A Pocket Full of Rye

‘Is that what it is? Yew berries?’

‘Berries or leaves. Highly poisonous. Taxine, of course, is the alkaloid. Don’t think I’ve heard of a case where it was used deliberately. Really most interesting and unusual … You’ve no idea, Neele, how tired one gets of the inevitable weed-killer. Taxine is a real treat. Of course, I may be wrong—don’t quote me, for Heaven’s sake—but I don’t think so. Interesting for you, too, I should think. Varies the routine!’

‘A good time is to be had by all, is that the idea? With the exception of the victim.’

‘Yes, yes, poor fellow.’ Dr Bernsdorff’s tone was perfunctory. ‘Very bad luck on him.’

‘Did he say anything before he died?’

‘Well, one of your fellows was sitting by him with a notebook. He’ll have the exact details. He muttered something once about tea—that he’d been given something in his tea at the office—but that’s nonsense, of course.’

‘Why is it nonsense?’ Inspector Neele, who had been reviewing speculatively the picture of the glamorous Miss Grosvenor adding yew berries to a brew of tea, and finding it incongruous, spoke sharply.

‘Because the stuff couldn’t possibly have worked so soon. I understand the symptoms came on immediately he had drunk the tea?’

‘That’s what they say.’

‘Well, there are very few poisons that act as quickly as that, apart from the cyanides, of course—and possibly pure nicotine—’

‘And it definitely wasn’t cyanide or nicotine?’

‘My dear fellow. He’d have been dead before the ambulance arrived. Oh no, there’s no question of anything of that kind. I did suspect strychnine, but the convulsions were not at all typical. Still unofficial, of course, but I’ll stake my reputation it’s taxine.’

‘How long would that take to work?’

‘Depends. An hour. Two hours, three hours. Deceased looked like a hearty eater. If he had had a big breakfast, that would slow things up.’

‘Breakfast,’ said Inspector Neele thoughtfully. ‘Yes, it looks like breakfast.’

‘Breakfast with the Borgias.’ Dr Bernsdorff laughed cheerfully. ‘Well, good hunting, my lad.’

‘Thanks, doctor. I’d like to speak to my sergeant before you ring off.’

Again there were clicks and buzzes and far-off ghostly voices. And then the sound of heavy breathing came through, an inevitable prelude to Sergeant Hay’s conversation.

‘Sir,’ he said urgently. ‘Sir.’

‘Neele here. Did the deceased say anything I ought to know?’

‘Said it was the tea. The tea he had at the office. But the M.O. says not …’

‘Yes, I know about that. Nothing else?’

‘No, sir. But there’s one thing that’s odd. The suit he was wearing—I checked the contents of the pockets. The usual stuff—handkerchief, keys, change, wallet—but there was one thing that’s downright peculiar. The right-hand pocket of his jacket. It had cereal in it.’

‘Cereal?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘What do you mean by cereal? Do you mean a breakfast food? Farmer’s Glory or Wheatifax? Or do you mean corn or barley—’

‘That’s right, sir. Grain it was. Looked like rye to me. Quite a lot of it.’

‘I see … Odd … But it might have been a sample—something to do with a business deal.’

‘Quite so, sir—but I thought I’d better mention it.’

‘Quite right, Hay.’

Inspector Neele sat staring ahead of him for a few moments after he had replaced the telephone receiver. His orderly mind was moving from Phase I to Phase II of the inquiry—from suspicion of poisoning to certainty of poisoning. Professor Bernsdorff’s words may have been unofficial, but Professor Bernsdorff was not a man to be mistaken in his beliefs. Rex Fortescue had been poisoned and the poison had probably been administered one to three hours before the onset of the first symptoms. It seemed probable, therefore, that the office staff could be given a clean bill of health.

Neele got up and went into the outer office. A little desultory work was being done but the typewriters were not going at full speed.

‘Miss Griffith? Can I have another word with you?’

‘Certainly, Mr Neele. Could some of the girls go out to lunch? It’s long past their regular time. Or would you prefer that we get something sent in?’

‘No. They can go to lunch. But they must return afterwards.’

‘Of course.’

Miss Griffith followed Neele back into the private office. She sat down in her composed efficient way.

Without preamble, Inspector Neele said:

‘I have heard from St Jude’s Hospital. Mr Fortescue died at 12.43.’

Miss Griffith received the news without surprise, merely shook her head.

‘I was afraid he was very ill,’ she said.

She was not, Neele noted, at all distressed.

‘Will you please give me particulars of his home and family?’

‘Certainly. I have already tried to get into communication with Mrs Fortescue, but it seems she is out playing golf. She was not expected home to lunch. There is some uncertainty as to which course she is playing on.’ She added in an explanatory manner, ‘They live at Baydon Heath, you know, which is a centre for three well-known golf courses.’

Inspector Neele nodded. Baydon Heath was almost entirely inhabited by rich city men. It had an excellent train service, was only twenty miles from London and was comparatively easy to reach by car even in the rush of morning and evening traffic.

‘The exact address, please, and the telephone number?’

‘Bayden Heath 3400. The name of the house is Yewtree Lodge.’

‘What?’ The sharp query slipped out before Inspector Neele could control it. ‘Did you say Yewtree Lodge?’

‘Yes.’

Miss Griffith looked faintly curious, but Inspector Neele had himself in hand again.