Dead Men Don't Ski by Patricia Moyes

Author:Patricia Moyes
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Mystery, Mystery & Detective - General, Police, Fiction / General, Mystery/Suspense, Police spouses, Married people, Contemporary, Emmy (Fictitious character), Modern fiction, Fiction - Mystery/ Detective, Henry (Fictitious cha, Adult, Emmy (Fictitious char, Henry (Fictitious character), Tibbett, Mystery & Detective - Traditional British, Fiction
ISBN: 9781601870605
Publisher: Rue Morgue Press
Published: 1959-01-01T06:00:00+00:00

"Highly unlikely, in my opinion," said Spezzi, a trifle grimly. "Go on."

Henry consulted his diary again. "Colonel Arthur Buckfast, Royal Wessex Regiment, retired eight years ago. Member of the Army Ski Team from 1933 to '39. Hobbies, skiing and philately. Married in 1921, Rosamund Handford-Bell, daughter of the late General Sir Robert Handford-Bell. Since the Colonel's retirement, the Buckfasts have lived in a small house in Bayswater "

"Where is this, please?" Spezzi asked.

"Just where you'd expect them to live," said Henry, with a grin. "Respectable residential quarter of London, neither very smart nor very expensive. Both the Buckfasts considered to be pillars of society. Just goes to show you never can tell."

"Indeed you can't," said Spezzi, rather sadly.

"Who's next? The Whittaker girl—we know about her. Jimmy Passendell, youngest son of Lord Raven, member of Lloyds, plenty of money and generally popular. A very old friend of the Whittakers. Incidentally, rumour has it that old Whittaker only agreed to this holiday on condition jimmy came along to keep an eye on Caro." He closed his diary. "That's the lot. Nothing very sensational. Any news from Rome?"

"Not yet. I expect to hear to-morrow." Spezzi glanced quizzically at Henry. "Well, what's your opinion?"

"I've got what I think is a pretty good idea," said Henry, slowly. "But it'll need a lot more working out before I can prove anything, so I'll keep it to myself for the moment, if you don't mind. And you? Still got your money on Gerda?"

"I wish," said Spezzi, "that I could think of a good reason why it should not have been her. I ... I pity the girl. But there it is."

"How do you suggest she got hold of the gun?" Henry asked. "You know, I have a hunch she meant it when she said she didn't know it existed."

"She could have taken it just as easily as anyone else," said Spezzi, mournfully. "Didn't Mr. Passendell tell us it was left out on the table for all to see the night before the murder?"

"If Gerda—or anyone else—stole the gun that evening," said Henry, "doesn't it strike you as odd that Hauser was apparently quite unconcerned about it, and made no attempt to get it back?"

"He had no right to carry a gun. He would not have dared to complain."

"Not to the police, of course. But I can't help feeling that..."

"You are sentimental, dear Enrico," said Spezzi. "You are trying to find loopholes for the girl. I sympathise, but I cannot let emotion rule me. I am a policeman."

"So am I," said Henry, slightly stung. "All right. Go ahead. Arrest her if you like. I'm sure the Baron would be delighted."

Spezzi looked stern. "I confidently expect to make an arrest within a day or two," he said.

"Well, bully for you," said Henry, in English. Then, in Italian, he added, "I'm off now. I want a few words with Signor Rossati."

He was not destined to have them until later, however. Hardly had he closed the door of Spezzi's bedroom behind him, than a door across the corridor opened a crack, and Maria-Pia peeped nervously out.

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