Terror Tower (Trevor Lowe Book 5) by Gerald Verner

Author:Gerald Verner [Verner, Gerald]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Media
Published: 2019-06-05T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen – Death Calls Again

Doctor Grendon came in answer to Superintendent Hartley’s telephone message and made a preliminary examination, pending the arrival of the police surgeon from Hythe. It was very brief, for the bullet which had killed North had been aimed with deadly accuracy and had passed right through the heart.

Lowe had been rather interested to meet the local doctor, and was not impressed. Dr. Grendon was stout, inclined to be assertive, and full of his own importance. And yet behind this blustering manner the dramatist thought he detected something that was very nearly akin to fear.

After he had made his examination of the body and had given his verdict, he accepted with alacrity the drink that Jim offered. And as he raised the glass to his lips his well-kept, fattish hand was none too steady. He caught Lowe’s eye watching him and smiled a little dryly.

‘Not used to violent death,’ he said in his oily voice. ‘I’m used to dealing with the opposite in my practice; rather knocked me up.’

It was the obvious explanation of that trembling hand, and in ordinary circumstances Lowe would have accepted it, but he remembered the look in Japper’s eyes when he had at first arrived at the Crossed Hands, and wondered. Everybody in this village seemed to be inwardly afraid. There was an undercurrent of hidden terror that was most extraordinary. What was the cause of it, and from whom did it emanate?

‘I think it would be just as well if you had a look at the dead man’s wife,’ he said; ‘she had an attack of violent hysteria just before you arrived, and although she’s quieter now, I don’t think it would do any harm if she had a draught of something.’

Dr. Grendon set down his empty glass.

‘I’ll go and look at her,’ he said shortly. ‘Where is she?’

‘I took her up to her room,’ said Lowe. ‘Superintendent Hartley had better go with you. He has the key.’

‘Key?’ the doctor looked at him quickly. ‘Did you lock her in?

Lowe nodded.

‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘in the circumstances I thought it was best.’

‘H’m! All right.’ Dr. Grendon picked up his bag and crossed to the door. ‘Come on, then, Superintendent,’ he said.

Hartley joined him and they passed out into the hall.

‘Aren’t you going to move — it?’ said Jim, jerking his head towards the body.

‘They can’t until the police doctor has seen it,’ answered Lowe.

‘I wonder what he would have told us,’ muttered McWraith, ‘if he’d had the chance of speaking?’

‘What the dead man at the cross-roads would have told us,’ said Lowe grimly. ‘They both held the secret of Stonehurst and they both died before they could divulge it. There’s just a chance, though, that Mrs. — er — Gillman may know something. I think from her attitude that she does, but it’s no good attempting to question her until she’s calmer. Then’ — he broke off as there came a startled cry and the thudding of heavy feet on the stairs.

He

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