‘Not these in particular, but he reckoned some of the ones I described do. I told Prasanna and Nadar to copy out the list and get it in the evening post. It should be with him in the morning. He’ll compare it with the information he has from the de Veres. Also, he’ll find out more about the rest of the jewellery that’s gone missing over the last few months.’
‘Wouldn’t it be marvellous if you’ve found everything.’
‘That might be too much to hope for.’
‘Have you told anyone else?’
‘Not yet.’
He explained his reservations about Archie, and she nodded. ‘I see what you mean, but I wouldn’t leave it too long.’
‘Oh, I don’t intend to. I want to talk to Reverend Peters in the morning. I hope that he’ll provide me with the piece in the puzzle that gives me enough evidence to arrest Kumar.’
Deep in thought, Jane stroked Billy, who sat on her lap. ‘Does it strike you as very convenient that some of Alexei’s horses were lame that day?’ she asked after a few moments. ‘Without that, there would have been no valid reason for him not to perform his act.’
‘That’s a very good point. Since your friend George Appleby is a vet, he might be able to throw some light on it for us. I’ll try to speak to him as well as Reverend Peters in the morning.’
Chapter 14
It was Charlotte Appleby who came to the telephone when he called the following morning.
‘I’m afraid my husband has already left for the surgery,’ she said. ‘If you ring there in about twenty minutes, you should catch him before he goes out on his rounds.’
De Silva thanked her and tried the vicarage, but Reverend Peters was also unavailable. ‘He went over to the church straight after breakfast,’ said Mrs Peters, ‘and he has some visits to make after that; but I expect him home for lunch. He plans to spend the afternoon working on his sermon. Would it be convenient for you to come at about two o’clock?’
He confirmed that it would and went back to tell Jane.
‘I’ll have another cup of tea then telephone Appleby’s surgery.’
‘Are you worried about having to wait to speak to the vicar?’ Jane poured tea into their cups from the pretty, rose-patterned teapot. Fragrant steam drifted towards him.
De Silva shook his head. ‘I know the main tent is already down and they haven’t much left to do, but I think we can be confident Boris won’t take the circus off until after the funerals. In any case, it may be best to go up later. If I get there when Kumar is helping to bring in the horses from grazing and settle them for the night, I should be able to search his quarters uninterrupted. Otherwise, I may have to take Boris into my confidence and ask him to find a way of keeping Kumar out of the way, but I’d far rather avoid that for the moment. Not because I think he is involved in Kumar’s crimes, but because his reaction may be violent and difficult to contain.’
A vision of Boris grabbing Kumar by the throat and trying to shake the truth out of him rose before his eyes. He looked at his watch and drank the last of his tea. ‘I’ll go and call Appleby, then I’d better be off to the station. The reinforcements from Hatton should be up here soon.’
George Appleby’s receptionist put him straight through and he heard the veterinary surgeon’s calm, professional voice at the other end of the line.
‘Is this about those kittens of yours, Inspector? Your wife mentioned that you might like a word about the operations that I suggested they have.’
‘I would like that at some point, sir, but it’s not the reason I’m calling you today. This may seem a strange question, and I must ask if you wouldn’t mention to anyone that I’ve asked it, but I’d be grateful for your help.’
‘You intrigue me. Go on.’
‘It concerns horses. What I need to know is whether it’s possible to lame a horse on purpose.’
‘That is an unusual question, and something I hope you have no intention of trying, but yes, it can be done. An easy way would be to remove one of the animal’s shoes and hammer a stone or some other hard object into the soft part of the hoof.’
Immediately, de Silva’s thoughts flashed back to the afternoon when he had seen Kumar shoeing one of Alexei’s horses. Had he been removing a stone he had previously inserted in the hoof to make the horse lame? He thanked Appleby, grateful for the traditional British reserve that made it easy not to let slip more information than one had intended.
‘What did he say?’ asked Jane when he returned to the dining room.
‘It’s easily done, and I think I may have seen Kumar reversing the process.’ He described what Appleby had told him.
‘Those poor horses. And the wicked man professes to be fond of them.’
‘At least for them, unlike for Tatiana and Alexei, the damage was curable.’ He looked at his watch. ‘It’s time I was off to the station.’
Jane’s forehead creased. ‘You will be careful, won’t you? This man Kumar seems very dangerous.’
He put his arm around her shoulders and bent down to kiss her cheek. ‘I promise not to do anything foolhardy. A man who’s as much at home with snakes as this Kumar is not an adversary I intend to treat lightly.’
‘But there are these jewel thieves too and probably the Black Lotus gang.’
‘Perhaps, but I’ve dealt with the gang before. You mustn’t worry. I won’t take any risks.’
Jane gave him a rueful smile. ‘How many times have you promised me that?’
**
He had just finished bringing Prasanna and Nadar up to date with everything that had happened when Inspector Singh’s men arrived.
‘You’d better come into my office,’ he said when they had introduced themselves. ‘You too, Nadar.’
In contrast to Prasanna and Nadar, the Hatton sergeant was plump, and it was the constable who was tall with an athletic build. As de Silva had instructed Nadar to be, they were both dressed in everyday clothes in order not to stand out while they performed their task. Observing their earnest young faces, de Silva felt a sudden awareness of his age. He wondered whether, as a young man, he had looked as nervous when presented with a new superior. There had certainly been occasions when he had felt it.
‘Any questions?’ he asked when he had explained that he wanted them to watch the house and take note of any comings and goings.
‘If someone leaves the house, should we follow them, sir?’ asked the sergeant.
‘Provided you can do so without being noticed. I’ll have to leave that to your discretion.’
‘What if they all seem to be leaving, sir?’ asked Nadar.
‘Then you should definitely follow them. But I hope that won’t be a situation you have to deal with. Now, you’d better get off. Nadar, show them the way, please.’
After the three of them had gone, de Silva settled down to talk to Prasanna.
‘I hope you understand that it’s no reflection on your work that I’ve sent Nadar rather than you,’ he said. ‘It’s just that if Kumar happens to come back to the house at any time, he may recognise you as he’s seen you several times.’
‘That’s alright, sir.’
Prasanna looked thoughtful. ‘Sir, I’ve been wondering—’ He paused.
‘Yes?’
‘If Kumar is a murderer as well as being in league with the jewel thieves, do you think Boris Goncharov might be at risk too?’
‘What makes you say that?’
‘I was just thinking of what you said about the circus being owned jointly by the brothers. If Kumar killed them both, it would give him the chance to try and take complete control. He might like the idea of that. If he’s working for the jewel thieves, he could dictate wherever the circus went to suit them.’
‘Hmm. That would be presuming Kumar can prove he is entitled to inherit.’
‘Or he thinks that no one will question him if he claims that is the case,’ said Prasanna eagerly.
‘An interesting theory, Prasanna. Well done. I’ll bear it in mind, but I�
�d like to have some concrete proof to back it up.’
He looked at his watch. ‘I have a couple of hours before I’m due at the vicarage to talk to Reverend Peters about snakes.’ A shiver went through him. ‘How do you feel about snakes, Sergeant?’
‘Mostly they are harmless, sir, if you leave them alone. There was one in the washhouse for our building a few weeks ago. Some of the men wanted to kill it, but I managed to trap it in a bag and set it free where it would do no harm.’
‘Very laudable. Well, I think it’s time we had lunch.’ He fished in his pocket for some money and handed it over. ‘Please go to the bazaar and get enough for us both.’
As Prasanna departed on his errand, de Silva reflected that the young man often surprised him. He might be the ideal companion for this trip to the circus. When he returned with lunch, he would talk to him about it. And even if his help wasn’t needed with the snakes, it seemed unfair to exclude him when he had made such a valuable contribution to the case.
Chapter 15
The vicarage’s mellow stone walls basked in the afternoon sunshine. As if to remind viewers of its inhabitant’s calling, the tall windows were set in pointed Gothic arches decorated with carvings that were more modest versions of those at the church that stood not far away. A vigorous soft-pink rose spread its branches between the windows, also scrambling over the roof of the deep entrance porch. The latter was floored with tiles decorated with a fleur-de-lis pattern of faded blue on a yellowish-cream glaze, well-worn by many years of footsteps; the front door was a massive piece of oak.
De Silva tugged on the brass bell pull and heard a jangling sound from inside the house. He waited a few long moments and was wondering whether to ring again when a servant answered the door.
‘I believe Reverend Peters is expecting me.’
The servant nodded. ‘Please come in, sahib. I will let him know you are here.’
The narrow window in the entrance hall didn’t allow much light to penetrate, and with its dark-stained panelling, the space had a gloomy air. Under the window there was a heavy oak table with bulbous legs; on it were a salver for letters and a pretty blue and white jug containing red roses.
He had only been waiting a few moments when Mrs Peters came to greet him. ‘I’m afraid we’ve only just finished lunch,’ she said apologetically. ‘My husband’s appointments ran late this morning. Will you join us for some tea in the garden?’
‘With pleasure, ma’am.’
Mrs Peters turned to the servant who was hovering in the background. ‘Please bring out another cup and a fresh pot of tea.’
Unlike Sunnybank, which was built in the traditional style of colonial bungalows, the vicarage didn’t have a verandah. Instead, there was a stone-flagged terrace. Decorative metal chairs with seat cushions covered in floral cretonne were arranged around a metal table; a large parasol in the same fabric provided shade. More climbing roses covered the rear of the house and roses filled many of the flowerbeds. Others contained oleander, hibiscus, lilies, and in the shadier spots, ferns. Pink, yellow, and cream waterlilies covered the surface of a small pond. The picturesque scene, with its profusion of colours and scents, delighted de Silva. He recalled from a previous visit that beyond the garden, there was a glasshouse where the Reverend Peters kept his prized collection of orchids.
Peters rose from his seat and shook de Silva’s hand. ‘We meet again,’ he said with a smile. ‘I’ve managed to have a word with the bishop’s secretary to explain the situation. He will speak with the bishop and come back to me in the next few days.’
‘Thank you.’
‘A pleasure. Now, what can I do for you?’
The same servant appeared carrying a tray with the tea.
‘Let the inspector drink his tea in peace before you start questioning him, dear,’ said Mrs Peters. ‘Do you take your tea black, Inspector?’
‘I do, thank you, ma’am.’
Her husband pushed his cup across the table. ‘I’ll have another one too.’
‘What a charming garden this is,’ remarked de Silva as he accepted his cup of tea. ‘It must give you a great deal of pleasure.’
‘Indeed it does,’ said Peters. ‘But I believe you are an enthusiast too, and your own garden is a fine one. If you have time, I’d be delighted to show you the orchid house before you go. My Kandyan Dancer is flowering for the first time, and I have an interesting example of a rare monkey orchid that I grew from seed.’
They chatted about plants for a while as small, vividly coloured birds flitted about in the trees, butterflies hovered among the flowers, and iridescent blue and green dragonflies skimmed the pond. When the tea had been drunk, Mrs Peters stood up. ‘Well, I’ll leave you gentlemen to discuss whatever brought the inspector here.’ She rang the little brass bell beside her cup to summon a servant to clear the tea things.
‘Shall we go to my study, Inspector?’ asked Peters. ‘The heat builds up in the afternoons, and I find it cooler and more comfortable there.’
‘Certainly.’
The study was furnished with two windows that were both larger than the one in the hall; consequently, the room was slightly less gloomy, but also much more cluttered. De Silva wondered if Mrs Peters or any of the servants were ever allowed in to tidy it. Bookshelves overflowed, and there were letters and papers on every surface. As in the hall, the walls that were not fitted with shelving were covered with dark panelling, and the built-in wooden seats under the windows were also made of dark wood. Two easy chairs covered in claret-coloured velvet that matched the curtains stood on either side of the fireplace. Reverend Peters was right, the room was pleasantly cool, even though it lacked a ceiling fan. The muted light coming through the windows indicated to de Silva that it faced north. There was a faint aroma of peppermints in the air. De Silva recalled that the vicar was not a smoker, but he was addicted to the pungent sweets.
‘Am I right in thinking that your visit has something to do with the business at the circus?’ he asked.
‘Yes, but before I continue, may I have your assurance that this conversation will go no further?’
‘That’s not a problem. In my line of work, one is accustomed to respecting confidences.’
De Silva smiled. ‘Thank you. I have no conclusive proof as yet, but the fact is, I believe there’s a strong possibility that Alexei Goncharov did not commit suicide.’
Peters frowned. ‘Do you mean he may have been murdered?’
‘Yes.’
‘You need not tell me who your suspects are.’
Nevertheless, Reverend Peters listened carefully while de Silva launched into the story of the jewellery thefts and Kumar’s involvement. ‘What I hope you can tell me,’ he ended, ‘is whether there is a snake so venomous that its bite would immediately paralyse or even kill its victim. There was no sign of a struggle before Alexei’s death, and the only marks on his body, apart from the ones made by the rope, were the two small puncture wounds that Doctor Hebden spotted.’
Peters nodded. ‘I understand. If there is no such snake, it makes your theory hard to credit.’
He stood up, went to one of his bookshelves and took down a thick volume. Leafing through the pages, he found the place he wanted then brought the book over to de Silva and placed it in front of him.
‘I expect you’ll be pleased to know that there is one.’ He smiled. ‘My wife tolerates my fascination with orchids, but she has always been adamant that she will never permit me to have a collection of live snakes. The illustration on the page in front of you is, however, faithful to the very few examples of this particular species that I have, in the past, seen in the wild and also, rather to my surprise, much more recently in the collection of your Mr Kumar. It is called the blue coral.’
De Silva studied the colour plate that showed a snake with a striking electric-blue body and a neon-red head and tail. Despite his aversion to snakes, he had to admit that the creature was extremely beautiful.
‘Why do you say you were
surprised?’ he asked.
‘Because the blue coral is one of the most dangerous snakes in the world. All snake venom kills by slowing down the victim’s vital systems until they drift away into death. All the same, dangerous as a snakebite is, in most cases it requires some time to reach that point, so there is a reasonable chance of administering an antidote where there is one available. In the case of the blue coral, however, the venom sack is about a quarter the length of its body and extremely powerful. It has the effect of making all the nerves fire at once, causing violent convulsions. Paralysis of the whole body is swift and soon followed by death.’
De Silva felt his skin creep. With an effort, he composed himself as the vicar continued, a very non-ecclesiastical note of relish in his voice. ‘In short, the blue coral is a killer’s killer. It seeks its prey amongst other dangerous reptiles, including young king cobras and highly poisonous frogs. As I said, I was surprised to find it in Kumar’s collection. Using it in his show would be dangerous to the point of foolhardiness. But when I asked him why he owned it, he told me it was out of fascination for the species, not with any intention of using it in any of his acts. A fascination I entirely understood.’
If Alexei Goncharov had been attacked by a blue coral, thought de Silva, it would be an understandable mistake to assume that any signs of convulsions on his dead body had been caused by the hanging.
‘How likely would this blue coral be to attack a man?’ he asked.
Peters shrugged. ‘No more likely than most other snakes. In fact, it prefers to avoid humans, but if alarmed, like any snake, it will strike. What makes it so dangerous, of course, is the fact that if it does feel threatened and attacks, its bite is inevitably deadly.’
De Silva imagined the scene: Alexei opening the lid of the basket and reaching in for what he thought would be a tasty lunch, but instead finding something cold and scaly writhing under his fingers; its fangs piercing his skin; the poison flooding into his bloodstream… He shuddered.
[Inspector de Silva 09] - High Wire in Nuala Page 15