Crossed Skis: An Alpine Mystery (British Library Crime Classics Book 78) by Carol Carnac

Author:Carol Carnac [Carnac, Carol]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Innsbruck, après ski, slopes, ski holiday, hiking, Salzburg, cabin holiday, chalet holiday
Publisher: British Library Publishing
Published: 2020-04-10T05:00:00+00:00

2

Lancing paused in his narrative and took one of Rivers’ cigarettes.

“Thank you, sir. Well, I didn’t get going at Victoria until after six, by which time the bloke I wanted had heard the hooter and gone home. As you probably know yourself, British Railways, in their paternal benevolence, give preferential treatment to parties of people who travel abroad together, particularly ski-ing parties.”

“Yes. I did know that,” said Rivers. “If the party consists of a given number—fifteen, isn’t it?—a rebate is granted sufficient for one free ticket if desired, but the party must travel together—en bloc—to satisfy the conditions.”

Lancing nodded. “And the party is traceable, because one person generally makes himself responsible for arrangements and payment and so forth.”

“That’s why I came to when you mentioned a party,” said Rivers. “It looked a much better proposition to locate a party than a single skier.”

“It was the largest grain of comfort I derived in the whole sodden perishing day,” said Lancing. “It’s funny, on the few occasions when I’ve been lucky enough to go abroad, I’ve regarded Victoria Station as the gates of paradise. Today, it was as the gates of Avernus: hell, but a cold hell. Cripes, what a climate this one is!”

“Cheer up. There’s quite a prospect we may both get out of it for a few days,” said Rivers. “So you’d better see to it that your passport is in order.”

Lancing’s grin extended from ear to ear, his good white teeth flashing in his dark face. “Would the department run to skis, sir? I reckon I’ve earned them today.”

“Depends how good you are—at ski-ing,” said Rivers. “Incidentally, how good are you?”

“I’ve seen worse,” said Lancing: and then added modestly, “I’ve also seen better. But I’m off the leading strings. At least I can stop when the driving-test bloke says ‘stop’, which is more than I could my first year. I could go like hell, but an emergency stop was simply beyond me. My own theory is…”

“Say if we get back to the matter in hand,” said Rivers firmly. “I gather you spent another two hours at the mouth of Avernus, or in your cold hell, being Victoria Station, continental side, on a January evening. What did you do there?”

“Yes, sir,” said Lancing submissively. “I talked to porters and ticket inspectors and platform inspectors: I talked to the ‘baggage enregistré’, ‘bagaglio spedito in transito’ blokes, and to anybody else who was fool enough to stand about on platforms to be talked to. A ski-ing party did leave by the one o’clock boat train on New Year’s Day. To be really truthful, several parties did, but I expect we could sort them out a bit when we get on to the bloke who booked them. Anyway, the probability is that they went direct to Basle.” Again Lancing chuckled. “Do you think the department will give us a roving permit, sir? Inspect ski-ing resorts from Zürich to St. Anton? I reckon they won’t have gone farther than that. Austria’s cheaper than Switzerland,

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