N or M by Agatha Christie Read Free Book Online

There are two possibilities. The whole von Deinim family may be parties to the arrangement - not improbable under the painstaking Nazi regime. Or else this is not really Carl von Deinim but a man playing the part of Carl von Deinim.”
    Tommy said slowly: “I see.” He added inconsequently:
    “He seems an awfully nice young fellow.”
    Sighing, Grant said: “They are - they nearly always are. It's an odd life this service of ours. We respect our adversaries and they respect us. You usually like your opposite number, you know - even when you're doing your best to down him.”
    There was a silence as Tommy thought over the strange anomaly of war. Grant's voice broke into his musings.
    “But there are those for whom we've neither respect nor liking - and those are the traitors within our own ranks - the men who are willing to betray their country and accept office and promotion from the foreigner who has conquered it.”
    Tommy said with feeling:
    “My God, I'm with you, sir. That's a skunk's trick.”
    “And deserves a skunk's end.”
    Tommy said incredulously:
    “And there really are these - these swine?”
    “Everywhere. As I told you. In our service. In the fighting forces. On Parliamentary benches. High up in the Ministries. We've got to comb them out - we've got to! And we must do it quickly. It can't be done from the bottom - the small fry, the people who speak in the parks, who sell their wretched little news-sheets, they don't know who the big bugs are. It's the big bugs we want, they're the people who can do untold damage - and will do it unless we're in time.”
    Tommy said confidently:
    “We shall be in time, sir.”
    Grant asked:
    “What makes you say that?”
    Tommy said:
    “You've just said it - we've got to be!”
    The man with the fishing line turned and looked full at his subordinate for a minute or two, taking in anew the quiet resolute line of the jaw. He had a new liking and appreciation of what he saw. He said quietly:
    “Good man.”
    He went on:
    “What about the women in this place? Anything strike you as suspicious there?”
    “I think there's something odd about the woman who runs it.”
    “Mrs Perenna?”
    “Yes. You don't - know anything about her?”
    Grant said slowly:
    “I might see what I could do about checking her antecedents, but as I told you, it's risky.”
    “Yes, better not take any chances. She's the only one who strikes me as suspicious in any way. There's a young mother, a fussy spinster, the hypochondriac's brainless wife, and a rather fearsome-looking old Irish-woman. All seem harmless on the face of it.”
    “That's the lot, is it?”
    “No. There's a Mrs Blenkensop - arrived three days ago.”
    “Well?”
    Tommy said: “Mrs Blenkensop is my wife.”
    “What?”
    In the surprise of the announcement Grant's voice was raised. He spun around, sharp anger in his face. “I thought I told you, Beresford, not to breathe a word to your wife!”
    “Quite right, sir, and I didn't. If you'll just listen -”
    Succinctiy, Tommy narrated what had occurred. He did not dare look at the other. He carefully kept out of his voice the pride that he secretly felt.
    There was a silence when he brought the story to an end. Then a queer noise escaped from the other. Grant was laughing. He laughed for some minutes.
    He said: “I take my hat off to the woman! She's one in a thousand!”
    “I agree,” said Tommy.
    “Easthampton will laugh when I tell him this. He warned me not to leave her out. Said she'd get the better of me if I did. I wouldn't listen to him. It shows you, though, how damned careful you've got to be. I thought I'd taken every precaution about being overheard. I'd satisfied myself beforehand that you and your wife were alone in the flat. I actually heard the voice in the telephone asking your wife to come round at once, and so - and so I was tricked by the old simple device of the banged door. Yes, she's a smart woman, your wife.”
    He was silent for a minute,