Death at the Savoy by Ron Base & Prudence Emery

Author:Ron Base & Prudence Emery [Base, Ron & Emery, Prudence]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, Detective, Historical, Fiction, Women, Amateur Sleuth
ISBN: 9781771623223
Publisher: Douglas and McIntyre (2013) Ltd.
Published: 2022-05-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Eight

A-232

As soon as Priscilla got into 205 the following morning—noting that Susie had yet to arrive and was, as usual, late—she telephoned Percy Hoskins. She told him what had happened and what she had learned from her encounter with the Abrahims.

“A-what?” Percy appeared to be having trouble understanding what she was telling him.

“A-232.” She spoke with an authority designed to showcase what little knowledge she had. “According to Aziz Abrahim, Amir’s brother, it’s a deadly nerve agent developed by the KGB—that’s Russian intelligence in case you didn’t know.”

“I know what the KGB is,” Percy said irritably. “Are they saying the Russians poisoned Amir?”

“They don’t think it was Russians,” Priscilla amended.

“Then who?”

“The Abrahims were kind of vague about that. But they did say they want the police to find his killer.”

That gave Percy pause on the other end of the line. “Okay, the Russians didn’t kill Amir, but they might know who did. Is that it?”

“Something like that.” Priscilla’s sense of authority was quickly slipping away.

“Have they gone to the police with what they know?”

“They don’t want to talk to the police,” Priscilla said. “I think that’s why they got me involved.”

“So you can talk to them?”

“Not quite. I tell you, and you can write a story, quoting unnamed sources, and that story will then force a police investigation.”

“That’s why they kidnapped you?”

“Not the only reason. The father wants me to marry Amir’s brother, Aziz.”

More pausing on Percy’s part. “Why would they want you to marry him?”

“Apparently Amir told his family that he had planned to marry me, and they are sworn to fulfill that promise.”

“Did Amir ask you to marry him?”

“No.”

“This doesn’t make any sense.”

“No, it doesn’t. And it may not have been me Amir was talking about when he talked to his family about marrying.”

“You don’t mean he was thinking of marrying Princess Margaret?”

“That’s what crossed my mind. Never mind that she’s already married. But then Aziz didn’t seem to know anything about his brother’s involvement with her.”

“Okay, let me get on this toxic A-232 thing.”

“Can you write a story about it?”

“Definitely. Where did you leave it with the Abrahims?”

“Aziz said he would be in touch.”

“Are you going to marry him?”

Priscilla decided to hold off an immediate answer, anxious to see how he’d react.

“Priscilla.” Was that a touch of concern in Percy’s voice? “Are you going to marry this bloke?”

“He’s very rich, he says, and sort of attractive in an older-man kind of way. Maybe a trifle short for me. If I did marry him, would you be jealous?”

“I would be except you’re going to marry me,” Percy said with the sort of confidence guaranteed to annoy her.

“You’re tall enough, I suppose,” Priscilla ventured, “but you don’t have any money, and you drink too much.”

“However, I am irresistible.”

“No, you’re not. Besides, I’m not going to marry anyone.”

“Ha! That’s what you think.”

“Goodbye, Percy,” Priscilla said, hanging up as the second phone on her desk began to ring.

She took a couple of deep breaths, debating whether to answer it. When she did, she was immediately sorry.

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