Inspector Alleyn 3-Book Collection 2: Death in Ecstasy, Vintage Murder, Artists in Crime

‘I knew it.’

‘I want to put it in as soon as possible.’

‘I’m seeing the A.C. in half an hour, and then I’m going out.’

‘I’ll be with you in ten minutes.’

‘Come, birdie, come,’ said Alleyn.

Nigel gathered up his copy and hurried out.

He found Alleyn in his office, writing busily. The inspector grinned at Nigel.

‘You persistent devil,’ he said, ‘sit down. I won’t be five minutes.’

Nigel coyly laid the copy before him and subsided into a corner. Alleyn presently turned to the copy, read it, blue-pencilled a word or two, and then handed it back.

‘You are learning to behave quite prettily,’ he said, ‘I suppose you’ll take that straight along to Fleet Street.’

‘I’d better,’ agreed Nigel, ‘It’s front-page stuff. They’ll pull the old rag to bits for me this time. What are you up to this morning, Inspector?’

‘I’m going to Shepherd Market when I’ve seen the boss-man.’

‘Cara Quayne’s house? I’ll meet you there.’

‘Will you indeed?’

‘Don’t you want me?’

‘I’ll be very glad to see you. Don’t let any of your brother bloodsuckers in.’

‘I can assure you there is no danger of that. I’ll sweep past like a May Queen.’

‘You’d better have my card. Give it back to me – I remember your previous performances, you see.’ He flipped a card across to Nigel, ‘I feel like a form master who goes in for favourites.’

‘Oh, sir, thanks most horribly, sir. It’s frightfully decent of you, sir,’ bleated Nigel.

‘For the honour of the Big Dorm., Bathgate.’

‘You bet, sir.’

‘Personally,’ said Alleyn, ‘I consider schoolboys were less objectionable when they did talk like that.’

‘When cads were cads and a’ that?’

‘Yes. They talk like little men nowadays. They actually take refuge in irony, a commodity that should be reserved for the middle-aged. However, I maunder. Meet me at the Château Quayne in half an hour.’

‘In half an hour.’

Nigel hurried to his office where he made an impressive entry with his copy and had the intense satisfaction of seeing sub-editors tear their hair while the front page was wrecked and rewritten. A photographer was shot off to Knocklatchers Row and another to Shepherd Market. Nigel accompanied the latter expert, and in a few minutes rang the bell at Cara Quayne’s front door.

It was opened by a gigantic constable whom he had met before, PC Allison.

‘I’m afraid you can’t come in, sir,’ began this official very firmly.

‘Do you know, you are entirely mistaken?’ said Nigel, ‘I have the entrée. Look.’

He produced Alleyn’s card.

‘Quite correct, Mr Bathgate,’ said PC Allison. ‘Now you move off there, sir,’ he added to a frantic young man who had darted up the steps after Nigel and now endeavoured to follow him in.

‘I’m representing –’ began the young man.

‘Abandon hope,’ said Nigel over his shoulder. The constable shut the door.

Nigel found Alleyn in Cara Quayne’s drawing-room. It was a charming room, temperately, not violently, modern. The walls were a stippled green, the curtains striped in green and cerise, the chairs deep and comfortable and covered in dyed kid. An original Van Gogh hung over the fireplace, vividly and almost disconcertingly alive. A fire crackled in the grate. Alleyn sat at a pleasantly shaped writing-desk. His back was turned towards Nigel, but his face was reflected in a mirror that hung above the desk. He was absorbed in his work and apparently had not heard Nigel come in. Nigel stood in the doorway and looked at him.

‘He isn’t in the least like a detective,’ thought Nigel. ‘He looks like an athletic don with a hint of the army somewhere. No, that’s not right: it’s too commonplace. He’s faunish. And yet he’s got all the right things for ‘teckery. Dark, thin, long. Deep-set eyes –’

‘Are you lost in the pangs of composition, Bathgate?’ asked Alleyn suddenly.

‘Er – oh – well, as a matter of fact I was,’ said Nigel. ‘How are you getting on?’

‘Slowly, slowly. Unfortunately Miss Quayne has very efficient servants. I’m just going to see them. Care to do your shorthand stuff? Save calling in the sergeant?’

‘Certainly,’ said Nigel.

‘If you sit in that armchair they won’t notice you are writing.’

‘Right you are,’

He sat down and took out his pad.

‘I’ll see the staff now, Allison,’ Alleyn called out.

‘Very good, sir.’

The first of the staff to appear was an elderly woman dressed in a black material that Nigel thought of as bombazine, but was probably nothing of the kind. She had iron-grey hair, a pale face, heavy eyebrows, and a prim mouth. She had evidently been weeping but was now quite composed. Alleyn stood up and pushed forward a chair.

‘You are Miss Edith Hebborn?’ he said.

‘Yes, sir.’

‘I am Inspector Alleyn. We are obliged, as you know, to inquire into Miss Quayne’s death. Won’t you sit down?’

She seemed to hesitate and then sat rigidly on the edge of the chair.

‘I am afraid this has been a great shock to you,’ said Alleyn.