The Mind Readers by Margery Allingham Page B

he said to me. “He’s a very brilliant young man”.’
    â€˜Those were his exact words, I suppose?’
    â€˜They were, sir.’ Fred Arnold’s eyes remained bold and entertained. ‘Mr Mayo has his team to think of. Talk can be very harmful in their kind of world, so he told me. I understood that and it was why I agreed to help by making a run up to the early Covent Garden market. I’d have had to come up some time this week anyway, because the luncheon today ate us out of house and home. So I had an excuse.’
    Luke’s smile widened as the neatness of the manoeuvre emerged.
    â€˜Mr Mayo signed the work ticket for the van, I suppose?’
    â€˜He did.’
    â€˜Because he wanted Mr Ferris taken past the guards in secret while he was still unconscious?’
    â€˜I wouldn’t care to put it like that myself, sir, but yes, he did want him off the Island and safe in his wife’s hands. So he couldn’t do it again, he said.’
    â€˜Is that the explanation he gave you?’
    â€˜Yes, sir.’
    â€˜And you,’ murmured Mr Campion. ‘You took the very sensible precaution of letting him go on ahead and then persuading Mrs Mayo to ride with you?’
    â€˜She didn’t take much persuading! She begged and prayed me to take her.’ It was the first openly negative sign towards the Mayos he had shown.
    â€˜Ah, she likes Ferris, does she?’ Luke was sharp and the small eyes, laughing again now, met his own.
    â€˜She sees very little of him, sir. It’s Mr Mayo she keeps her eye on.’
    The piece of information was adroitly delivered and Luke explored another angle.
    â€˜When you found Mr Ferris in his hut, had he a glass by him?’
    â€˜No. He never takes more than two singles before dinner and he had those at the bar. He bought a round and Mr Mayo bought one.’
    â€˜Do you remember what they were?’
    â€˜Mr Mayo drank whisky, Mr Ferris pink gin.’
    â€˜At the bar?’
    â€˜No, they sit at a table near the wall. Always the same one. Mr Ferris fetched the first round, Mr Mayo the second. There’s quite a crowd round the bar.’
    â€˜Did Mr Ferris happen to tell you you’d overdone the bitters tonight?’
    â€˜No sir, he didn’t, but I did wonder afterwards. When I was trying to bring him round, I smelled something. I expect you did. It was strong in the van.’
    Luke regarded him steadily. ‘Are you sure you had nothing to do with that?’
    â€˜Absolutely sure, sir. There’d be no point in it, would there?’
    â€˜I suppose not. And you didn’t see anything?’
    â€˜No sir. If I had I should have stopped it. It might redound on me.’
    â€˜As it has.’
    â€˜I hope not. Frankly, that’s why I’m talking to you both, sir. Will you be wanting me to wait?’
    Mr Campion, who was in the desk chair between them, put the question that was worrying him.
    â€˜How does household gas get on this island?’
    â€˜They make it at Tudwick and pipe it over the Strada, sir.’
    â€˜And it’s ordinary gas?’
    â€˜Yes, sir. Tudwick was thought to be going to be a big place at the coming of the railway. The gentleman who lived in our big house at the time was very go-ahead and had everything up-to-date. Then the nineteen fourteen show put paid to all that and the place sank back to nothing until our company took over the whole island estate. The gas and water installation was there so they made use of it. It’s cheaper than carting solid fuel.’
    â€˜Is it laid on to all these new bungalows?’
    â€˜That’s right. They’re built along the old drive and the gas main runs along it. It’s just like a town. Each house has it’s own main supply-pipe coming from the big one.’
    Luke stood with his hands deep in his trousers pocket, the skirts of his jacket bunching out behind him.
    â€˜Are there outside