2 The Affair of the Mutilated Mink

by James Anderson

  'But couldn't she have made more money with one of the bigger studios than with Haggermeir?'

  'Maybe, but she'd turned them all down in the past, you know. And the moguls don't take kindly to rejection. She might have figured she'd get the brush-off if she went back to any of them now. Could be, too, she thought she'd carry more weight with Cyrus than with a Goldwyn or a Zanuck - get her own way easier, have the script adapted to her requirements, and so on.'

  'That couldn't have been a pleasant prospect for you.'

  Rex smiled. 'I think she would have found Cyrus a tougher proposition than she imagined. He's a mighty canny bird, knows exactly what the public wants and gives it to them. I doubt Laura's ideas would have coincided with that. And while he might have liked the idea of the prestige he'd get from signing her, when it came to a choice between kudos with the critics and bucks at the box office he'd choose the latter every time. Which is why I doubted from the start she'd ever appear in this picture, and why I wasn't especially worried. Certainly not worried enough to murder her to prevent it.' He paused. 'Besides, I must be in the clear, anyway.'

  'How do you make that out?'

  'Well, she was killed between five and ten after one, right?'

  'Yes.'

  'And according to what Gerry told us, your theory is that the killer waited in Laura's room until Carter came along, and then the alarm shot was fired. Well, I was talking to Gerry in my sitting-room ten minutes before that shot was heard.'

  Allgood shrugged. 'I may have been wrong about the murderer remaining in the room all the time. It could have been you. Say you couldn't stand the suspense of waiting any longer and crept out to see what was happening. Or perhaps suddenly realised you'd forgotten something — the second gun, say - and hurried back to your room to get it. While you were there Lady Geraldine knocked at your door. That would explain your odd manner when you were talking to her. As soon as she left, you ran silently back to Signorina Lorenzo's room, getting there just a minute or so before Carter left his room a second time and provided you with your fall guy.'

  Rex said, 'Plausible, but completely untrue.'

  'Oh, I'm not accusing you. I'm not accusing anybody - yet. I'm just pointing out that you're not in the clear. Suppose you tell me exactly what you did see and hear?'

  'Hardly anything. When we got home I went straight up to my room and stayed there. I was undressing later when I heard what sounded like a shot. I put on a robe and went outside. That's it.'

  'That was surely over an hour after you first went up. What were you doing in the interim?'

  'Just sitting, smoking. Reading a bit. Oh, and Gerry stopped by briefly.'

  'Ah, yes. Now, can you explain your very odd manner at that time?'

  'You said something about that just now. I don't know what you mean.'

  'Oh, come, Ransom. Lady Geraldine's given me a full account of your conversation. She said you seemed embarrassed, dazed, that your speech was disjointed, and that when she asked if you were all right you laughed hysterically.'

  Aw, that's baloney. Frankly, I was embarrassed at her coming to my room like that, so late.'

  'Really? That embarrassed you, a famous film star? Surely you must be used to girls doing that sort of thing.'

  'Not English aristocrats. This was in her family home, and I was a guest of her father. Don't get me wrong: I don't think for a moment she was trying to snuggle up to me. It was just the look of the thing.'

  'But you had arranged for her to call?'

  'Yeah, but much earlier, immediately we got home. And it wasn't all that important.'

  'It was about Arlington Gilbert, I believe?'

  'I was just going to advise her not to take his ill manners too seriously, that he's a decent enough guy at heart.'

  'But you told her he'd been prowling about your room.'

  'Gilbert? No. Oh, wait a minute. What I think I did say was that he'd been scowling about my room: i.e., that it was a bigger and more central one than his. Presumably she misheard me.'

  'Presumably. But you can imagine why she thought it was important to talk to you.'

  'Yeah, of course. But I didn't realise that. I was just mighty anxious to get rid of her in case somebody saw her and got the wrong impression. I did laugh, because it suddenly struck me as funny: the idea of me trying to give the bum's rush to an attractive chick.'

  Allgood asked him a few more questions, similar to those he had put to all the others, then said, 'Right, thank you, Ransom.'

  'That's it?'

  'Yes, you can go.'

  'Thanks.' Rex got up and walked to the door.

  Allgood said, 'Oh, by the way, Ransom.'

  He stopped and turned. 'Yes?'

  'You've starred in thirty-five pictures, the first being The Rapier .and the most recent Prince of Baghdad. Your most successful was The Fifth Musketeer, co-starring Maureen Garland. My personal favourite, however, was Swordsman of Sherwood, directed by Larry Main, which also starred Veronica O'Brien, and for which the cinematographer, Herb Nelson, won an Oscar. Ask Gilbert to come in, please.'

  Arlington Gilbert lounged into the room, a pipe in his mouth and his hands in his pockets. Superficially he looked relaxed, but whereas with Sebastian Everard this had seemed genuine, in Gilbert's case it looked definitely forced.

  Allgood said, 'Ah, sit down, Gilbert.'

  'I intend to.' He plumped himself down and gazed around.

  'May I have your full name?'

  'You'll find it at Somerset House, with all the other birth certificates, which will also give you my age. If you wish, that is, to waste your time on such irrelevancies.'

  'I agree they are irrelevancies, but they help to put people at their ease.'

  'I am always at my ease.'

  'How fortunate. Where were you when the murder was committed?'

  'I can't say. I don't know when the murder was committed.'

  'Between five and ten past one.'

  'At that time I was in my room.'

  'In bed?'

  'No.' He was silent.

  'This isn't a film script, Gilbert. I suggest you stop trying to be funny.'

  'Trying to be funny? Do you really think if I was trying to be funny I couldn't do better than that?'

  'If you weren't in bed, where were you?'

  'In the armchair.'

  'Doing what?'

  'Just about dropping off to sleep.'

  'You were asleep in the chair?'

  'Oh, well done, sir!'

  'May I ask why?'

  'You may.' Again he was silent, waiting.

  Allgood breathed hard. 'Why?'

  'Because I was a bit tipsy when we got home. Haggermeir took me to my room. When we got inside the whole place was swaying. I decided to sit down in the chair for a few minutes to get my bearings before undressing. That's all I remember before the shot woke me. Couldn't think what it was for a few seconds. Staggered across to the door, found I'd left it open a couple of inches, went outside, heard a bit of commotion, went along to see what was happening — last one on the scene, I think.'

  'Apparently not. Miss Dove says she followed you.'

  'Oh, did she? I didn't see her. Of course, I was unaware of her existence, then. Everybody I knew was there before me.'

  'Of course, she didn't follow you all the way from your room. When she first saw you, you were already in the corridor.'

  Gilbert shrugged. 'So?'

  'So there's no witness to the fact that you were actually in your room when the shot was fired.'

  'What of it? Have the others got witnesses?'

  'No, but they were nearly all in their night attire. You were still fully dressed.'

  'So was Quartus. And Carter, of course.'

  'Yes, but they'd got in only twenty minutes before. You'd been in your room well over an hour.'

  'I've explained that.'

  'You were "tipsy", or so you claim. But Lord Burford said he was surprised by your condition when you arrived home. You di
dn't appear to drink all that much at the party, and you didn't seem tight at all.'

  'It hit me when I went out into the cold night air.'

  'But it passed off again quite quickly, apparently.'

  'When I'd had an hour's sleep. Look, what precisely are you driving at?'

  'Just this: a couple of minutes passed from the time Miss Dove heard the shot to the time she saw you. You could have murdered Laura Lorenzo, shoved Carter in the back, fired that shot, slipped down the stairs at the end of the corridor, and gone back up by the main staircase within a minute or so.'

  'You buffoon,' Gilbert said distinctly.

  'Now, wait a moment—'

  'No, you wait. Do you honestly think that I, Arlington Gilbert, spent Friday night running about the corridors of this house, pushing people in the back, firing guns, committing murder? You're out of your mind.'

  'Like it or not, Gilbert, you are a suspect.'

  'Balderdash. I refuse point-blank to be a suspect. The idea is ludicrous. Why on earth should I shoot the woman? She was a virtual stranger to me.'

  'Yet on Friday morning you had quite a long private conversation with her. According to Lady Geraldine, Signorina Lorenzo seemed very keen to speak to you alone.'

  'Well, naturally. I'm a famous writer. She was hoping to play in one of my films. In those circumstances actresses are always all over one.'

  'What did she specifically want?'

  'For me to adapt the script so there would be a good part in it for her. Apparently Haggermeir had said I wouldn't be willing.'

  'And were you?'

  'Perfectly willing to consider it. I don't consider my work sacrosanct. I just won't have it butchered by fifth-rate hacks.'

  'And is that all you talked about?'

  'All? If you mean was that the sole subject of our conversation, the answer is yes. Now listen, Allgood. I'm not prepared to talk about my own movements and conversations any longer. I have given you a clear and truthful statement, which is all I am obligated to do. I came in here to offer you my assistance in solving this case. Do you want it or not?'

  'What sort of assistance?'

  'I know who committed the murder.'

  'Who?'

  'Lady Geraldine.'

  Allgood showed no surprise. 'Really? You have evidence of that?'

  'Not exactly. But the girl is a psychopathic schizophrenic.'

  'Is she indeed? That's as may be. However, as it happens, we know she didn't commit this particular murder.'

  Gilbert stood up. 'If that's your attitude, I refuse to stay in this room another minute. And I will answer no more questions. You, sir, are a pompous, incompetent ignoramus. Good day.'

  Gilbert stalked from the room.

  Allgood sat quite still. Then from Sergeant Leather's corner he heard a strange muffled, grunting sound. Allgood looked towards it suspiciously. But Leather's head was bent low over his notebook and though there seemed to be some kind of odd movement of his shoulders, the sound had now stopped.

  Allgood realised he hadn't asked Gilbert for an explanation of his nocturnal visit to the Earl's study. But that would keep.

  'George,' said the Countess, 'I'm worried about Geraldine.'

  'Are you, Lavinia? She looks fit enough to me.'

  'I don't mean that.' She lowered her voice. 'There's a murderer in this house, George.'

  'There's always a murderer in this house, if you ask me.'

  'Don't be flippant, George. Geraldine could be in danger.'

  'How do you make that out?'

  'Suppose this murderer is a maniac, a man who kills young women?'

  'Don't think that's very likely. Men like that don't usually shoot their victims.'

  'Perhaps they don't usually have access to guns. You have to admit it is possible. I must confess the danger hadn't occurred to me until she told me Paul insisted she lock her door last night. So he must think there's a risk. I think we should get her out of the house as soon as we can.'

  'But the whole business may be cleared up tomorrow.'

  'May is the operative word, George. Personally, I don't think the police have the first idea who did it. It could drag on for a week or more yet. And I don't suppose they'll want the suspects to leave here until it's all over. I'd be much happier if Geraldine wasn't here.'

  'Hm.' Lord Burford rubbed his chin. 'Maybe you're right, Lavinia. But she's not the only young woman in the house, remember.'

  'I've spoken to Merryweather about the maids. I told him that if any of them wants to go home to her family until this affair is over she may do so, and that those who decide to remain should stay together as much as possible, do their work in pairs, and lock their doors at night. I don't think I can do more than that.'

  'What about the little Dove?'

  'Well, she's a free agent. She can leave any time she wishes, as far as I'm concerned. But that's a matter between her and the police. Whether they still consider her a suspect I don't know, but I cannot imagine they believe a woman did it. Either way, however, they have accepted Geraldine's alibi, and she's given them all the information she can. So I cannot see they can have any objection to her going away.'

  The Earl looked dubious. 'Maybe not, but that doesn't mean she won't have an objection.'

  I want you to persuade her.'

  'Oh, Lavinia, you know I can never persuade Gerry to do anything she doesn't want to. I could order her out of the house, I suppose, but it seems pretty drastic.'

  'Maybe I could persuade her, sir.'

  They turned. It was Paul, who had approached them without their hearing. He said, 'I'm sorry, I couldn't help overhearing the last part of your conversation. You'd like Gerry to go away?'

  The Countess nodded.

  'I think that's a very good idea,' he said.

  'Why do you think you could persuade her, Paul?' Lady Burford asked.

  'Well, I'm in the same position as she is with reference to the police. They've told me they've finished with me, and frankly I've been through quite a lot the last couple of days. I'd rather like to get away for a bit now. If I tell Gerry that, she might be willing to come away somewhere with me for a short while.'

  He went a little red. 'Of course, I know in normal circumstances you wouldn't countenance her going off alone with a fellow, but naturally I'd take great care to see that the situation couldn't be misconstrued. I'm terribly fond of Gerry, and I wouldn't do - do . . .' He tailed off.

  The ghost of a smile touched Lady Burford's lips. 'I'm quite well aware that you want to marry her, Paul.' His eyes widened. She went on, 'Also, that until this weekend it was very much a toss-up between yourself and Hugh. Now, however, I'd say you've got the field to yourself. It's remarkable what a little adversity can do for a young man's chances.'

  He said, 'I say, Lady Burford, I'd really no idea that you - I mean . . .'

  'Normally, although I trust her implicitly, I would, as you say discourage any plan of hers to go away alone with a young man. But the situation is not normal, and I do want her out of the house. I'm quite sure she'd refuse to go to one of her relatives, but an invitation from you might be a different matter. So if you can persuade her, I would consider it a personal favour.'

  Paul's face lit up. 'I'll speak to her now.'

  'I fancy you'll be unlucky,' the Earl said. 'She'll want to see this thing through to the end. Try, though, by all means.'

  * * *

  'Now, Mr Haggermeir,' Allgood said, 'you presumably know more about Signorina Lorenzo than anybody else here.'

  'I doubt it.'

  'But you had several long conversations with her.'

  'Sure, but only about the picture, her contract, and so on.'

  'You didn't touch on her personal life at all?'

  'Nope. Never let an actor or actress start on their personal life or you get tied up for hours.'

  'It must have been a blow to you when she died, though, all your plans being dashed?'

  'Not so you'd notice. I was already figuring th
e broad was gonna be more trouble than she was worth. She was aiming to squeeze every cent she could out of me, for giving me the privilege of employing her! She figured on getting her own way with the script, not to mention billing, publicity, the whole caboodle.'

  'You say she gave the impression she was doing you a favour by signing with you. Yet she came from London especially to see you. And I understand you didn't send that telegram yourself.'

  'I sure didn't. She sent it, or had someone send it for her.'

  'But why?'

  'So she could come and talk turkey without seeming to be offering herself, make it look like she thought I'd made the first move.'

  'Which would indicate that she was in fact eager to work for you. Again, why? If she was so much in demand, she didn't need to resort to such subterfuge.'

  Haggermeir shrugged his beefy shoulders, 'I was available, and in England the same time as her. She'd said nix to most of the other studios in the past. I guess she figured that I'd be so hot to sign her I'd be a pushover when it came to the contract.'

  'And you weren't?'

  'Listen, pal, Cyrus S. Haggermeir wasn't born yesterday. No one hustles me into giving a contract I don't like. If Garbo herself was available I'd only sign her up on my terms.'

  'You were eager to sign Laura up, though, at first.'

  'Sure, tickled pink. At first. Then I got to thinking perhaps it wasn't such a lulu of an idea, after all. Oh, I hadn't turned her down. We were still talking. But there'd been no firm agreement, even a verbal one. Don't get to thinking the chick had gotten me tied into something I couldn't get out of without bumping her off.'

  'Then why do you think she was killed?'

  'When a good-looking dame gets croaked, ninety per cent of the time it's sex.'

  'A crime of passion? It has none of the signs of that.'

  'Well, you're the cop.'

  'Then let me begin talking like one. Your movements on the night of the murder, please.'

  'Got in about one, took Gilbert upstairs and left him at the door of his room. Went to my own room. In bed by about one-fifteen. Couldn't sleep. Read for a bit. Just dropping off and heard the shot. Went outside and saw the Earl and Countess hurrying towards the east wing. Followed them.'