Case for Sergeant Beef by Bruce Leo

Author:Bruce, Leo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Published: 1981-08-24T04:00:00+00:00

S.B.—4

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Beef Borrows a Raincoat

I DID not like Flipp from the moment I saw him. A big brutal-looking man, he seemed both overbearing and cunning. I felt that he would have liked to be thoroughly rude to us, but that for some reason he dared not. He ought to have been greased and bloated with that face of his, but there was something oddly deflated about him as though he were a powerful and successful man who had suddenly lost his authority.

His home gave more evidence of prosperity than most of the houses we had visited, and he asked us into a large well-furnished room and offered us sherry.

‘I’ve been expecting you to call on me,’ he admitted. ‘I’ve had the police here a couple of times, so I was prepared for the private detectives as well. And I suppose you’ll ask me all the same questions as they did – where I was that afternoon–’

‘Where were you?’ asked Beef.

‘I thought so,’ said Flipp. ‘I was here. Never left the house.’

‘Do you mean in the house? Or the grounds?’

‘I mean the house. It was a beastly cold day and I sat over a fire with a kettle of hot water, a lemon, and a bottle of whisky to cheer me. Celebrating Christmas on my own.’

‘I see. Yet the postman remembers you just going out.’

I thought that Mr Flipp would fly into a temper. But after a short pause he spoke quite genially.

‘Been checking up on me already, eh? The postman is perfectly correct. He met me at the gate. As a matter of fact I was just going to feed the chickens when I saw him coming and waited. Then I went round to my mixing shed. To that extent I did leave the house.’

‘Do you remember what the postman gave you? What came for you by that post?’

‘Can’t say I do. Nothing of importance, I think. Probably a circular or something.’

‘Not a Christmas card?’

‘Might have been.’

‘You knew this man Shoulter well, I believe?’ asked Beef after a stare at his note-book.

‘We were neighbours in London,’ said Flipp shortly.

Beef attacked his note-book.

‘Where was that, sir?’ he said.

After only a moment’s hesitation Flipp said, ‘I have a large commission agent’s business in Gordon Street, Paddington. I still keep a controlling interest though it is now a limited company. Shoulter occupied the premises next door.’

‘As a private house?’

‘No. He had a small chemist’s shop.’

‘I see,’ said Beef. ‘How long ago was this?’

‘Twelve years. He was only there for a year or so, then he sold the business and went in for professional punting. He was always fond of the horses.’

‘So a friendship which started just by you being neighbours in business has lasted all these years?’

‘Well, I was sorry for Shoulter. And for his sister. I’ve tried to help him on and off. But he was a fellow who would not help himself.’

‘So I’ve gathered. You also knew Mr Chickle, I think?’

‘Not very well. He’s been here once or twice and I’ve met him at Edith Shoulter’s.

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