The Lately Deceased by Bernard Knight Read Free Book Online

Superintendent Meredith will be here in a few minutes, if you will wait, please.’
    Again his voice indicated that they had little choice in the matter.
    â€˜Meanwhile, perhaps you could help me while we are waiting by looking at this list and seeing if there are any names missing from it of people who were at the party last night.’
    He produced a handwritten list of about twenty names. Most of them were known to either Abe or Geoff Tate and between them they were able to contribute another half-dozen fresh names.
    The detective seemed sincere in his thanks and added the extras to the bottom of his list. He asked where these people were likely to be found at this time of day and then excused himself to try to contact them. The two men were left in the bare room, Geoff staring into the hissing gas fire and thinking of the expression ‘able to assist the police in their enquiries’, while Abe studied a new pictorial treasure on the wall, exhorting the public to lock their back doors while watching the ‘telly’!
    In Great Beachy Street, the photographers were just leaving, taking their lights and tripods with them en route to the mortuary for the post-mortem. The fingerprint men had gone, disgusted by the welter of strange prints on everything, after the recent party. Meredith stood in the centre of the lounge, hands on hips, looking morosely around him. With him were Inspectors Grey and Stammers, and Wally Morris.
    Annoyance made the superintendent unusually talkative. ‘If I were an Aussie and not a Welshman, I’d call this set-up a “fair cow”. Not a thing left as it was, after that damn barman had cleared up. The bloody guests scattered all over London and the body carted right across the manor by a couple of ham-handed undertakers.’
    â€˜Do you want to get stuck into the husband now or wait till after the PM?’ asked Grey.
    â€˜Let’s keep him on ice for a bit,’ Old Nick answered. ‘A bit of a delay often sweats anything they’ve forgotten up to the surface!’
    â€˜I had to tell him that we have reason to suspect that his wife’s death may not have been a natural one, sir, but I’ve given him no details,’ said Grey.
    Meredith nodded agreement.
    â€˜Meanwhile,’ he said disgustedly, ‘what am I meant to do? I don’t yet know if I’m looking for a weapon, let alone what sort. All because that ruddy doctor boobed. Don’t they teach them any forensic medicine in medical college these days? Has Masters been able to locate him yet?’
    Grey went to the phone and called the station.
    â€˜Masters contacted him and told him to come here right away. He should have been here by now.’
    Almost like the cue in a tightly scheduled play, a uniformed constable put his head around the door at that moment.
    â€˜Sir, there’s a doctor at the front door, says you sent for him. Shall I send him up?’
    â€˜Yes, please. As quick as you like,’ snapped Meredith.
    He turned back to Grey and Stammers.
    â€˜Let’s see what this medical genius has to say for himself.’
    The little doctor strutted into the room, red in the face and full of fight. He had no idea what was going on, but he had an uneasy feeling that he was not there to be complimented.
    â€˜Doctor Weinkaatz?’ queried Meredith, getting a curt nod in reply.
    â€˜I think you were called here to see a recently deceased woman last night, sir?’
    The doctor, rising up and down on his heels and clasping his hands behind his back, glared at Old Nick before replying.
    â€˜I am very busy, very busy. Is it necessary that I be called to see you at this time? I haf told the coroner’s clerk all about it.’
    â€˜I’m afraid, Doctor, that we have a very serious matter to deal with here and it’s partly due to your actions – or lack of them – that we find ourselves in a difficult position.’
    Meredith spoke