Gently to the Summit by Alan Hunter

learned; and with the return of Kincaid had tried again, but this time had lost his life in the attempt. Could that be the pattern of it – the Nemesis which waited for Fleece on Snowdon?
    ‘Fleece led the expedition, didn’t he?’
    ‘Yes, he was the eldest member of the party. He’d been to the Alps for several years and he was a sound man on ice.’
    ‘Was it he who suggested the expedition?’
    ‘Not a bit of it. At first he was one of the sceptics.But then, when things were hanging in the balance, he seemed to change his mind and grow enthusiastic. That was a turning point, I don’t mind telling you. It occurred just before we received the money. Fleece had a flair for organization, and his coming in like that gave us all fresh heart.’
    ‘Did you know him well at that time?’
    ‘I suppose I did, in a sort of way. We both belonged to the Fell and Rock Climbers Club. Most of the expedition were members of that.’
    ‘What was your personal impression of Fleece?’
    Overton lit a fresh cigarette before replying. ‘ Personally , I didn’t take to him much.’ He inhaled once or twice. ‘But he had lots of good qualities. He made an excellent leader, and we couldn’t have done without him.’
    ‘What were some of his bad qualities?’
    ‘Oh, nothing really bad. He was a little chilly, that’s all, and inclined to be calculating. Rather liked his own way and didn’t care how he got it. But remember that’s speaking personally, so don’t hold it against him.’
    ‘Was he friendly with Kincaid? They both worked for the same firm.’
    ‘He was neither friendly or unfriendly, as far as I can recall it.’
    ‘Did he visit Kincaid’s house?’
    ‘I don’t know. I shouldn’t think so. He was the lone wolf type and didn’t much go in for visiting. But I was pally with Kincaid myself, he was such a peculiar and uncommon bird. And the oddest thing he ever did was getting hitched to Paula Blackman.’
    ‘Why do you say that?’
    ‘Why?’ Overton closed one eye and nodded. ‘She was a prize packet, was Paula. One of the marry-go-round brigade.’
    ‘A good-looker, I’ve heard.’
    ‘She had beauty, and more. She was a girl with ambitions, quite the wrong sort for Kincaid. I suppose he talked her into marrying him because he had the gift of the gab. But I’ll never believe it could have lasted, not if it had been put to the test.’
    ‘She had a roving eye, had she?’
    ‘No; not especially that. I never did see anything that struck me as suspicious. But it was her type, you know, she was the edible social-climber. And Kincaid was no summit for ambitions of that sort.’
    ‘Who broke to her the news of Kincaid’s death?’
    ‘Heaven knows. I tried to see her, but she’d vanished when I got back.’
    ‘Would you know her again if you met her?’
    ‘Well … I might and I might not. I can’t honestly visualize her features, but something about her might jog my memory.’
    Silently Gently produced the photograph he had borrowed from Mrs Fleece. He handed it to Overton, who accepted it with interest. He took his time over examining it, holding the photograph at different distances, but one could tell from his expression that no penny had dropped.
    ‘I’m sorry, but I don’t seem to recognize this lady.’
    Gently retrieved it. ‘How many of the others had met Paula Kincaid?’ he asked.
    Overton considered a moment. ‘One has to bear in mind that Kincaid wasn’t terribly popular. There was probably only myself and Fleece – oh yes, and Ray Heslington.’
    At that name Evans perked up, but Gently was only nodding his head indifferently.
    ‘Good,’ he said. ‘Now I’d like to run through again what happened on Monday …’
     
    Gently had lit his pipe and both the others were smoking incessantly, filling the studio, in spite of its spaciousness, with a heavy miasma of smoke. Below them in Bedford Place the traffic droned a restless litany, and the weak noonday sun cast its shadows