Secret of Chimneys - Agatha Christie [75]
But all the time, despite the real absorption of Lemoine in his own narrative, Virginia had a feeling that he had some other object in view. Moreover, she judged that Lemoine, under cover of his story, was deliberately striking out his own course across the park. They were not just strolling idly. He was deliberately guiding them in a certain direction.
Suddenly, he broke off his story and looked round. They were standing just where the drive intersected the park before turning an abrupt corner by a clump of trees. Lemoine was staring at a vehicle approaching them from the direction of the house.
Virginia’s eyes followed his.
‘It’s the luggage cart,’ she said, ‘taking Isaacstein’s luggage and his valet to the station.’
‘Is that so?’ said Lemoine. He glanced down at his own watch and started. ‘A thousand pardons. I have been longer here than I meant–such charming company. Is it possible, do you think, that I might have a lift to the village?’
He stepped out on to the drive and signalled with his arm. The luggage cart stopped, and after a word or two of explanation Lemoine climbed in behind. He raised his hat politely to Virginia, and drove off.
The other two stood and watched the cart disappearing with puzzled expressions. Just as the cart swung round the bend, a suitcase fell off into the drive. The cart went on.
‘Come on,’ said Virginia to Bill. ‘We’re going to see something interesting. That suitcase was thrown out.’
‘Nobody’s noticed it,’ said Bill.
They ran down the drive towards the fallen piece of luggage. Just as they reached it, Lemoine came round the corner of the bend on foot. He was hot from walking fast.
‘I was obliged to descend,’ he said pleasantly. ‘I found that I had left something behind.’
‘This?’ said Bill, indicating the suitcase.
It was a handsome case of heavy pigskin, with the initials H. I. on it.
‘What a pity!’ said Lemoine gently. ‘It must have fallen out. Shall we lift it from the road?’
Without waiting for a reply, he picked up the suitcase, and carried it over to the belt of trees. He stooped over it, something flashed in his hand, and the lock slipped back.
He spoke, and his voice was totally different, quick and commanding.
‘The car will be here in a minute,’ he said. ‘Is it in sight?’
Virginia looked back towards the house.
‘No.’
‘Good.’
With deft fingers he tossed the things out of the suitcase. Gold-topped bottle, silk pyjamas, a variety of socks. Suddenly his whole figure stiffened. He caught up what appeared to be a bundle of silk underwear, and unrolled it rapidly.
A slight exclamation broke from Bill. In the centre of the bundle was a heavy revolver.
‘I hear the horn,’ said Virginia.
Like lightning, Lemoine repacked the suitcase. The revolver he wrapped in a silk handkerchief of his own, and slipped into his pocket. He snapped the locks of the suitcase, and turned quickly to Bill.
‘Take it. Madame will be with you. Stop the car, and explain that it fell off the luggage cart. Do not mention me.’
Bill stepped quickly down to the drive just as the big Lanchester limousine with Isaacstein inside it came round the corner. The chauffeur slowed down, and Bill swung the suitcase up to him.
‘Fell off the luggage cart,’ he explained. ‘We happened to see it.’
He caught a momentary glimpse of a startled yellow face as the financier stared at him, and then the car swept on again.
They went back to Lemoine. He was standing with the revolver in his hand, and a look of gloating satisfaction in his face.
‘A long shot,’ he said. ‘A very long shot. But it came off.’
Chapter 22
The Red Signal
Superintendent Battle was standing in the library at Wyvern Abbey.
George Lomax, seated before a desk overflowing with papers, was frowning portentously.
Superintendent Battle had opened proceedings by making a brief and business-like