Murder by the Book by Lockridge Frances & Lockridge Richard

Author:Lockridge, Frances & Lockridge, Richard [Lockridge, Frances & Lockridge, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery
ISBN: 9781560542223
Goodreads: 2331617
Publisher: Thorndike Press
Published: 1963-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

10

PAM SAID, “Let’s have a nightcap,” and Jerry looked at her in some surprise. The Norths are not nightcappers. “I,” Pam said, “am all keyed up.”

“You ought,” .Jerry said, “to be sleepy. You’ve been up since the crack—”

He stopped with that, very suddenly. There was no point in reminding Pamela what she had been up since. He said, “Sure. We can both do with one,” and they went through the dining room—in which one couple and several waiters lingered; in which a waitress assiduously filled with water the already three-fourths full glasses of the two people who were keeping everybody up. They went down the short flight of stairs into the Penguin lounge, which was a quarter filled. Jerry, somewhat resolutely, did not look at the pictured penguins. They found a table, with their backs to penguins.

Dr. Upton was at the bar, with his back to them—at the bar alone, each line of his body speaking of his aloneness. He wore the dark suit which, almost as much as the attitude of his body, set him apart from the rest—from the men in white jackets and red jackets and, in some cases, lamentably plaid jackets. His fingers curved around a tall glass, but it seemed to Pam North that he had forgotten the glass. Why does he stay here? Pam thought. Surely they have done by now what—what has to be done. Surely there is nothing here for him to wait for.

“Creme de menthe frappe,” Pam said, on being asked. “Gin mist,” Jerry said and the waiter blinked. “Gin mist,” Jerry repeated, more firmly.

Mrs. Rebecca Payne, in a dark linen suit, stood at the head of the steps leading down to the lounge and looked around. Her black hair had been straight the day before; it curled now—imprudently curled, almost gayly curled. That and something—of course, Pam thought Lipstick—applied with care—had changed the dark girl. “For heaven’s sake,” Pam said softly, for Jerry’s nearer ear. “Mrs. Payne,” she said, her voice not too much raised, but raised enough.

Rebecca Payne looked toward them. Pam beckoned. The dark girl hesitated; then she smiled; then she came down the few steps and across the room toward them. Jerry stood up.

“You’re sure I won’t be…” Rebecca Payne said and Jerry, sounding a little hearty to himself, said, “Of course we’re sure,” and pulled the table from the wall. The dark girl sat beside Pam, and Jerry sat opposite. He wasn’t at all sure. He wondered what Pam was up to. Lame dog over stile? Only now the “dog” didn’t seem quite so -

“Had to get out of the maid’s way,” Rebecca Payne said. “I’ll have one of those,” she said, to the waiter, and pointed toward Pam’s glass. “It’s aggravating. The whole day to do it in, and my room not touched. Bed not made. No towels. Nothing. And dust all over everything.”

“Some sort of slip-up, probably,” Pam said. “Something happened to one of the maids and…” She let it trail off.

“I suppose that was all,” Rebecca Payne said.

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