A Medal For Murder by Frances Brody Read Free Book Online Page B

escort her home, but she joined her friends.’
    Scratch, scratch went the constable’s pencil.
    ‘Go on.’
    ‘Mr Milner struck me as a man who would persist. I felt sorry for Lucy and kept him talking. I was relieved when we were joined by Madam Geerts.’
    The inspector interrupted me. ‘Madam Geerts?’
    The constable, busy at his notes, had pricked up his ears. He looked at me, expectantly. I know that the police are meant to keep information confidential, but this fellow looked a little too keen for my liking. Something made me hold back the fact that Madam Geerts, with the subtlety of a hungry shark, had clutched Milner’s arm and whisked him away.
    ‘She and her husband are in the play,’ I said, in a voice that sounded to me over-prim. ‘I left Mr Milner with Madam Geerts, and that was the last time I spoke to him.’
    The inspector picked up on my insinuation immediately. It was the last time I had spoken to Mr Milner, but not the last time I saw him.
    The inspector turned to the constable who had paused in his note-taking. ‘That will be all. Call a cab will you?’
    ‘Right, sir!’
    When the constable had gone, the inspector gazed at me candidly. ‘Mrs Shackleton, you are an observant womanand your impressions will be valuable. It would be unfair to keep you here any longer after your ordeal. But would you be willing to give me a written statement tomorrow, regarding what took place after the performance?’
    ‘Of course. Only I have no wish to embarrass people . . .’
    ‘Like Madam Geerts?’
    ‘Yes.’ He did not miss a trick. A man to watch.
    He sighed and said gently, ‘If something is not relevant, believe me I won’t waste valuable time on it. Please tell me now.’
    Relieved that the constable had left the room, I took a breath and began. ‘They went off together, Mr Milner and Madam Geerts. She first, he following a few moments later.’ I felt myself blush in case he thought I had followed them, which I had not. ‘Afterwards, I went to a dressing room, to collect my overnight bag that had been brought from the station Left Luggage. It’s a bit of a maze backstage. I opened the wrong door, and saw Mr Milner and Madam Geerts. Fortunately they did not see me. They were too busy.’
    ‘Go on.’
    ‘I think the legal term is
in flagrante delicto
.’
    I was pleased with that – so much better than saying they were at it.
    He leaned forward. ‘Might anyone else have come across them?’
    At that moment, the constable opened the door. ‘Transport’s here, sir.’
    The inspector escorted me into the street where the pony and trap waited. Meriel was already seated, and our bags in place.
    ‘Mrs Shackleton, may I?’ With great gentleness,Inspector Charles took my arm, helping me into the trap.
    A constable climbed into the vehicle with us. Perhaps we were considered important witnesses, in need of police protection.

  
     
    A single light burned in the ground floor flat at 29 St Clement’s Road.
    ‘Coming home under constabulary escort,’ Meriel murmured. ‘My blithering nuisance of a landlord is going to love this if he’s looking out of his window.’
    ‘Here you are, ladies. I’ll wait while you’re inside.’ The constable jumped from the trap and took our bags before handing us down.
    I suddenly remembered that I was supposed to be passing on a message.
    ‘Meriel, Lucy Wolfendale asked me to tell her grandfather that she’d be staying with . . . I forget the name, one of the other actresses.’
    ‘Alison?’
    ‘That’s it. I’m sure it would be better coming from you.’
    ‘And I’m sure it wouldn’t,’ Meriel said emphatically.
    ‘I’ve never met the man.’ I felt exhausted and wanted more than anything to fall into bed.
    On the ground floor, a window flew open, flooding the garden with light. A face appeared, under a Wee Willie Winkie nightcap.
    Meriel groaned and dashed into the garden out of sight, saying ‘You better give the old boy Lucy’s message.