frighteningly deep.
Picking up Crystal's piton and hammer, he tucked them inside his shoulder bag. He glanced round carefully. No trace of anyone having been there. He hurried back to the car, where Paula was standing.
`Crystal will be here any moment. She's bought up half a clothes shop...'
`Before she arrives, no one climbed Pike's Peak. I didn't like the look of it'
`Understood. Here's Crystal, loaded with carriers' She lowered her voice. 'I wonder what's in the will?'
13
When they reached Hengistbury Manor the gates swung open and they drove along the pebble drive. Tweed was on the terrace by himself, pacing slowly in the sunshine, a look of concentration on his youthful face.
Paula dived out of the car as soon as it stopped, ran up the steps. Crystal, climbing out after her, refused Newman's offer to help her with the carriers. Clutching them tightly the was about to pass Tweed when he called out to her.
`You've bought half of Gladworth, I see...'
`It's my money,' she snapped, resenting his observation, and disappeared inside the house.
`Can I ask what was in the will?' Paula suggested as Newman joined them.
`You may. I read the will, as I said I would. Quite a few of the family were present — Marshal, Warner, Lavinia (I had to ask her to join us), then Warner's son, Leo. It was a short and simple will. Control of the bank was divided fifty per cent to Marshal, fifty per cent to Warner, and there was a gift of one hundred thousand pounds to Mrs Grandy, the housekeeper.'
`How did they react?'
`Marshal was furious, stormed out after shouting it would never work. Warner was quiet, remarked it would work and he thought it was typical of Bella's common sense. Leo was outraged, screamed, "Why the hell does that old faggot get all that money?" Warner told him to apologize but Leo was livid, stormed off after Marshal. I told Mrs Grandy myself and she looked astounded, then said it was very generous. You know it all now.'
`Bella was very shrewd. We have urgent information for you.' She explained quickly their experience at Pike's Peak and what the killer had told her before he expired.
`I'm still amazed,' she continued, 'that the man sent to kidnap me in Mayfair, to torture me and presumably kill me, would warn me a second time when he was dying. And tell me where we can find Calouste.'
`Another example of the complexity of human nature,'Tweed observed. 'So many people I've encountered have this mixture of decency and evil' His manner changed, became commanding. 'Now, action this day, as Winston Churchill used to say. We must immediately try and hunt down Calouste. We'll take a large force. Heavily armed. You'll come, of course, Bob. Harry Butler is helping the police crew to search this vast house, so is Marler, who was investigating The Forest. Heavily armed,' he repeated.
Tweed led the way inside the manor while Newman admitted he'd left his.38 Smith &Wesson revolver and ammo locked in his apartment. Tweed held up a hand before they all rushed into the hall.
`The story is we've had a tip that Bella's killer is hiding in Gladworth.'
Tweed ran up to the floor where Crystal had her apartment, in time to see Chief Inspector Hammer emerging with a disgruntled look.
`Take all week to search this rabbit warren,' he grumbled, then marched off down the corridor, vanished into another apartment.
Tweed caught sight of Sergeant Warden coming up the stairs. He beckoned to him, spoke quietly.
`Could you do me a discreet favour?'
`That's why I was sent here, sir.'
`Find out which apartments the Chief Inspector searched and do the job all over again. He's a good chap but inclined to rush things.'
`I'll tell him Commander Buchanan told me he wanted everywhere searched twice. Good job we had that warrant. Mr Marshal Main is almost going crazy at what he calls this invasion.'
* * *
Tweed's expedition assembled on the terrace. Marler, wearing camouflage, carried a zipped-up
Picking up Crystal's piton and hammer, he tucked them inside his shoulder bag. He glanced round carefully. No trace of anyone having been there. He hurried back to the car, where Paula was standing.
`Crystal will be here any moment. She's bought up half a clothes shop...'
`Before she arrives, no one climbed Pike's Peak. I didn't like the look of it'
`Understood. Here's Crystal, loaded with carriers' She lowered her voice. 'I wonder what's in the will?'
13
When they reached Hengistbury Manor the gates swung open and they drove along the pebble drive. Tweed was on the terrace by himself, pacing slowly in the sunshine, a look of concentration on his youthful face.
Paula dived out of the car as soon as it stopped, ran up the steps. Crystal, climbing out after her, refused Newman's offer to help her with the carriers. Clutching them tightly the was about to pass Tweed when he called out to her.
`You've bought half of Gladworth, I see...'
`It's my money,' she snapped, resenting his observation, and disappeared inside the house.
`Can I ask what was in the will?' Paula suggested as Newman joined them.
`You may. I read the will, as I said I would. Quite a few of the family were present — Marshal, Warner, Lavinia (I had to ask her to join us), then Warner's son, Leo. It was a short and simple will. Control of the bank was divided fifty per cent to Marshal, fifty per cent to Warner, and there was a gift of one hundred thousand pounds to Mrs Grandy, the housekeeper.'
`How did they react?'
`Marshal was furious, stormed out after shouting it would never work. Warner was quiet, remarked it would work and he thought it was typical of Bella's common sense. Leo was outraged, screamed, "Why the hell does that old faggot get all that money?" Warner told him to apologize but Leo was livid, stormed off after Marshal. I told Mrs Grandy myself and she looked astounded, then said it was very generous. You know it all now.'
`Bella was very shrewd. We have urgent information for you.' She explained quickly their experience at Pike's Peak and what the killer had told her before he expired.
`I'm still amazed,' she continued, 'that the man sent to kidnap me in Mayfair, to torture me and presumably kill me, would warn me a second time when he was dying. And tell me where we can find Calouste.'
`Another example of the complexity of human nature,'Tweed observed. 'So many people I've encountered have this mixture of decency and evil' His manner changed, became commanding. 'Now, action this day, as Winston Churchill used to say. We must immediately try and hunt down Calouste. We'll take a large force. Heavily armed. You'll come, of course, Bob. Harry Butler is helping the police crew to search this vast house, so is Marler, who was investigating The Forest. Heavily armed,' he repeated.
Tweed led the way inside the manor while Newman admitted he'd left his.38 Smith &Wesson revolver and ammo locked in his apartment. Tweed held up a hand before they all rushed into the hall.
`The story is we've had a tip that Bella's killer is hiding in Gladworth.'
Tweed ran up to the floor where Crystal had her apartment, in time to see Chief Inspector Hammer emerging with a disgruntled look.
`Take all week to search this rabbit warren,' he grumbled, then marched off down the corridor, vanished into another apartment.
Tweed caught sight of Sergeant Warden coming up the stairs. He beckoned to him, spoke quietly.
`Could you do me a discreet favour?'
`That's why I was sent here, sir.'
`Find out which apartments the Chief Inspector searched and do the job all over again. He's a good chap but inclined to rush things.'
`I'll tell him Commander Buchanan told me he wanted everywhere searched twice. Good job we had that warrant. Mr Marshal Main is almost going crazy at what he calls this invasion.'
* * *
Tweed's expedition assembled on the terrace. Marler, wearing camouflage, carried a zipped-up
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