Murder Takes a Turn by Eric Brown

Author:Eric Brown [Eric Brown]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Published: 2018-01-28T16:00:00+00:00

FIFTEEN

They approached Connaught’s study and Royce pointed to the open door. ‘In there,’ he said needlessly.

Langham stepped inside and looked around. What he expected to see, and didn’t, was Denbigh Connaught, and his absence seemed to fill the room.

Langham turned to Royce. ‘I don’t see …’

Wilson Royce was sitting on the step, holding his head in his hands. He almost moaned, ‘Behind the piano.’

Then Langham did see Connaught, or rather saw his head, and he wondered how he’d managed to miss it initially.

The novelist lay on his side in the narrow space between the piano and the wall. Something was caught around the man’s neck – a thin wire terminating in two loops, where presumably the killer had gripped the wire with such ferocity that Connaught’s throat appeared to be sliced through to the spine. His face was horribly white, drained of the life blood which had spilled across the polished parquet in a great crimson slick as if a paint pot had been overturned.

‘I say,’ Charles called from outside, ‘what is it, my boy?’

Langham returned to the entrance. Beside Charles, Maria had her fingertips pressed to her lips, her eyes wide. The colonel frowned, clutching his drink. Pandora Jade was frowning at Royce, who still sat on the step with his head in his hands.

‘I’m afraid Connaught is dead,’ Langham said. ‘Royce, back to the house quick-smart and ring the police, would you?’

Wilson Royce remained frozen on the step, as if deaf to Langham’s command.

Maria said, ‘I’ll go.’ She turned and hurried back across the lawn.

‘I think the rest of you should return to the drawing room,’ Langham said. ‘The police will be here shortly and they won’t want people milling around.’

‘Dead?’ Pandora said, staring at him. ‘What happened, Langham?’

‘Heart attack, I shouldn’t wonder,’ Colonel Haxby opined. ‘The old boy did like the good life, and he could put it away with the best of us.’ Suiting action to the words, he drained his glass.

Pandora said, ‘But why should the police be called if—’

Charles interrupted, ‘I think we should heed Donald’s suggestion and repair to the house.’ He shepherded Pandora and the colonel away from the study.

Pandora stood firm. ‘Just how did he die, Langham?’

Royce looked up at her. ‘Connaught was murdered,’ he said.

‘What?’ Pandora exclaimed with horror.

‘If you’d all kindly return to the house …’ Langham suggested.

This time Pandora allowed herself to be led away as if in a daze.

‘Good God!’ the colonel declared, clutching Charles’s arm as they moved off. ‘I never cared for the fellow, but murdered?’

Langham checked his wristwatch, then looked down at Wilson Royce. ‘Was the study door locked when you came to summon Connaught – what? – five or six minutes ago?’

‘Of course,’ Royce said. ‘He always keeps it locked. I knocked a few times and called his name. When there was no reply … It’s most unlike him not to respond – that is, on the few occasions I’ve had to summon him.’

‘So when there was no reply, you unlocked the door?’

‘That’s right.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.