Plain Sailing by Clark Douglas

Author:Clark, Douglas
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Media
Published: 2019-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Masters was thoughtful as he drove the big Rover back to Stanhope. Green, recognizing the signs, said nothing except to give the occasional direction from the map he was reading. Masters accepted—and obeyed—these instructions in silence. Green, sitting in what, for him, was the unaccustomed front seat, made sure the belt was at its tightest by frequent tests of the tension, and smoked cigarette after cigarette in his effort to subdue the paranoic fear he always had when in a car, but particularly when sitting in any place other than at the nearside rear. Reading the map helped, too. Masters didn’t need the instructions given, but maps were one of Green’s great loves. He would pore over them out of sheer enjoyment and he could interpret them skilfully. For this reason, and the fact that such an activity helped to occupy Green’s mind and so lessened his fear of heavy traffic, Masters made no objections to the unnecessary instructions that interrupted his flow of thought. It was only after they had climbed the hill outside Crook and were heading towards Wolsingham and Green said, “Just a few miles now, George. Straight on as you go”, that Masters murmured his thanks for the help given. The traffic had now lessened considerably and Green closed the atlas.

“Let’s have it, then, chum.”

“My thoughts?”

“What else? You’ve been as quiet as a clam with toothache ever since we got into this barouche. Did Alf Pedder say something you didn’t like?”

Masters grinned. “No, in fact he was strangely docile and co-operative.”

“Co-operative? What about? He’s the sleeping partner in this firm. What is there for him to co-operate about?”

The road ahead was almost clear. Just one distant car approaching them. Masters lowered the visor against the now lowering sun before replying.

“Has it occurred to you, Bill, that there is one person who could be an important witness whom we haven’t seen, or even mentioned as yet?”

“One?” snorted Green. “There are scads of them. There’s the American quack for one. His daughter for another. The rescue people who brought the lad ashore. The crews of the dinghies closest to Spearhead in the race. And quite a few more I could mention, if you want me to.”

“We’ve only been on the job for about twenty-four hours from first mention,” complained Masters mildly.

“I know that.” Green lit another cigarette. “But you did ask. If you don’t want me to list our shortcomings, you should be a bit more specific with your questions.”

This time Masters laughed.

“Go on,” grunted Green. “Who is it?”

“Jimmy Cleveland’s girlfriend, Janet.”

“She wasn’t even up here, so how can she be involved?”

“Directly? Not at all, one would suppose, but I’ve got a feeling we ought to talk to her. To her, rather than to Matt, I mean.”

Green considered this point for a moment. “To get to know young Jimmy’s state of mind in the past few weeks? I don’t see how that can be significant if we’re satisfied he didn’t commit suicide. I know the girl would

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