As if by Magic by Dolores Gordon-Smith

you understand, making any sort of criticism of Mr Culverton. However, if I was called upon to advise Mrs Culverton, I would suggest that a formal contract be drawn up between us and Lassiter’s before she continued. We have plunged huge amounts of money into the aircraft and I am unclear as to the exact nature of the return. I have tried to ascertain the details of the arrangement before now but without success.’
    â€˜What if she simply pulls the plug?’ asked Jack.
    â€˜You mean if she stops the funding altogether?’ Lloyd paused again. ‘I don’t know,’ he said eventually. ‘In that case it would be unlikely that Mrs Culverton would get the directorship of the new government-backed airline but, as you can imagine, that’s rather unlikely anyway. Even today, people would be unwilling to accept a woman in such a role. As a matter of fact, we might be better off. As I say, we are putting a great deal of money into this aircraft of Lassiter’s and I can’t deny the company is suffering as a result. Work that should be done as a matter of course is not being carried out . . .’
    â€˜Such as checking the undercarriage of an aeroplane landing in Paris?’ asked Jack softly.
    Mr Lloyd blenched. ‘You did not hear me suggest any such thing, Major Haldean.’ He pulled nervously on his cigarette. ‘However . . .’ He left the sentence hanging in the air. ‘Mr Culverton in many ways played things close to his chest. I will be in a better position to advise Mrs Culverton once I have checked the documents I have not hitherto been able to see. My feeling is that the business is essentially sound. We might find that in these changed circumstances we are well advised not to pioneer a new route but to stick to the routes we have already established. However, that decision is not mine to make.’
    Rackham drew himself forward in his chair. ‘I’d like to ask you about the last time you saw Mr Culverton, sir. That was Wednesday, 31st October.’
    â€˜That’s correct. I left the building at five thirty. Mr Culverton was still here.’
    â€˜How was his manner that day, sir? Was Mr Culverton his usual self?’
    Lloyd frowned. ‘I thought you’d ask me that, Inspector, and I’ve been trying to think how best to answer. At first sight his manner was perfectly ordinary but a couple of times during the day he seemed abstracted.’
    â€˜Was he annoyed or irritable?’
    â€˜No, not especially.’ Lloyd’s frown deepened. ‘He seemed pleased about something. It’s difficult to describe exactly. It was as if he had a scheme in mind, something he was looking forward to.’ He shook his head impatiently. ‘I can’t tell you any more. Mr Culverton was not given to confidences and it was just an impression.’
    â€˜It’s worth bearing in mind though, sir,’ said Rackham. ‘Was it customary for Mr Culverton to work late?’
    â€˜Fairly customary. He lived in Richmond, as you know, Inspector, but he had rooms at his club, the Mulciber in St James’s, and usually stayed there during the week.’
    Rackham nodded. ‘Mrs Culverton said as much when I spoke to her earlier on.’
    â€˜He often changed here, as a matter of fact.’ Lloyd walked across the room and opened a door in the far wall. ‘This is all fitted out as a dressing room. There’s a bath, a wash-basin, a dressing table, wardrobes and everything he needed.’
    â€˜Did he change here on Wednesday night?’ asked Rackham.
    Lloyd thought for a moment. ‘Yes, he would have done. He told me to see the charwoman on my way out and tell her to do this room last. That meant he was going to be using it.’
    â€˜Did you know he was supposed to be flying to Paris on Thursday?’
    â€˜No, Inspector. The first I knew of it was a note I received the next morning. I still have the note, in case