Murder on Ice: A Colonel Bainbridge Mystery by Evelyn James

Author:Evelyn James [James, Evelyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Raven Publications
Published: 2023-01-23T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Bainbridge was just onto his favourite dinner story about the Indian elephant that consumed wine from the British army barracks and went on a drunken rampage through the local market, when Svankisof burst into the room. Bainbridge was disappointed, because the story was always very popular and made people remark on his abilities to spin a good yarn.

“Mr Svankisof, what is the meaning of this?” Mr Tuttle jumped to his feet looking both alarmed and angered by the impolite interruption.

“I must bring Colonel Bainbridge at once,” the Russian blurted out, though with enough sense not to simply yell that Zugel was dead. “Miss Bovington commands it.”

“Oh dear,” Bainbridge said, standing up as well and looking with some regret at his only half-eaten pudding. “I best go. If she has summoned me, it must be important.”

“Will this be about Herr Zugel?” Tuttle asked him quietly, his eyes darkening with anxiety.

“It could be,” Bainbridge said. “Or perhaps she has some other news concerning the incidents from yesterday. Thank you for dinner gentlemen, but I must unfortunately depart early.”

The judges unanimously murmured their disappointment that he was leaving so soon, as Bainbridge headed to the door. Svankisof was only too keen to usher him out into the corridor and close the door behind them. He started to walk off with his broad striding gait which rapidly left Bainbridge behind. Bainbridge cleared his throat to alert the Russian to this inconvenience.

Svankisof turned back and tried to tailor his stride to Bainbridge’s more sedate motion. It was clear this taxed the Russian’s already weakened patience.

“What has occurred?” Bainbridge asked, as much because he was curious as because he wished to distract the man from their slow pace. Bainbridge did sometimes recognise that his ability to take life at his own personal speed could be somewhat annoying to others.

“Herr Zugel has suffered an accident,” Svankisof said, still not prepared to state he was dead aloud.

“Was Victoria not keeping an eye on him?” Bainbridge grumbled.

“He went to the bathroom, where she could not go,” Svankisof responded.

Bainbridge sensed just a hint of accusation in his tone, a suggestion that had the colonel been present rather than swanning off to insert himself into a fancy dinner, then he might have accompanied Zugel to the bathroom, and no one could have reached the man.

“Is it serious?” Bainbridge asked, not rising to the bait.

“Yes,” Svankisof said simply.

His tone made Bainbridge’s heart sink. The Russian refused to be drawn further into the topic and maintained a stony silence for the rest of their walk to the bathroom.

“Is my niece inside?” Bainbridge asked.

Svankisof nodded.

“You best return to the others now, Svankisof. It will not be long before the competition begins, and you must be prepared.”

Svankisof looked uncertain for just a moment, then he turned and walked away.

“Avoid saying anything about Zugel,” Bainbridge called out as an afterthought.

The Russian gave him a look that suggested he was intelligent enough to realise such a thing for himself and was not impressed at being told.

Bainbridge waited until he was truly gone and then entered the bathroom.

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