her mouth open. The General said, “Wait.” One word, softly, that stung like a whip’s bite.
Snake ambled in with Chain and Peters. He’d tried to clean himself up. He hadn’t done a great job but passed inspection well enough to be given a seat. Stantnor said, “Close the door, Peters. Lock it. Thank you. Hand me the key, please.”
Peters did so. The others watched with varying expressions, mostly in the frown range.
“Thank you for coming.” As if they’d had any choice. “We have a problem.” He reached out. I put his will in his hand. He’d let me read it while we waited. It was an invitation to mayhem, incredibly naive.
“My will. You know the details. I’ve hit you over the head with them often enough. They seem to have created the problem. Therefore.”
A candle sat on the table before him. He shoved the end of the will into the flame, held it till it caught, laid it on the table, and let it burn.
I watched them watch it. They were shocked. They may have been disappointed or outraged. But they didn’t move, didn’t protest, didn’t fall down and confess.
“That instrument has been a murder weapon, sure as any blade. But I won’t make a speech. There’s the fact. Motive has been eliminated. The will has been abrogated. I’ll write a new one in a few days.”
He looked them in the eye, one by one. Nobody shied away. Everybody looked baffled and dismayed.
Dellwood said, “Sir, I don’t understand.”
“I certainly hope you don’t. Those of you who don’t, be patient. It will become clear. First, though, I want to introduce the man next to me. His name is Garrett. Mr. Garrett is an investigative specialist, amongst other talents. I employed Mr. Garret to find out who’s been stealing from me. His efforts have been quite to my satisfaction so far.”
The old boy was a chess player.
“Mr. Garrett found evidence of more heinous crimes. He’s convinced me that some of you have been killing your comrades to gain a larger share of my legacy.”
“Sir!” Dellwood protested. The others stirred, looked at each other.
“Mr. Garrett was a scout during his service, Dellwood. He tracked today’s poacher back to our stable.”
He wasn’t maundering or speaking imprecisely. He wanted them to think I’d done just that, not lost the trail in the fields. He wanted somebody to feel pressed.
“Mr. Garrett has an excellent reputation for handling these things. I’ve asked him to find the killer. He’s agreed. I have every confidence in his ability. I tell you all this by way of letting you know where you stand. If you’re innocent, I want you to cooperate with him. The sooner it’s wrapped up the better. If you’re guilty, maybe you ought to put on your running shoes. Be advised that I shall hunt you as implacably as the hounds of hell. You’ve betrayed my trust. You have done me a hurt I can’t forgive. I’m going to have your head and heart when I find you.”
I didn’t look at him, though it was hard not to. The old devil had gone farther than I’d expected.
By burning the will he’d eliminated the threat to the innocent. Nobody stood to gain now. If he died intestate, the estate could go to the Crown, which meant everyone lost. Even the poisoner ought to want to keep him alive till he wrote a new will.
A clever man, General Stantnor. But he’d left me swinging in the breeze.
“You understand your positions,” he said. “Mr. Garrett. Ask what questions you like.”
Chain said, “Sir—”
“No, Sergeant Chain. Mr. Garrett will ask. You’re not to speak unless spoken to. We’ll stay here till Mr. Garrett is satisfied.”
I said, “Mr. Garrett doesn’t think he can stay awake that long.”
I’m not the kind of guy who can pull all the suspects together and expose a villain by weaving a web of clever questions. My style is bull in the china shop. It’s jump in the pond and thrash till the frogs start jumping. I wished I had the Dead Man handy. One of his more
Snake ambled in with Chain and Peters. He’d tried to clean himself up. He hadn’t done a great job but passed inspection well enough to be given a seat. Stantnor said, “Close the door, Peters. Lock it. Thank you. Hand me the key, please.”
Peters did so. The others watched with varying expressions, mostly in the frown range.
“Thank you for coming.” As if they’d had any choice. “We have a problem.” He reached out. I put his will in his hand. He’d let me read it while we waited. It was an invitation to mayhem, incredibly naive.
“My will. You know the details. I’ve hit you over the head with them often enough. They seem to have created the problem. Therefore.”
A candle sat on the table before him. He shoved the end of the will into the flame, held it till it caught, laid it on the table, and let it burn.
I watched them watch it. They were shocked. They may have been disappointed or outraged. But they didn’t move, didn’t protest, didn’t fall down and confess.
“That instrument has been a murder weapon, sure as any blade. But I won’t make a speech. There’s the fact. Motive has been eliminated. The will has been abrogated. I’ll write a new one in a few days.”
He looked them in the eye, one by one. Nobody shied away. Everybody looked baffled and dismayed.
Dellwood said, “Sir, I don’t understand.”
“I certainly hope you don’t. Those of you who don’t, be patient. It will become clear. First, though, I want to introduce the man next to me. His name is Garrett. Mr. Garrett is an investigative specialist, amongst other talents. I employed Mr. Garret to find out who’s been stealing from me. His efforts have been quite to my satisfaction so far.”
The old boy was a chess player.
“Mr. Garrett found evidence of more heinous crimes. He’s convinced me that some of you have been killing your comrades to gain a larger share of my legacy.”
“Sir!” Dellwood protested. The others stirred, looked at each other.
“Mr. Garrett was a scout during his service, Dellwood. He tracked today’s poacher back to our stable.”
He wasn’t maundering or speaking imprecisely. He wanted them to think I’d done just that, not lost the trail in the fields. He wanted somebody to feel pressed.
“Mr. Garrett has an excellent reputation for handling these things. I’ve asked him to find the killer. He’s agreed. I have every confidence in his ability. I tell you all this by way of letting you know where you stand. If you’re innocent, I want you to cooperate with him. The sooner it’s wrapped up the better. If you’re guilty, maybe you ought to put on your running shoes. Be advised that I shall hunt you as implacably as the hounds of hell. You’ve betrayed my trust. You have done me a hurt I can’t forgive. I’m going to have your head and heart when I find you.”
I didn’t look at him, though it was hard not to. The old devil had gone farther than I’d expected.
By burning the will he’d eliminated the threat to the innocent. Nobody stood to gain now. If he died intestate, the estate could go to the Crown, which meant everyone lost. Even the poisoner ought to want to keep him alive till he wrote a new will.
A clever man, General Stantnor. But he’d left me swinging in the breeze.
“You understand your positions,” he said. “Mr. Garrett. Ask what questions you like.”
Chain said, “Sir—”
“No, Sergeant Chain. Mr. Garrett will ask. You’re not to speak unless spoken to. We’ll stay here till Mr. Garrett is satisfied.”
I said, “Mr. Garrett doesn’t think he can stay awake that long.”
I’m not the kind of guy who can pull all the suspects together and expose a villain by weaving a web of clever questions. My style is bull in the china shop. It’s jump in the pond and thrash till the frogs start jumping. I wished I had the Dead Man handy. One of his more
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