Love and Death Among the Cheetahs

by Rhys Bowen

  “I have no pleasure in killing something for no reason,” Van Horn said. “For meat, yes. For a trophy, yes. But simply to see a beast fall? It is not worth the effort.”

  He subsided into his chair again, his arms folded, his face like stone. There was an uncomfortable silence. People shifted in their seats. The air was unpleasantly thick with cigarette smoke as several of them puffed away nervously. I noticed that a couple of them already had glasses in their hands as well. The “hair of the dog” as Tusker Eggerton had said.

  “It’s damned cheek,” Chops Rutherford muttered after a while. “What can the police want with us? You can’t think we had anything to do with the poor fellow’s death. We were all fully occupied when he left. Although I don’t think the police need to know about that either.”

  “Of course they don’t,” Idina said. Even she was looking old and strained now, puffing away at a Turkish cigarette. “You were all safely tucked up for the night with your respective spouses when Bwana was summoned home.” She paused. “Isn’t that right?”

  “Oh absolutely.” Harry Ragg nodded, glancing at Pansy for affirmation. “Sound asleep, although Pansy did murmur that a telephone bell was ringing, didn’t you, darling?”

  “I think I might have done.”

  Several members of the party stifled a grin. I could tell the police would get nothing useful out of anyone here. I was handed a cup of coffee and I perched on the edge of a sofa beside Sheila Tomlinson, who only just acknowledged my presence with a curt nod. She was looking white and shocked. In fact most of them did have a dazed look on their faces, but that could just be because of the excesses of the night before and terrible hangovers. As I studied them, one by one, I realized they were not all present. Freddie noticed at the same time. “What happened to that couple from Nairobi? The Atkinses?”

  “They left, darling,” Idina said. “I tried to persuade them to stay but they said that they couldn’t possibly have anything to add to an investigation into the death of a complete stranger. He was absolutely terrified about his precious reputation. Peeing in his pants, you know.” She chuckled. “He’s hoping to become deputy governor. Very ambitious, one gathers.”

  “Nevertheless, they should not have left without permission,” Freddie said, sounding for the first time like the government officer trying to be in charge.

  “What was I supposed to do? Wrestle them into submission?” Idina asked.

  “You could have removed their car keys,” Freddie pointed out.

  “In hindsight that might have been a good idea,” Idina said, tossing her hair petulantly, “but you must remember that I was in shock. We were all in shock. We have all lost someone very close to us.”

  A lot closer to the women than the men, I thought and studied them all again. Sheila Tomlinson, Camilla Rutherford, both once married to him. Pansy Ragg, his mistress and obviously very attached to him. And Idina, the one who had never let herself get too close to him. Only Mrs. Atkins seemed not to have been a moth to his flame. She had dragged her husband to the party because she wanted to rekindle a relationship with bigger game—the Prince of Wales. I wondered who would tell the prince about this, and what he would be told. Would it make the English newspapers? Might it have any ramifications for the job Darcy had been offered?

  “Well, no sense in sitting around moping,” Chops Rutherford said. “If we’re stuck here I suggest we fortify ourselves with a decent breakfast.”

  “It’s all laid out and ready in the dining room, darling, although I don’t know how you can think of food at a time like this. I don’t think I could eat a morsel.” That was just what Babe Eggerton had said. So Idina had been fonder of him than she wanted to admit.

  Sheila Tomlinson had been staring down at her hands. Now she looked up. “I feel the same way,” she said. “I just want to go home to my children.”

  “How many children do you have?” I asked because she was sitting next to me nervously playing with the tassels on her jacket and I thought it might be a good idea to get onto a safe subject.

  It was. She actually smiled. “Five,” she said. “All boys. Although the two older ones are now in boarding school in England. I miss them terribly. Such darling boys, all of them.”

  “Absolute little monsters from what I’ve heard,” Harry Ragg muttered to Pansy.

  This caused me to look around at the assembled guests again. Did anyone else have children? They had certainly been through enough marriages, and yet nobody had mentioned a child. Perhaps they were all sent off to boarding school as soon as they were old enough so that they didn’t cramp their parents’ wild lifestyle. The only children I knew of in the valley were Lord Cheriton’s twins. How convenient that they were here when their father was murdered and Rupert would inherit the title and everything that went with it. Rupert, who had made it so clear that he had no intention of taking over the farm in Africa. Yes, all things considered, he was the one with the biggest motive to want his father dead.

  The other guests went through to the dining room and helped themselves to the food that was keeping hot on the sideboard. Although I had already eaten at the Eggertons’ I did not take much persuading to have a little more. At least eating gave us something to do other than waiting and worrying or making inane conversation. We finished breakfast and still no sign of a policeman at eleven o’clock. Idina suggested we might like to play tennis or croquet but was not met with an enthusiastic response.

  I moved closer to Darcy. “Diddy might wonder where we have got to with her motorcar,” I said. “Do you think we should telephone her?”

  “We can’t tell her the real reason we are being held up,” Darcy muttered to me. “It wouldn’t be right that she finds out before his family. But I agree, she might have plans for the day and be annoyed if her motorcar is not returned.”

  I accompanied him to the telephone and heard him say, “We’ve been held up, I’m afraid. There’s been a spot of trouble at Idina’s. I’ll give you all the details when we get back. It shouldn’t be too long now. No—Georgie and I are just fine. You’re right. The party was a bit of a shock and no, we did not participate!”

  He put the telephone receiver down. “It’s all right. She doesn’t need her car and besides, Cyril has his old safari vehicle. He’s rather miffed, I gather, because he got up early and was all kitted out for Mr. Van Horn.”

  “Poor Cyril,” I said. “I suspect he’s innately lazy.”

  “He’s a strange fish, isn’t he?” Darcy said. “The sort of man you’d expect to find in a London club or having tea and being witty in a dowager duchess’s drawing room yet here he is taking people on safari—surely one of the most dangerous occupations. Doesn’t make sense.”

  “I agree,” I said. I was going to say more but at that moment Jocelyn opened the front door, an excited look on his face. “The police have arrived, Lady Idina. Do you want me to show them in?” He gave a nervous grin. “Gosh, this is rather exciting, isn’t it?”

  “It’s a bloody nuisance,” Chops snapped. “Bring them in and let’s get this over with.”

  Jocelyn was about to leave when Idina grabbed his sleeve. “Just one thing, darling. If the police ask you any questions about last night, we were all in bed by midnight. All nicely asleep. Got it?”

  Chapter 26

  AUGUST 12

  AT IDINA’S HOUSE

  No matter how many times I have been involved with the police in the past I still feel that awful dread when they come into the room. I know I am innocent and have nothing to hide but the fear is just the same—that they will make me say the wrong thing. Let’s hope this detective inspector is brighter than most.

  Harry Ragg had stood up and looked out the window. He pulled back the curtain and turned to the rest of us. “Oh God. It’s that Windbag fellow.”

  “Windrush, you mean?” Pansy corrected.

  “I always think of him
as Windbag. You remember from that incident in Nairobi? Grammar-school boy. Little upstart. Better watch what you say to him.”

  Footsteps were heard on the gravel outside. Jocelyn was still standing guard at the door. He stepped back as the inspector entered. At first glance he looked rather wishy-washy compared with the suntanned occupants of this room. Sort of beige all over. He was skinny with sandy hair and a rather sad little sandy mustache that was not growing well. He was wearing the khaki bush jacket and large hat that must have been the uniform of the local police. He removed the hat on entering. It obvious from the way he strode into the room with a look of disdain and suspicion on his face that he wanted everyone there to be guilty.

  “So, we’ve exhausted all the other sports you people are famous for and have resorted to killing each other now, have we?” he asked.

  “I beg your pardon?” Idina stepped out to block his path further into the room. “That remark was quite uncalled for and in poor taste, Inspector.” She paused. “It is ‘Inspector,’ I take it?”

  “That’s right. Detective Inspector Windrush.”

  “And I am Lady Idina Sackville-Haldeman. I don’t believe we have met.” She held out her hand to him. It was the perfect rebuke of the aristocracy to the middle class, putting the inspector firmly in his place.

  Of course he had to shake her hand.

  “Well, Detective Inspector Windrush, we have just been told that one of our dear friends has been murdered. We are all in a state of shock. So I’d advise you to tread carefully with us. Everyone here is a friend of the governor and we don’t take kindly to bombast or wild insinuations.” Although she was much smaller than him she had considerable presence and I believe he took a small step away from her.

  Freddie came to Idina’s side. “I’m Freddie Blanchford, sir. His Majesty’s district officer. I’m the one who made the telephone call. I’ve been taken to the body and I think it’s fairly clear that it was murder.”

  “You’re an expert in these things, are you?” Windrush asked, still with a sneer on his lips.

  “No, sir, but a large knife wound is a pretty good indication that he didn’t die in his sleep.”

  Some of the occupants of the room chuckled, making Windrush scowl.

  “And where is this body?” he demanded.

  “It’s several miles up the road north. I’ll be happy to escort you to see it.”

  “You’ve just left it there, have you? Then the scavengers will have found it by now.”

  “The medical examiner from Gilgil is with it and I have borrowed men from a nearby estate to stand guard until we return,” Freddie replied evenly. “I don’t know if you would want to see the body first or to get statements from everyone here. They are naturally all anxious to go home as soon as possible.”

  “Naturally,” Windrush said. “I’ll have my sergeant take initial statements while I go to inspect the body but then I will want to question everyone myself.”

  “I don’t know what we can tell you that might be helpful, Inspector,” Idina said. “Everyone here was at my party yesterday evening and I put them all up for the night so that they didn’t have to drive home.”

  “Put them all up for the night, did you?” The way he smirked indicated that he must have heard rumors about what went on at Idina’s parties.

  “I try to be a good hostess,” she said calmly. “And it’s not safe to drive in the dark here. Elephants, you know.”

  “And the man who was killed. Has he been positively identified?”

  “He has,” Freddie said. “It’s Lord Cheriton.”

  “Lord Cheriton?” Windrush looked puzzled.

  “Used to be known as Bwana Hartley in the colony,” Idina chimed in. “Just inherited the title from a cousin.”

  “Oh yes. You lot are always inheriting things, aren’t you?” He nodded. “Bwana Hartley. Oh yes indeed. So why wasn’t he here at the party? Fallen out with you, had he?”

  “But he was at the party,” Idina said. “His wife did not come with him as she was under the weather. About midnight he received a telephone call saying that she was feeling worse and wanted him to come home. So he left and drove home. I saw him off, because he came to say good-bye to me, but I’m afraid everyone else was already asleep.”

  “I heard the telephone ring,” Pansy said, giving the inspector an innocent smile. “But Harry was already asleep and snoring.”

  “So he left at midnight?”

  “Just after, I would say.”

  I watched Idina, impressed with her composure. She was giving a wonderfully convincing performance.

  “And did his wife not telephone again when he didn’t arrive home?”

  “That was the strange thing,” Idina said. “She did not. He had a terrible temper, you know. One did have to tread carefully around him sometimes.”

  “I’ve come across Bwana Hartley,” Windrush said. “He’s been involved in several court cases, I seem to remember. People are always suing him.”

  “A couple of times.” Idina shrugged her shoulders.

  “I sued him once,” Tomlinson said. “He stole a prize bull from me. But that didn’t mean I’d want to kill him. That’s why you go to court. To let the course of law settle things.”

  “And did you win your case against him?”

  “I did not, unfortunately,” Tomlinson said. I could see from his face that he wished he had not opened up this subject.

  “So you had good reason to carry a grudge against him.” Another smirk from Windrush.

  “On the contrary. It was through him that I met my wife, so I’m grateful to the bugger.” He put a hand on Sheila’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

  “I see. Anyone else had a falling-out with him recently?”

  “It wouldn’t matter if we had, Inspector,” Idina said, “because as I told you everyone was here, tucked up in bed and asleep.”

  “Tucked up and asleep. How convenient.” Windrush let his gaze move around the room. “Were there any local inhabitants who were not tucked up and asleep here last night?”

  “Major and Mrs. Eggerton left early,” Idina went on smoothly. “She was not feeling well.”

  “Is something going around up here in the valley?” Inspector Windrush asked. “All these wives not feeling well.”

  “I believe it’s not a crime to be under the weather occasionally, even here in the Wanjohi Valley,” Idina said.

  “And Lord Cheriton’s wife, who was also under the weather—where does she live?”

  “At the northern end of the valley. She was home with her two stepchildren who are visiting from England. Also her next-door neighbor did not come to the party. You probably know her—Diddy Ruocco? Trains racehorses. Is often in Nairobi.”

  “Oh yes. I believe I have seen her at the track. So she wasn’t invited?”

  “She and I are not the best of pals,” Idina said. “She prefers more outdoor pursuits.”

  The inspector gave a snort—halfway between a laugh and a grunt of disgust. “Well, I’ll be visiting them later, I suppose,” he said. “But I’ll be back here when I’ve taken a look at the body. And I’ll leave you folks to think carefully about anything that might be useful to my investigation. If this man was really your bosom friend, as you claim, then I’m sure you will want justice for him and for his killer to be found.”

  “Of course we do, Inspector,” Idina said.

  Mr. Van Horn stepped out in front of the inspector. “Look here,” he said. “I am a visitor to this country, on my way to a safari drive. I have nothing to do with these people. I do not know them. I wish to have permission to leave now. My day has already been ruined.”

  “And you are?” Windrush asked.

  “Wilhelm Van Horn. South African national. In Nairobi on business and decided to take a few days’ holiday in Gilgil.”

 
; “Then what are you doing here? Did you attend the party last night?”

  “Good God no. This young fellow, your district officer, kindly offered to drive me to the man who will take me on safari. We were flagged down by that boy over there, informed about the murder and brought here. I have already wasted over an hour.”

  “If I might see your passport, sir?”

  “What person is crazy enough to take a passport on safari?” Van Horn blustered. “It is in my hotel safe in Gilgil. You may come down there to view it later if you wish. But as for my alibi, if you require one, I was drinking in the bar at the hotel in Gilgil at midnight last night. I have no means of transportation. And I did not know the man who has been killed.”

  “Very well, sir.” Inspector Windrush gave in to this attack. “Then I see no reason to detain you. But I shall need to take the district officer with me to view the body.”

  “This couple can give him a lift,” Freddie said. “Mr. and Mrs. O’Mara. They are on their honeymoon, visiting from England. They were the ones who found the body, when they drove home early this morning.”

  “Oh yes.” The inspector turned to me. He had surprisingly dark eyes for a man with light hair and skin and his birdlike stare was not unlike that of the vultures I had met that morning.

  “Just out from England, are you?”

  “That’s right,” Darcy answered before I could speak.

  “And which of these people are you staying with?”

  “With Diddy Ruocco,” Darcy said. “Freddie Blanchford is an old friend from Oxford. He arranged this for us.”

  “I see.” He paused. “You found the body. What made you do that?”

  “We were on our way home, early this morning. His car was blocking the road ahead, with the motor still running,” Darcy said. “We called and thought the driver must be close by. There was a movement in the bushes. We went to investigate and it was vultures all over the body. Rather a horrible sight, I have to say, especially for my bride.”