Naked to the Grave by Harry Carmichael

Author:Harry Carmichael
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 1972-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter VIII

The gaming room of the Armada Casino was ornately appointed—gilt chandeliers and gilt-framed mirrors, a crimson-and-gold décor enhancing the green baize of the tables. Golden men-of-war, frigates and galleons were woven into the carpets and hangings. The farthest part of the long spacious room was railed off as a restaurant on a split-level section of the main floor.

It was almost five o’clock when Piper arrived. Someone told him he would find Mr Tew in his office.

‘… It’s over there on the right. Says MANAGER on the door.’

Tew’s office was barely large enough to accommodate a massive safe, two desks, a filing cabinet and several chairs. It had no window and an extraction fan provided the only ventilation. A single light had been switched on over the desk where Tew was working.

He had a craggy face, deep-set eyes, a nose that looked as though at one time it had been broken. By contrast his smile was pleasant and he had the voice of a man of education.

Piper introduced himself and explained that he was acting for Mr Julian Davey. ‘… I suppose you’ve heard what happened to his wife?’

In a tone that carefully enunciated each word, Tew said, ‘Someone told me about it over the week-end. Nasty business.’

With scarcely a pause, he asked, ‘Why should Mr Davey require your services?’

‘Because of the allegation that his wife had a lover. Unless and until the police find out who killed her, he’ll be in a rather embarrassing situation.’

‘Embarrassing—’ Tew’s rugged face was almost naive—‘can have several meanings.’

‘I mean he could have learned of his wife’s relationship with this other man.’

‘Possibly. But I am sure that is not all you mean.’

‘Frankly, no. Davey is afraid people will believe he had a motive for the murder of his wife.’

Tew said, ‘I’ll say this much for you, Mr Piper. You are certainly blunt.’

‘It would serve no purpose to be otherwise,’ Piper said. ‘I can’t expect your help if I go beating about the bush.’

‘That’s what puzzles me. How can I help you?’

‘By talking about Mrs Pauline Davey and the people she associated with when she visited your casino.’

‘Unfortunately—’ there was a hint of apology in Tew’s rounded voice—‘I make it a practice never to discuss our members or their guests.’

Piper said, ‘I can well appreciate that … but it shouldn’t stand in your way. Whatever you tell me won’t do Mrs Davey any harm now she’s dead.’

‘But I don’t know anything about her private life. And that’s obviously what you’re interested in. She was just someone who played the wheel same as perhaps a thousand other people.’

‘There was one difference in her case,’ Piper said. ‘Friday night she left here very late. Saturday afternoon she got stabbed to death. Wouldn’t you say that entitles you to break your normal practice?’

With his chin in his hand Tew pondered for a while. Then he said, ‘I think my best course will be to play it by ear and see how we get on. At the moment I

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