Death on the Air by Ngaio Marsh Read Free Book Online

hit back somehow.’ She put her hands to her eyes. ‘I’m all muddled,’ she said.
    â€˜I think you are more upset than you realize. I’ll be as quick as I can. Your father made this scene in your room. You say he screamed. Did anyone hear him?’
    â€˜Yes. Mummy did. She came in.’
    â€˜What happened?’
    â€˜I said: “Go away, darling, it’s all right.” I didn’t want her to be involved. He nearly killed her with the things he did. Sometimes he’d…we never knew what happened between them. It was all secret, like a door shutting quietly as you walk along a passage.’
    â€˜Did she go away?’ ,
    â€˜Not at once. He told her he’d found out that Richard and I were lovers. He said…it doesn’t matter. I don’t want to tell you. She was terrified. He was stabbing at her in some way I couldn’t understand. Then, quite suddenly, he told her to go to her own room. She went at once and he followed her. He locked me in. That’s the last I saw of him, but I heard him go downstairs later.’
    â€˜Were you locked in all night?’
    â€˜No. Richard Hislop’s room is next to mine. He came upand spoke through the wall to me. He wanted to unlock the door, but I said better not in case – he – came back. Then, much later, Guy came home. As he passed my door I tapped on it. The key was in the lock and he turned it.’
    â€˜Did you tell him what had happened?’
    â€˜Just that there’d been a row. He only stayed a moment.’
    â€˜Can you hear the radio from your room?’
    She seemed surprised.
    â€˜The wireless? Why, yes. Faintly.’
    â€˜Did you hear it after your father returned to the study?’
    â€˜I don’t remember.’
    â€˜Think. While you lay awake all that long time until your brother came home?’
    â€˜I’ll try. When he came out and found Richard and me, it was not going. They had been working, you see. No, I can’t remember hearing it at all unless – wait a moment. Yes. After he had gone back to the study from mother’s room I remember there was a loud crash of static. Very loud. Then I think it was quiet for some time. I fancy I heard it again later. Oh, I’ve remembered something else. After the static my bedside radiator went out. I suppose there was something wrong with the electric supply. That would account for both, wouldn’t it? The heater went on again about ten minutes later.’
    â€˜And did the radio begin again then, do you think?’
    â€˜I don’t know. I’m very vague about that. It started again sometime before I went to sleep.’
    â€˜Thank you very much indeed. I won’t bother you any longer now.’
    â€˜All right,’ said Phillipa calmly, and went away.
    Alleyn sent for Chase and questioned him about the rest of the staff and about the discovery of the body. Emily was summoned and dealt with. When she departed, awe-struck but complacent, Alleyn turned to the butler.
    â€˜Chase,’ he said, ‘had your master any peculiar habits?’
    â€˜Yes, sir.’
    â€˜In regard to his use of the wireless?’
    â€˜I beg your pardon, sir. I thought you meant generally speaking.’
    â€˜Well, then, generally speaking.’
    â€˜If I may say so, sir, he was a mass of them.’
    â€˜How long have you been with him?’
    â€˜Two months, sir, and due to leave at the end of this week.’
    â€˜Oh. Why are you leaving?’
    Chase produced the classic remark of his kind.
    â€˜There are some things,’ he said, ‘that flesh and blood will not stand, sir. One of them’s being spoke to like Mr Tonks spoke to his staff.’
    â€˜Ah. His peculiar habits, in fact?’
    â€˜It’s my opinion, sir, he was mad. Stark, staring.’
    â€˜With regard to the radio. Did he tinker with it?’
    â€˜I can’t say I’ve ever noticed, sir. I believe