THE APARTMENT MURDER an addictive crime mystery full of twists (Eric Ward Mystery Book 8) by ROY LEWIS

Author:ROY LEWIS [LEWIS, ROY]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joffe Books crime thrillers and mystery
Published: 2020-03-01T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

Colonel Sanderson-Gilbert was one of those people who was easily entertained as a dinner guest.

All that was required was to sit down and listen to him. In fact, Eric concluded as Anne’s dinner-party wore on, one didn’t even need to listen: he seemed not to notice the glazed inattention of his fellow guests as he meandered on, dominating the conversation.

“‘Surely,’” he was concluding a story that had seemed to run on interminably, “you’re not going to eat your steak alone! Those were her very words. And I replied, ‘Certainly not! I’m going to eat it with potatoes!’”

Sanderson-Gilbert roared with laughter and wiped his moustache with his table napkin. Eric was aware of someone standing just behind his shoulder. He turned.

“There’s a phone call for you, Mr Ward.”

“I’ll take it in the library.”

He caught Anne’s glance. She raised her eyebrows; he shrugged, made his excuses and left the table. Sanderson-Gilbert hardly seemed to notice. “So the waiter asked me how I found my steak. I told him I moved the peas and potatoes and then I found it . . .”

Eric closed the library door gently behind him and drowned out the sound of forced laughter from the dining-room.

“Hello? Ward? What the hell is going on?”

Eric was tempted to say Sanderson-Gilbert was going on. Instead, he said, “Hello, Leonard. A Saturday night call? Have you nothing better to do?”

“I certainly have, but when something of this magnitude arises I’m forced to break in upon the peace and quiet of your elegant Northumberland retreat! I presume you have an explanation for it all?”

“For what, Leonard?”

“Your involvement with this Wishart thing!”

“News travels fast.”

“But not enough of it!” Leonard Channing sounded cold but sharp; he was in control of himself but there was a dangerous note in his voice. “I want to know what explanation you have to give for dragging Martin and Channing into your sordid affairs.”

“Careful, Leonard. It’s very easy for me to hang up. And unless you choose your words with a little more care, I’m inclined to do so.”

“You can’t bluff your way out of this one, Ward. I’ve no idea what your connection with Cynthia Wishart was; I’ve no interest in your social life. But when it intrudes upon the firm—”

“Now hold on—”

“You deny she knew you as a representative of Martin and Channing?”

“That wasn’t the way of it.”

“So how was it that she had one of our cards with your name on it?” Leonard Channing paused sneeringly. “Away from home, up there in Newcastle, maybe you think you can get entry to all sorts of places by using a Martin and Channing card, but I know the board will be less than pleased to hear I had a visit from the police asking about you — one of the directors on the board. They came and asked me what I knew about this woman Wishart, and then produced your card . . . Of course, I had to disclaim knowledge and refer them to you in Northumberland—”

And Detective Superintendent Mason, Eric thought sourly.

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