They came to Baghdad - Agatha Christie [54]
‘You see,’ said Victoria to Edward after breakfast when they were alone together. ‘It is all true. First this man Carmichael and now Sir Rupert Crofton Lee. I feel sorry now I called him a show-off. It seems unkind. All the people who know or guess about this queer business are being got out of the way. Edward, do you think it will be me next?’
‘For Heaven’s sake don’t look so pleased by the idea, Victoria! Your sense of drama is much too strong. I don’t see why any one should eliminate you because you don’t really know anything – but do, please, do, be awfully careful.’
‘We’ll both be careful. I’ve dragged you into it.’
‘Oh, that’s all right. Relieves the monotony.’
‘Yes, but take care of yourself.’ She gave a sudden shiver.
‘It’s rather awful – he was so very much alive – Crofton Lee, I mean – and now he’s dead too. It’s frightening, really frightening.’
Chapter 16
I
‘Find your young man?’ asked Mr Dakin.
Victoria nodded.
‘Find anything else?’
Rather mournfully, Victoria shook her head.
‘Well, cheer up,’ said Mr Dakin. ‘Remember, in this game, results are few and far between. You might have picked up something there – one never knows, but I wasn’t in any way counting on it.’
‘Can I still go on trying?’ asked Victoria.
‘Do you want to?’
‘Yes, I do. Edward thinks he can get me a job at the Olive Branch. If I keep my ears and eyes open, I might find out something, mightn’t I? They know something about Anna Scheele there.’
‘Now that’s very interesting, Victoria. How did you learn that?’
Victoria repeated what Edward had told her – about Catherine’s remark that when ‘Anna Scheele came’ they would take their orders from her.
‘Very interesting,’ said Mr Dakin.
‘Who is Anna Scheele?’ asked Victoria. ‘I mean, you must know something about her – or is she just a name?’
‘She’s more than a name. She’s confidential secretary to an American banker – head of an international banking firm. She left New York and came to London about ten days ago. Since then she’s disappeared.’
‘Disappeared? She’s not dead?’
‘If so, her dead body hasn’t been found.’
‘But she may be dead?’
‘Oh yes, she may be dead.’
‘Was she – coming to Baghdad?’
‘I’ve no idea. It would seem from the remarks of this young woman Catherine, that she was. Or shall we say –is – since as yet there’s no reason to believe she isn’t still alive.’
‘Perhaps I can find out more at the Olive Branch.’
‘Perhaps you can – but I must warn you once more to be very careful, Victoria. The organization you are up against is quite ruthless. I would much rather not have your dead body found floating down the Tigris.’
Victoria gave a little shiver and murmured:
‘Like Sir Rupert Crofton Lee. You know that morning he was at the hotel here there was something odd about him – something that surprised me. I wish I could remember what it was…’
‘In what way – odd?’
‘Well – different.’ Then in response to the inquiring look, she shook her head vexedly. ‘It will come back to me, perhaps. Anyway I don’t suppose it really matters.’
‘Anything might matter.’
‘If Edward gets me a job, he thinks I ought to get a room like the other girls in a sort of boarding-house or paying guest-place, not stay on here.’
‘It would create less surmise. Baghdad hotels are very expensive. Your young man seems to have his head screwed on the right way.’
‘Do you want to see him?’
Dakin shook his head emphatically.
‘No, tell him to keep right away from me. You, unfortunately, owing to the circumstances on the night of Carmichael’s death, are bound to be suspect. But Edward is not linked with that occurrence or with me in any way – and that’s valuable.’
‘I’ve been meaning to ask you,’ said Victoria. ‘Who actually did stab Carmichael? Was it someone who followed him here?’
‘No,’ said Dakin slowly. ‘That couldn’t have been so.’
‘Couldn’t?’
‘He came in a gufa – one of those native boats – and he wasn’t followed. We know that because I had someone watching