At Bertram's Hotel - Agatha Christie [43]
“You’re quite sure that no message came here from the Canon? I mean it might have been taken by someone who forgot to write it down or to pass it on.”
“Telephone messages are always taken down most carefully,” said Miss Gorringe with ice in her voice. “I cannot conceive it possible that a message would not have been passed on to me or to the appropriate person on duty.”
She glared at him.
Inspector Campbell looked momentarily taken aback.
“We’ve really answered all these questions before, you know,” said Mr. Humfries, also with a touch of ice in his voice. “We gave all the information at our disposal to your sergeant—I can’t remember his name for the moment.”
Father stirred a little and said, in a kind of homely way,
“Well you see, things have begun to look rather more serious. It looks like a bit more than absentmindedness. That’s why, I think, it would be a good thing if we could have a word or two with those two people you mentioned—General Radley and Miss Marple.”
“You want me to—to arrange an interview with them?” Mr. Humfries looked rather unhappy. “General Radley’s very deaf.”
“I don’t think it will be necessary to make it too formal,” said Chief-Inspector Davy. “We don’t want to worry people. You can leave it quite safely to us. Just point out those two you mentioned. There is just a chance, you know, that Canon Pennyfather might have mentioned some plan of his, or some person he was going to meet at Lucerne or who was going with him to Lucerne. Anyway, it’s worth trying.”
Mr. Humfries looked somewhat relieved.
“Nothing more we can do for you?” he asked. “I’m sure you understand that we wish to help you in every way, only you do understand how we feel about any Press publicity.”
“Quite,” said Inspector Campbell.
“And I’ll just have a word with the chambermaid,” said Father.
“Certainly, if you like. I doubt very much whether she can tell you anything.”
“Probably not. But there might be some detail—some remark the Canon made about a letter or an appointment. One never knows.”
Mr. Humfries glanced at his watch.
“She’ll be on duty at six,” he said. “Second floor. Perhaps, in the meantime, you’d care for tea?”
“Suits me,” said Father promptly.
They left the office together.
Miss Gorringe said, “General Radley will be in the smoking room. The first room down that passage on the left. He’ll be in front of the fire there with The Times. I think,” she added discreetly, “he might be asleep. You’re sure you don’t want me to—”
“No, no, I’ll see to it,” said Father. “And what about the other one—the old lady?”
“She’s sitting over there, by the fireplace,” said Miss Gorringe.
“The one with white fluffy hair and the knitting?” said Father, taking a look. “Might almost be on the stage, mightn’t she? Everybody’s universal great-aunt.”
“Great-aunts aren’t much like that nowadays,” said Miss Gorringe, “nor grandmothers nor great-grandmothers, if it comes to that. We had the Marchioness of Barlowe in yesterday. She’s a great-grandmother. Honestly, I didn’t know her when she came in. Just back from Paris. Her face a mask of pink and white and her hair platinum blonde and I suppose an entirely false figure, but it looked wonderful.”
“Ah,” said Father, “I prefer the old-fashioned kind myself. Well, thank you, ma’am.” He turned to Campbell. “I’ll look after it, shall I, sir? I know you’ve got an important appointment.”
“That’s right,” said Campbell, taking his cue. “I don’t suppose anything much will come of it, but it’s worth trying.”
Mr. Humfries disappeared into his inner sanctum, saying as he did so:
“Miss Gorringe—just a moment, please.”
Miss Gorringe followed him in and shut the door behind her.
Humfries was walking up and down. He demanded sharply:
“What do they want to see Rose for? Wadell asked all the necessary questions.”
“I suppose it’s just routine,” said Miss Gorringe, doubtfully.
“You’d better have a word with her first.”
Miss Gorringe looked a little startled.
“But surely Inspector Campbell—”
“Oh, I’m not worried about Campbell. It’s the other one.