english e books net CHAPTER ONE Rest in Peace A small group had gathered around the grave After the coffin had been lowered, the priest began to speak Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his.
english-e-books.net CHAPTER ONE Rest in Peace A small group had gathered around the grave After the coffin had been lowered, the priest began to speak "Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear sister here departed: we therefore commit her body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to " Jonathan was surprised at the priest's intonation Somehow he had expected these final words to be delivered more solemnly, at a much slower pace, but Reverend Jenkins rattled them off as if he were reading a shopping list out loud Well, Jonathan thought, he must have held the funeral service hundreds of times Perhaps, for him, the words no longer mean very much He looked at the other mourners, all of them much older than he was One lady was staring vacantly at a gravestone nearby, another was wiping away a few tears It was a beautiful, sunny day, unusually warm for early April and the sparrows were darting around the cemetery, flying back and forth to their nests Strange It all seemed so ordinary, so humdrum, not in the least the sort of theatrical event he'd imagined it would be But then Aunt Mary would probably have approved He remembered that she'd always been a very down - to-earth sort of person Down-to-earth? Wasn't that slightly irreverent under the circumstances? Jonathan focused once more on the vicar english-e-books.net "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore Amen." There was a short silence and then they all walked back to the church porch "Well, Mr Keeble," said the priest, shaking Jonathan's hand vigorously "I'm sure you've already arranged all the details with the local stonemason Will you be staying on or you have to return to London straightaway?" "I'm afraid so, Vicar I've got a lot of work on at the moment Aunt Mary's death couldn't have come at a worse time." "Yes, it's all very unfortunate I was talking to her - oh, only a couple of weeks ago She'd invited me round for tea to discuss plans for the next jumble sale She seemed as right as rain then I remember we inspected various white elephants that she was going to donate oh dear! Do excuse me It sounds as if I'm trying to stake a claim." Jonathan smiled "Don't worry, Vicar Nothing's going to disappear for the time being To tell the truth, I have no idea what's in my great aunt's house I spent a few holidays there when I was a child but the last time I saw her was back in the early eighties We were never very close - I think there'd been some sort of disagreement with my grandmother after the war." The vicar turned to the elderly woman who'd been hovering behind them english-e-books.net "Ah, Mrs Smith Yes, yes - a sad day for all of us Have you had a chance to speak to Mr Keeble yet? Mr Keeble, may I introduce Mrs Smith She was Mrs Bruton's househelp over the last few years." Jonathan shook her hand "Pleased to meet you, Mrs Smith Yes, I remember now Aunt Mary's solicitor did mention that you'd been working for her I hope that we can get together soon and make a sort of inventory of everything in the house Perhaps you could give me your phone number and we can arrange a date - that is, if it's no bother." Mrs Smith took a handkerchief and dabbed her eyes Jonathan estimated that she was about 60, so a good 15 years younger than his great aunt She had a weathered, ruddy complexion, someone who probably spent a lot of time outside, in the garden perhaps "Of course, Mr Keeble Of course I'd be only too pleased to help Mary Mrs Bruton - was a wonderful person When my husband died, she insisted on me working for her you know, on a part-time basis She was a real friend I still can't get over it When I found her lying there in the hall I couldn't believe it She was so fit, never needed a stick to get about, absolutely steady on her feet I can't imagine " "Oh, I see", interrupted Jonathan gently, "so you were the first person to actually find Aunt Mary?" "That's right I always called by late Friday afternoon to see if there was any shopping she wanted done for the weekend I rang the bell, of course, but when there was no answer I let myself in She'd given me the keys when I english-e-books.net started working for her There she was, at the foot of the stairs I thought she must have fainted, but when I tried to lift her up she was stone-cold and her eyes were wide open Well, I rushed to the phone and called an ambulance straightaway - and the rest you know, of course." The vicar helped Mrs Smith to the bench and they sat down Jonathan patted her hand reassuringly "What an awful shock It must have been terrible for you But there's nothing more you could have done According to the doctor, she must have fallen down the stairs and broken her neck She died instantly She would have felt no pain." "I know, I know," sobbed Mrs Smith "But to think that she'd been lying there all alone, all night!" "But we don't know when exactly she fell, we? It could have been Friday morning, couldn't it?" Mrs Smith shook her head energetically "Oh no, impossible She was wearing her jewelry, you see And she only put the necklace and the earrings on after p.m Habit, she'd say She always got dressed up for dinner when her husband was alive, and that's the way she'd carry on, she said And the lights were on She never switched the lights on during the day Waste not, want not That was her motto." Jonathan nodded He dimly recalled one holiday when he'd spent a couple of weeks with Aunt Mary and her husband Uncle Charles was one of the directors of a large english-e-books.net company that manufactured all kinds of products containing precious metals, silver, gold, platinum - that sort of thing He travelled up to the City every day, mostly by train, but occasionally the company Rolls Royce would arrive, driven by a chauffeur called Roger, who always wore a peaked cap and a black suit This had made a great impression on Jonathan - and on one occasion Roger had driven him down to the village and back He could still remember the smell of the fine leather upholstery and the feel of the polished, walnut dashboard But with Uncle Charles away at work, Jonathan had spent most of the time with Aunt Mary She had loved gardening and they would spend long hours in the potting sheds, fiddling around with all kinds of exotic plants and vegetables And the smell of tomatoes that wafted through the greenhouses! It had been a wonderful two weeks "I know," said Jonathan "Aunt Mary was a very practical sort of woman - and you're quite right During the day she'd be wearing what she called her 'working gear but she always changed for dinner, without fail." By now the other mourners had taken their leave The vicar suddenly stood up and pushed open the oak door to the church "If you've got time, Mr Keeble, I'd like to show you something." Mrs Smith and Jonathan looked at him in surprise "Certainly," said Jonathan "I was planning to leave around half past two, so as to avoid the rush hour What is it you want to show me?" english-e-books.net "Something that your aunt donated to the church a few years ago A most unusual and handsome gift You know, Mrs Smith - the old bible." "Yes, Vicar You must see it, Mr Keeble, it's really beautiful - but now I'll say goodbye - I still have to a bit of shopping Here's my phone number Give me a ring when you're ready to go through the house No need to worry about burglars and so on The alarm system's all set, and I'll be going in each day to see that everything's in order." She quickly noted the number on a scrap of paper, gave it to him and then hurried off towards the gate Jonathan followed the vicar into the church They walked down the aisle and into the vestry Reverend Jenkins pulled out a bunch of keys and opened a large, steel cabinet "Mrs Bruton had a fine collection of old books and manuscripts, you know, including this." He took out a large cardboard box and placed it carefully on the table "We put it on display once a year, in front of the altar It attracts quite a large number of visitors - in fact, attendance figures for the services rise dramatically, as does the collection." Reverend Jenkins blushed slightly "Vicar, I know the old joke We used to laugh about it in the choir I was in After the service Reverend Ramsey would put the whole collection onto a plate and pretend to throw it up into the air Very solemnly he would intone: 'What stays up, my Lord, is Thine What falls onto the floor belongs to the church.' The new boys were always very impressed, until they registered that he always turned round english-e-books.net and winked his left eye, slowly and solemnly Aunt Mary obviously had a close connection to the church." Jonathan turned his attention to the bible, which was certainly impressive Bound in calf leather, it was as large as a breakfast tray and, as the vicar turned the pages, he registered the vividly colored illustrations interspersed between the text "Amazing, quite extraordinary But it's not English, is it?" "No," said the vicar "It's a German Bible from the 18th century, printed in a small town called Wolfenbuttel - you'll have to excuse my pronunciation According to your aunt, it had been in the Bruton family for at least a century She felt that it should remain here, in Challing- stead, rather than be auctioned off to some rich American or other." Suddenly they felt a draught and the curtains rustled slightly "Vicar! Are you there?" The voice echoed through the church "Oh dear, that sounds like Miss Prince She does all the flower arrangements I'm afraid we'll have to postpone this viewing until a later date." Reverend Jenkins replaced the bible in its box and stowed it away in the cabinet just as Miss Prince marched into the vestry "Ah, there you are," she announced in a tone of triumph "Don't tell me you've forgotten about our appointment, Vicar!" english-e-books.net Jonathan realized instantly that Miss Prince was not the sort of person he wanted to become acquainted with Time to beat a hasty retreat, he thought to himself "Well, Vicar Thank you once again for the service A particularly good sermon, if I may say so I'll be in touch again as soon as possible." "Oh, yes, right - and the jumble sale? You won't forget, will you?" Reverend Jenkins looked as if he'd been caught swigging a bottle of whisky At the sight of Miss Prince he'd suddenly begun to blink at an alarming rate "No, we'll sort that out next time I'm here Goodbye Vicar, goodbye Miss Prince." And, waving his hand in a cheery salute, he backed out of the vestry and was gone english-e-books.net CHAPTER TWO Something Is Missing Jonathan! Yes, Jonathan! Elvira remembered that last time in Cambridge when he'd invited her to the May Ball at St John's College She'd had no idea what it would be like Her brother, Giles, had simply said that a friend of his needed a female - "female!" - to accompany him But it had turned out to be a very fun evening, the atmosphere, the lawns, and everything! Lots of dancing, even more champagne and so many young men (well, boys, really) and women (or were they just females?) - plus a few older ones (real men and women!) - celebrating the end of their studies and the glorious perspective of what the future held Oh, how they'd talked and speculated about becoming Masters of the Universe with some investment bank or other - or, failing that, well, at least the Prime Minister! We're made for life the world is at our feet! They'd danced and joked and made witty remarks and everything had been so romantic No, one moment, not quite as romantic as Jonathan had hoped, but at least he'd behaved like a gentleman And now? A telephone call after 12 years? Elvira was curious to discover what Jonathan really wanted She rang the bell A crackle on the intercom, "Hello, who's there?" The voice was the one she remembered Deep, even fruity, with those perfectly modulated vowels and intonation that signified private education and family wealth originating from some forebear who had made his fortune in english-e-books.net India, Africa or wherever Who cares? Elvira pushed open the door and marched up to the third floor, her crocodile leather boots resounding on the steps of the art-deco staircase He hasn't changed, has he! Money oozing out of his Elvira! Stop this now! But why had he rung up for an appointment? Questions - memories - and more questions We'll soon find out! The front door was open "Elvira! My God, you look better than ever !" "Jonathan, how are you, darling?" The hypocrisy dripped off her tongue, as she offered her cheeks for the ritual peck Christ, she thought, I did this almost every week only twelve or so years ago, just to get invited to a cocktail party or an evening out at the Garden House Hotel But I've moved on - I've found my niche in life - I'm a successful investigator in the insurance business Despite being a female! Jonathan, as suave as ever, swept her into the flat, which was exquisitely decorated Low lighting, a few interesting prints and lithographs She liked the coloring Pastel shades that reminded one of Tuscany or the South of France Things fitted! Jonathan obviously had taste Several doors were closed, but they could, possibly, lead into other rooms that harbored more vistas and treasures Let's wait and see! Notting Hill, the seedy, run-down district which in the late fifties had witnessed such awful riots, had certainly come up in the world "Jon, what a marvelous flat!" Elvira winced at her hypocrisy "It's absolutely stunning." The word "absolutely" english-e-books.net tension, thought Hudson However, he knew that he was better "Yes", he said, "I think - oh blast, it's run out of ink! Hang on, I've got a pencil somewhere." Let's keep her on tenterhooks, he thought, and rummaged around in the drawer loudly, muttering to himself "Here we are," he announced triumphantly "I'm ready, waiting and all ears." "My contact", Elvira relished the word, hoping to impress Hudson, "suggested that if I was looking for old and rare books I might just pay a visit to Blakeney's I'll spell it!" "No need," said Hudson, looking idly at a pigeon sitting on the windowsill "Blakeney's - I think I got that, Elvira The address would be useful, though." A sigh of exasperation came through the receiver "OK, you win, James Blakeney's is an antique dealer just off King's Road, the Parson's Green end The address is Galvina Road, number 2." By this time, Hudson was already thumbing through his copy of the London A-Z "Got it!" he exclaimed "Excellent work, Elvira I'm on my way!" "But what about me, James? I want to be there if " "Sorry, young lady This case is a little too serious for amateurs I'll be in contact." Hudson replaced the receiver and rushed out of his office english-e-books.net "I'll hand in those expenses forms as soon as possible I have to check up on something urgently," he informed Sir Reginald's secretary in passing Elvira, in another office just two miles away, was seething Hudson had implied that she was an amateur He'd also called her a young lady! Thirty minutes later, Hudson opened the shop door of number 2, Galvina Road "Blakeney's: Dealers in Antiques and Old Books." The name somehow inspired confidence, as did the combination of colours - deep brown and racing green This was definitely not a second-hand shop Parson's Green, like Notting Hill, had obviously come up in the world Hudson remembered only too well the seedy atmosphere that had existed in the late seventies, when he had first started in London A bell tinkled somewhere in the back Hudson spotted a CCTV camera in the corner "Good afternoon, sir Can I help you?" "Ah, hello Yes, I was just passing by and saw the shop Thought I'd pop in and browse a little I'm not in town too often, you know." Hudson had affected a rather plummy accent As an experienced detective, he knew how to ingratiate himself "Please, feel free," said the man who had emerged from the back room "Is there anything you're looking for in particular?" Hudson scented tobacco smoke and saw a couple of cigarillos stubbed out in the ashtray english-e-books.net The man continued, "We tend to deal in antiques furniture, paint-ings, prints and so on - as well as rare books and manuscripts The books, of course, are mostly from around 1800 onwards." Hudson looked around the display cabinets and the bookshelves "From the look of things, Mr Blakeney, this could be a real eldorado for me." "Ah, I'm afraid, sir, that you've got the name wrong Mr Blakeney died some time ago I was his assistant for, oh, must have been about ten years at least, and then took over the business The antique trade had really begun to boom by then Portobello Road, television shows, tourists - it would have been madness to change the name." "Of course," said Hudson "I just assumed- because of the sign over the door." "May I introduce myself, sir Manning, Peter Manning Hang on, here's my card." Manning gave Hudson his card Hudson took it and continued in his plummy accent "Well, Mr Manning, as I said, I'm seldom in London I live up in the Lake District and come down occasionally for a chat with the bank manager I'm always on the lookout for good collectables in the book field, particularly 19th century stuff." Manning turned to the bookshelves, waving a hand "Yes - well, I don't think you'll find too much here at the moment Have you tried the auction houses?" english-e-books.net "What you mean?" said Hudson, perhaps a little too sharply Manning adopted a conspiratorial stance "If you're really interested in that particular period, Mr - er ?" "James," said Hudson "I'm afraid I don't have a card." "Mr James Well sir, I would advise you to take a look at Gilford's latest catalogue One moment, I've got a spare copy somewhere." Manning opened a drawer, took out a book and then pointed to a couple of entries "Look Mr James, here! Wilde - and Carroll! Priceless! Both signed by the author!" Hudson feigned surprise "Mr Manning, are you saying that YOU supplied these lots? Some-thing like this is very rare indeed Where on earth did you find them?" "Mr James, if I told you my source, I'd be out of business Let's just say someone who didn't know very much about rare books came into the shop and asked me to make an offer Part of a legacy, she said I decided to go to Gilford's to test the market Others will follow in the coming months." Hudson looked suitably impressed He couldn't be absolutely sure, but there was something about Manning, perhaps the rather leering look he had, that indicated that his story wasn't true Now was the time to retreat and compare notes with Elvira He glanced at his watch english-e-books.net "Good heavens, is that the time! I'm due in Hampstead in half an hour Are you open tomorrow? I really would like a little more time to browse." "You've got my card," grinned Manning "9 till otherwise just ring up on the mobile." He opened the door for Hudson and watched him get into the Bentley "Take the North Circular", he advised, lighting up a cigarillo, "there won't be too much traffic at the moment." Hudson drove off towards Hammersmith - but he wasn't interested in the North Circular He drove straight back to Baker Street Miss Paddington was fiddling around in the kitchen, preparing dinner, when Hudson opened the front door "James, you're back early today Is Sir Reginald 'otherwise occupied'?" she inquired, a touch of irony in her voice "Miss Paddington, you constantly amaze me Other people put two and two together and make five You, however, always come up with four How you it?" "Oh, just female intuition," she replied breezily "Plus years of reading all kinds of crime novels It's very difficult to pull the wool over my eyes, you know However, dinner won't be any earlier, unless Scotland Yard has developed a new way of roasting a leg of lamb." When Hudson heard the word "lamb" he adopted a dreamy expression and rolled his eyes english-e-books.net "Sounds marvelous, Miss Paddington I have to make a couple of phone calls and then check up on a few things I think I've almost solved the Challingstead mystery." "Really?" said Miss Paddington "And? Is it murder?" She took out the carving knife and placed it very carefully on the table "We'll leave that to the Crown Prosecution Service," replied Hudson "It would be most unwise to jump to conclusions, Miss Paddington." Hudson went into the study His first call was to the Red Lion in Challingstead The landlord answered the phone "Ah, hello Mr Dickinson Hudson remember? I asked about a room yesterday." here You "Yes, of course, Mr Hudson What can I for you?" "Something's cropped up with the estate agent, so I won't be able to book anything until next week - but you did say that you don't get too many overnight stays, didn't you? There'll be something free next Monday or Tuesday, won't there?" "No problem, Mr Hudson As I told you, we only have about four or five bookings a month I'm even thinking of closing the bed and breakfast side down The last guest did a runner, as I mentioned That's why I have to ask for a deposit." "Yes, I remember," drawled Hudson "What was his name again - Mainwearing or something like that " english-e-books.net "Manning!" said Mr Dickinson "If I had the bugger's address I'd sue him 80 quid he owes me." Hudson resisted the temptation to ask when this Mr Manning had been in Challingstead That could be checked later But he was almost certain that it must have been Thursday 3rd April He chatted with Mr Dickinson for a few seconds longer and then rang off His next call was to Elvira Elliot Her response was civil but in no way as polite as Mr Dickinson's "Yes, James What can I for you?" She was still angry about the way she'd been treated earlier in the day Hudson read the signs "Elvira! I hope you're not offended I couldn't involve you until I was sure, there'd be no danger Listen, Blakeney's is now run by a Mr Peter Manning - and I'm almost 100 per cent sure that he's our man I've arranged to meet him tomorrow and I want you to be there with the list of everything that's missing I'll also have a couple of officers waiting outside, just in case there's trouble." Elvira's attitude did an about-turn "I knew it, I knew it!" she exclaimed "Where shall we meet?" Hudson breathed a sigh of relief Elvira Elliot was a professional - she bore no grudges "Parson's Green tube station Blakeney's is just round the comer 10 o'clock, OK?" "I'll be there at 10 sharp." english-e-books.net Just as Elvira rang off, Miss Paddington entered the study "James," she said "The lamb needs carving!" Standing up, Hudson smacked his lips "Right, Miss Paddington! Just let me get that bottle of red wine I've been saving!" Hudson was waiting outside the station when Elvira's sports car screeched to a halt He got in and immediately directed her to Galvina Road "No Bentley, James? No 'old girl' today?" She smiled as she took the comer a little too sharply for Hudson's liking At the same time she noticed a patrol car parked a little further down the road They pulled up outside Blakeney's "We'll play this by ear," whispered Hudson "Have you got the list?" Elvira nodded They got out and looked at the display windows Hudson opened the door and ushered Elvira in She felt a rush of adrenalin The bell tinkled and Manning came out of the back room "Aaah, Mr James Good to see you again Have you had the chance to look through the Gilford's catalogue? Suitably impressed, I hope?" "Very," replied Hudson "I'll bid, of course, and I've brought a friend of mine along Miss Elliot, Mr Manning You said yesterday that several other books will be english-e-books.net appearing on the market soon Perhaps we can make a deal right now? That is, if they're what we're looking for." Manning smiled In fact, he grinned in anticipation "Mr James, I have them right here in the office, in the safe We're talking about first editions, you know." Manning went into the back whilst Hudson wandered around, looking at the various showcases and bric a brac on display trays He slipped the cigarette lighter onto one of them "Here, just as a taster," said Manning, returning to the front "This is a Beatrix Potter, the private edition from 1900 Also dedicated We're talking about 50,000 pounds here, Miss Elliot." Elvira caught her breath "My goodness, that does look interesting Marvellous condition! Oh, James - did I ever tell you how I swooned over Peter Rabbit as a child He was my hero." Manning rubbed his hands together in satisfaction Hudson, frowning, noted Elvira's slip of the tongue Perhaps not quite so professional Thank God he'd told Manning that his name was Mr James Too late now, anyway Time for the coup de grace But Elvira continued in a very cool tone of voice "You haven't got anything by Dickens, have you?" she asked "I'm a distant relative, you know, and I'm still searching for an early copy of 'Copperfield'." english-e-books.net Now it was Manning's turn to frown Something was wrong here! How could she know that he had a first edition of "David Copperfield"? Or was it just a coincidence? Hudson returned to the counter "I'm quite interested in that lighter on the tray, Mr Manning It caught my eye yesterday," he said "Nothing to with books, of course, but I'd like to buy it What's your asking price?" He pointed to the lighter Manning was evidently quite shaken "My God," he exclaimed "No, no This isn't for sale You found it here? Amazing! This is my lighter Here, you can see the monogram PWM I've been looking for it for weeks Suppose I put it down somewhere on one of these trays just as a customer came in You know how it is, Mr James." Manning was red in the face, sweating and talking too much He fumbled in his pocket for a cigarillo Hudson knew only too well when someone was desperately trying to cover up "Unfortunately for you, Mr Manning, I know exactly how it is And, interestingly enough, I didn't find this lighter on the tray before us Ever heard of a charming little village called Challingstead, Mr Manning?" The antique dealer took a step backwards, waving his hands in a futile gesture of defense Hudson continued, his eyes becoming colder and his voice more menacing english-e-books.net "I'll tell you where I found it, Mr Peter William Manning - oh yes, I've checked up on the middle name I discovered this lighter on the desk lid of a bureau in Challingstead Hall And, for your information, the name isn't James It's Hudson - Inspector Hudson of New Scotland Yard." He produced his police identity and watched as the colour drained out of Manning's face "Mr Manning, I'm arresting you for the murder of Mary Bruton and the theft of a number of valuable books and manuscripts I must warn you that you need say nothing, but anything you say may be taken down and used in evidence against you." Manning slumped into a chair, loosening his collar and tie "I think I need to contact my solicitor," he croaked "We'll arrange all that later Elvira, could you call in the two officers and ask them to escort Mr Manning down to the Yard? Oh, and by the way", he said, turning to Manning, "I'll need those keys." Manning handed them over He obviously realized that the game was up As he was being led away, Hudson called out as politely as he could "See you tomorrow, sir And don't worry yourself unduly I'll just check the safe and then shut up shop." He didn't bother with the safe Tomorrow was another day and nothing would go missing He swiftly turned round english-e-books.net the sign on the door from OPEN to CLOSED and locked things up Elvira was dumbfounded Everything had happened so fast "James! James, how did you get hold of that lighter?" Hudson put a finger to his lips "Mum s the word," he whispered "If I told you that it accidentally fell into my pocket on Sunday, upstairs in Mrs Bruton's study, you probably wouldn't believe me And I certainly don't want Mr Keeble accusing me of theft It'd ruin my career! Now, you drive me down to the office and then I suggest that you and Jonathan come round for an Irish stew this evening Leftovers from yesterday's lamb, but Miss Paddington can produce miracles." The celebration meal was in full swing Hudson had dug out his best sherry and a couple of bottles of good red wine Miss Paddington had done wonders with the stew They were all seated around the dining table drinking a glass of white port with an ice cube in it Jonathan opened up the postmortem "So, Inspector What did this Mr Manning have to say for himself?" Hudson lit up a cigar Miss Paddington gave him a look of stem rebuke and huffed and puffed a little, looking at the curtains She disapproved of smoking, but then James had just solved a major crime "All very straightforward," said Hudson "It turns out that Manning had grown up in the next village As a young english-e-books.net lad he'd delivered papers to the Hall - this was when your great-uncle was still alive Mary Bruton had taken a fancy to him Reliable chap, wanted to get on in the world etcetera Occasionally she'd invite him for tea and show him around the house After he'd established himself at Blakeney's he remembered, only too well, that the Bruton's had a collection of rare books and manuscripts He rang up Mary in late March and asked whether he could view the collection again, possibly to make an offer He booked into the Red Lion, left his luggage and then went up to the Hall Mary, of course, was only too pleased to see him again, showed him everything - but she didn't want to sell She'd already donated that bible to the local church and she wasn't interested in money, anyway." Miss Paddington squirmed in her chair She disliked Hudson posturing "James!" she said sharply "Get to the point! And I want to know what part Miss Elliot played! You seem to work well as a team." "Sorry," said Hudson, unaware that Miss Paddington was a very subtle matchmaker Elvira giggled The implication was not wasted on her Hudson continued "There was an argument Manning wanted to buy the collection, Mrs Bruton didn't want to sell She told him to leave He followed her to the landing, where, he says, she slipped on the carpet I think he pushed her, but a clever lawyer may just get him off with manslaughter Anyway, english-e-books.net once Manning realized that Mary was dead, he scooped up the collection and fled His two mistakes were " Elvira interrupted, anxious to show that she had understood every-thing "One, he forgot about his lighter and two, he was in such a panic that he drove straight back to London He'd left no address at the Red Lion, they only had his name Nobody could have traced him The perfect crime!" "Inspector Hudson," said Jonathan "I really am indebted to you." Hudson blew out a perfect circle of tobacco smoke "Jon," he said "Let's use first names I'm James." "Fine by me, James - but there's one other thing I now know who the 'old girl' is, but how did you happen to come by her?" Miss Paddington wasn't quite sure what Mr Keeble meant She began to clear up the plates Elvira made a valiant attempt to defuse the situation "That reminds me, Jon," she smiled "Tell me, how DID you get my mobile number?" There was a sudden embarrassed silence, fortunately interrupted by the telephone It was 9.30 in the evening Miss Paddington pursed her lips and went to answer "Yes, who is it at this late hour?" english-e-books.net Her expression changed from anger to submission She took the phone to Hudson and gently whispered "Sir Reginald" The growl was unmistakable and registered by the others at the table "HUDSON! Is that you? Tomorrow! a.m.! My office!" - THE END Hope you have enjoyed the reading! ... right." Hudson thanked him profusely and chuckled as he imagined the comment that would follow Bloody yuppies, why don't they leave us in peace! Straight ahead and first right took them into... didn't know very much about rare books came into the shop and asked me to make an offer Part of a legacy, she said I decided to go to Gilford's to test the market Others will follow in the coming