Venom House by Arthur Upfield

Author:Arthur Upfield [Upfield, Arthur]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Police Procedural
ISBN: 9780020259015
Publisher: Pan Books
Published: 1974-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

The Lamp and the Rope

THERE WAS NOTHING sinister in the voice, no wild emotion on the bearded face, no cunning triumph blazing in the dark eyes. He had but stated a fact, the importance of which was burned from his mind by the suspended lamp swung low above the foot of the stairs. The people to whom he had waved were forgotten. He stood with his hand pressed against his side, head back, gazing at the lamp.

“What a beauty!” he exclaimed.

Janet Answerth slipped past Bony and took his arm in her two hands. Her voice was gentle, her words urgent. Submerged in voice and words was steel.

“Morris! You oughtn’t to have come down in pyjamas and dressing-gown. Can’t you see we have guests? This will never do. Come along at once. Back to your rooms, please.”

She pushed him almost off balance before he was aware of her. He saw Mrs Leeper stepping forward, and he frowned. Janet shook her head, and Mrs Leeper stopped.

“Come, Morris, at once, please.”

Her arm imprisoned his against her side. She whispered something they could not hear, and he said:

“You will, Janet? Oh, thank you.”

Together they went up the stairs, and it seemed that the shadows came down to take them into their darkness. Nothing was said. Dr Lofty frowned into his coffee cup. Mawson stood rigidly, regarding Bony, waiting. Blaze struck a match and lit his pipe, and Mrs Leeper sat down. Presently Janet came down the stairs.

“I don’t understand it, Inspector,” she said. “I am certain I snapped the padlock to his door-bolt and put the key on the nail.”

“When was that?” he questioned, and, regarding him with wide eyes, she replied:

“Shortly after ten o’clock this evening. I’d been up with his supper tray and made sure he was comfy in bed for the night. I remember quite clearly bringing out his tray and the lamp and placing both on the passage floor so that I could bolt his door. Then I hung the key on the nail, and took up the tray and the lamp and came downstairs.”

“Where is the key now?”

“On its nail.”

“Where was it when you took Morris up?”

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