05 - Vintage Murder by Ngaio Marsh

Author:Ngaio Marsh [Ngaio Marsh]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-01-23T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

Miss Gaynes Goes Up-Stage

Now, Miss Gaynes," said Alleyn patiently, "it's a very simple question. Why not let us have the answer to it?"

Valerie Gaynes lay back in the office arm-chair and stared at him like a frightened kitten. At the beginning of the interview she had been in good histrionic form and, it seemed to Alleyn, thoroughly enjoying herself. She had accounted for her whereabouts during the two crucial periods, she had taken the tiki in her stride, with many exclamations as to it's ill-omened significance, she had discoursed at large on the subject of her own temperament, and she had made use of every conceivable piece of theatrical jargon that she could haul into the conversation in order to show them how professional she was. Alleyn had found all this inexpressibly tedious and quite barren of useful information, but he had listened with an air of polite interest, chosen his moment, and put the question that had so greatly disconcerted her:

"What did you and Mr. Liversidge talk about before you left the stage after the final curtain?"

He could have sworn that under her make-up she turned white. Her enormous brown eyes blinked twice exactly as though he had offered to hit her. Her small red mouth opened and literally her whole body shrank back into the chair. Even after he had spoken again, she made no attempt to answer him, but lay there gaping at him.

"Come along," said Alleyn.

When she did at last muster up her voice it was almost comically changed.

"Why--nothing in particular," said Miss Gaynes.

"May we just hear what it was?"

She moistened her lips.

"Didn't Frankie tell you? What did he say?"

"That's the sort of question we particularly never ask a policeman," said Alleyn. "I want you to tell me."

"But--it was just about poor Mr. Meyer--nothing else."

"Nothing else?"

"I tell you I don't remember. It was nothing."

"It wasn't something very private and personal-- between you and Mr. Liversidge?"

"No. Of course not. We haven't anything--like that--to say."

"Funny!" said Alleyn. "Mr. Liversidge told us you had."

Miss Gaynes burst into tears.

"Look here," said Alleyn after a pause, "I'm going to give you a very hackneyed bit of advice, Miss Gaynes. It's extremely good advice and you may land yourself in a very uncomfortable position if you don't take it. Here it is. Don't lie to the police when there's a murder charge brewing. Nobody else can make things quite as awkward for you as they can. Nobody. If you don't want to answer my question you can refuse to do so. But don't lie."

"I--I'm frightened."

"Would you rather refuse to give us your answer?"

"But if I do that you'll think--you'll suspect--terrible things."

"We shall merely note that you declined--"

"No. No. What are you thinking! You're suspecting me! I wish I was out of it all. I wish I'd never told him. I wish I'd never met him. I don't know what to do."

"What do you wish you'd never told him?"

"That I knew--who it was."

Wade uttered a sort of strangled grunt. Cass looked up from his notes and opened his mouth.

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