Inspector Alleyn 3-Book Collection 5: Died in the Wool, Final Curtain, Swing Brother Swing

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Ngaio Marsh

Год написания книги

2018

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‘Last on the list,’ said Wetherbridge. ‘Will that be the article we’re looking for, sir?’

‘I’m afraid so,’ said Alleyn.

III

After they’d rung off he sat on for a minute or two, whistling dolefully. His hand went automatically to the pocket where he kept his cigarette case. It was quite ten minutes since Fabian went out. Perhaps he was waiting in the hall.

But the hall was empty and very still. An oil lamp, turned low, burnt on the table. Alleyn saw that only two candles remained from the nightly muster of six. The drawing-room party had evidently gone to bed. Fabian must be upstairs. Using his torch, Alleyn went quietly up to the landing. Light showed under the doors of the girls’ rooms and, farther down the passage, under Douglas’s. There was none under Fabian’s door. Alleyn moved softly down the passage to the workroom. No light in there. He waited, listening, and then moved back towards the landing. A board creaked under his feet.

‘Hallo!’ called Douglas. ‘That you, Fab?’

‘It’s me,’ said Alleyn quietly.

Douglas’s door opened and he looked out. ‘Well, I wondered who it was,’ he said, eyeing Alleyn dubiously. ‘I mean it seemed funny.’

‘Another night prowler? Up to no good?’

‘Well, I must say you sounded a bit stealthy. Anything you want, sir?’

‘No,’ said Alleyn. ‘Just sleuthing. Go to bed.’

Douglas grinned and withdrew his head. ‘Enjoy yourself,’ Alleyn heard him say cheekily, and the door was shut.

Perhaps Fabian had left the cigarette case in his room and was already asleep. Odd, though, that he didn’t wait.

There was no cigarette case in his room. ‘Blast!’ Alleyn muttered. ‘He can’t find it! The miserable Albert’s pinched it. Blast!’

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