Dutch Courage by Elizabeth Darrell Read Free Book Online Page A

innocence.
    Tom countered his taunt deliberately. ‘Not on how much they fancy Margot Collier, Piercey. We need to pinpoint anyone with a more than understandable resentment or dislike of her husband. A person eaten up with jealousy of his high-ranking father-in-law’s influence which brought swift commissioned rank, and whose money probably paid for the Jag the Colliers drive around in together. Someone like you, Sergeant.’
    They all laughed, and Tom continued. ‘That any number of men envy Lieutenant Collier for having such a beautiful, wealthy wife doesn’t come into the equation. If the attacks were solely on him I’d include it, but they’ve been aimed at her. The intention being to make him pay for his golden-boy status, and pay as dearly as possible.’
    Sergeant Olly Simpson, idly doodling on a scratch-pad, glanced up as Tom fell silent. ‘The anonymous letters, sir. Did you discover from Lieutenant Collier what they referred to? What was the truth that should be told? Whose eyes must be cleared of blinkers? It suggests to me that the writer believes him to have done something that’s been hushed up. By the top-brass dad-in-law?’
    â€˜That was my first thought,’ Tom said. ‘I don’t think there’s any doubt Sir Preston Phipps raised his daughter’s husband to an acceptable rank by plenty of arm-twisting, although that promotion would surely have come in the normal way soon after. But I don’t see a distinguished general covering up a military transgression serious enough to set in motion a lethal campaign.’
    â€˜Did Lieutenant Collier give you any info on the letters? You didn’t say, sir,’ put in Staff Sergeant Melly.
    Tom shook his head. ‘He claimed to be puzzled by them. But he knows what’s behind them all right.’
    â€˜It has to be something the writer knows about but can’t prove; something detrimental to a man hailed as a hero,’ said Piercey. ‘He’s ignored the letters, so the threats to his wife are designed to make him spill the beans.’
    Tom frowned. ‘If your kids’ comic language means you think Collier is being pressurized to reveal something that would destroy his heroic status, I thought we established that belief five minutes ago. Haven’t you been listening, Sergeant?’
    â€˜Can we be certain of the number of letters received?’ Sergeant Roy Jakes asked. ‘Could be he’s had blackmail demands. Getting at his wife is inducement to pay up.’
    â€˜A strong possibility,’ Tom agreed. ‘I’m about to run a check on his recent financial transactions, but the money is all on his wife’s side and he refuses to have a joint account. He was very uptight on the subject when I spoke to him today.’
    Undaunted, Piercey said, ‘That’s for public effect. You can’t tell me he doesn’t let her pay for anything he wants.’
    â€˜I’m not telling you that,’ Tom snapped. ‘I’ve had enough of your inane input. Shut it!’
    Max had been sitting quietly throughout this discussion, but he now entered it. ‘Let’s consider another slant. The letters are the result of common resentment by someone who’s been passed over for promotion; whose wife or girlfriend has cheated on him or walked out; who’s recently smashed up his car and can’t afford to buy another because the insurance had run out. Sam Collier appears to have the Midas touch and deserves to have something to worry about for a change. But this double hero ignores the slyly threatening letters, so eggs are smashed on his doorstep, the tyres of his wife’s Jag are let down, silly skull and crossbones flyers are put under her wipers. Maybe that will spoil his complacent life.
    â€˜This morning, some German druggie in a blue Audi has a bit of sport putting the frighteners on a lone female driver in a jazzy car by