat down. She put her head between her hands and closed her eyes. She remained like that for some time, waiting for the feeling of faintness to pass.
She did not hear Wesley come into the room, and when he spoke she started, her body recoiling in a convulsive little leap that seemed to startle him almost as much as he had startled her.
‘I didn’t mean to frighten you,’ he said gently. ‘I should have knocked. I wasn’t thinking.’
She didn’t say anything.
‘It’s very quiet now, isn’t it?’ he went on, moving softly about the room, not looking at her. ‘I didn’t come to see you before, because of the police. They told me you were all right. It must have been a horrible shock for you.’
Still she could think of nothing to say.
‘Dawson was odd. Didn’t you think so?’ He paused for a moment to look at her, but almost immediately began again his soft pacing to-and-fro. ‘He seemed suspicious. Why does it matter how Blanche got into the flat? Why does he try to make a mystery of it?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘There’s no doubt Gleb shot her. I don’t understand what Dawson is trying to establish.’
‘He didn’t do it!’ Julie exclaimed, starting up. ‘I know he didn’t!’
Wesley turned quickly. Into his eyes came an alert watchfulness that Julie was too strung-up to notice.
‘What are you talking about?’
‘Harry didn’t do it. I know he didn’t.’
‘Why are you so sure?’
‘Oh, I know he was bad, but he wouldn’t hurt anyone. He didn’t carry a gun. Mrs. French once asked him if he had a gun. He said he never carried one and never would. He was speaking the truth then, and he was speaking the truth to-night when he said he didn’t shoot her.’
‘Have you told the police this?’ There was the faintest tremor in Wesley’s voice.
‘Dawson doesn’t believe me. He said only Harry and I were in the flat. If he didn’t shoot her, then I must have.’
‘The fool!’ Wesley was suddenly angry. ‘He didn’t mean it?’
‘No, he was trying to frighten me. But he didn’t. I told him the front door was open—’
‘What! What do you mean?’
‘The front door was open. When Mrs. Wesley came in she forgot to close it.’
Wesley suddenly caught hold of Julie’s wrist, pulled her to him and stared at her fixedly. ‘What’s the door to do with it? What are you hinting at?’
There was something in the glittering eyes that chilled her.
‘Answer me!’
‘I only suggested someone in the passage could have shot her,’ Julie said, trying to free her wrist. ‘Please let go. You’re hurting me.’
He continued to stare at her for a long moment, then re-leased her and turned away.
‘I’m sorry. And what did Dawson say to that?’
‘He said something about the invisible man,’ Julie sat down. Her legs felt shaky. ‘He said the police were watching the passage and no one could have come up or down.’
‘The invisible man! Fancy Dawson saying that.’ There was a feverish look in Wesley’s eyes, but he was smiling, suddenly at ease. ‘And you meant to be helpful, Julie. But you do see no one could have shot her through the doorway? If the police were there — well, is it likely that anyone could have done that?’
‘No,’ she said, wondering at the change in him ‘I suppose not, but I’m sure Harry didn’t do it.’
‘I find your faith in Gleb a little touching. After all, he’s a thief. He had no mercy on you. You have no proof at all that he didn’t shoot Blanche. You don’t love him anymore, do you?’
‘No, I don’t love him, but that doesn’t make any difference. I just feel in my bones he didn’t do it.’
‘It isn’t a very convincing argument. I doubt if a jury would be impressed. Well, we’ll see.’
‘Will they hang him?’ Julie asked, wide-eyed.
‘I don’t know. It’s better not to think about it. They haven’t tried him yet.’ Wesley fumbled in his pocket for his cigarette-case, lit up, and again began to move about the room. ‘I don’t think I could stand a night here, could you, Julie?’
‘No.’
‘Shall we go to the new flat?’
She flinched from the idea of being with him, of beginning their association so soon after what had happened.
‘Could I go there alone?’ she said. ‘I... I’d rather be alone for a little while.’
‘That’s absurd.’ There was an edge to his voice. ‘Neither of us should he alone to-night. We must keep each other company. There’s nothing to worry about. I shall not bother you if that’s what you are thinking. But if you want the use of the flat, Julie, then you must share it with me. Perhaps you have changed your mind? I can’t say that I blame you if you have. Perhaps you don’t want a bank account or a mink coat or the flat? You have only to say so and you are free to do what you like. And by that I mean you can go from here and forget you ever met me.’