Don Gutteridge - Governing Passion

“I did not,” Whitemarsh said, “but then I gosouth and I was told Sally was found some blocks west of here.”

“And if I see anyone suspicious in this place,” Clough said, “I look immediately the other way.I go east, and I don’t recall seeing anyone at all. And it wassnowing, so you couldn’t see much anyway.”

“You go west, then?” Cobb said to Pugh.

“I do. As does Sally. But she was ten minutesahead of us. And we must’ve taken different routes because I didn’tcome across her body in that alley.”

“Sorry we can’t help you,” Clough said. Andit was obvious from his tone that the Cavaliers did not seethemselves as suspects.

“Did any one of you lose a glove last night?”Cobb said abruptly.

There was a collective shaking of heads, andCobb thought of pulling the glove from his pocket to see if itmight prompt a startled look. But he didn’t. Instead he said, “I’dlike your home addresses, in case I need to speak to youagain.”

“Is that absolutely necessary?” Pughsaid.

“I don’t see how we could help further,”Clough said.

“I live with my mother,” Whitemarsh said,“and she’s very easily upset.”

“It’s just a formality,” Cobb said, enjoyingthe feel of that big word rolling off his tongue. If this detectivebusiness kept up, he’d be sounding like a gentleman soon.

“Very well, then, if you insist,” Pughsaid.

Cobb took down their addresses, then wentover to the piano, where Madame LaFrance had been standing, keepinga close watch on him and her clients. “I’d like to speak to some ofyer girls — alone, please,” he said.

“They’re all busy but Nell,” Madame said.“And I think I ought to be present when you speak with her.”

Sure you do, Cobb thought, so you can makecertain she doesn’t say anything to disturb the smooth running ofthe business.

“Alone,” Cobb said.

“Very well. I’ll fetch her.”

Madame LaFrance went into an adjoining roomand came out with Nell, a big-haired, florid woman with too muchmake-up and tired, world-weary eyes.

“Nell, this policeman would like to ask yousome questions.” Madame LaFrance gave Nell a knowing look anddrifted over to the Cavaliers.

“Sally and I were close,” Nell said, chokingup.

“Good. Then you’ll know if there was anyonehere in the house who might’ve been pesterin’ her in some way.”

“Many of the gentlemen was attracted to her,”Nell said. “It was that pretty blond hair. And, of course, shewasn’t available, was she?”

“That made her more attractive, did it?”

“Yes, it did.”

“Was there anyone in particular who standsout? Who might’ve pursued her more than the others?”

“Well,” Nell said hesitantly, “I reallycouldn’t say.”

“You want me to catch the man who killed yerfriend, don’t you?”

“Oh, yes. I’d like to strangle himmyself.”

“Then tell me who the gentleman was, Nell,”Cobb said bluntly.

Nell paused, then said, “Mr. Gawain overthere.”

“Did he approach her directly?”

“He’d come up to her after she finished asong and try to get her to go upstairs with him. In a banterin’sort of way, but I know he was serious. I can always tell.”

“And she rebuffed him?”

“She was awful nice about it, but, yes, shedid.”

“And did he keep on approachin’ her?”

“Just about every night he was in here.”

“And how often does he come here?”

“Three, sometimes four evenin’s a week. Andalways with his pals, the Cavaliers.” She stifled a giggle.

“Thank you, Nell, you’ve been a bighelp.”

“You won’t tell him I told on him, willyou?”

“No-one will know what you’ve told me,” Cobbassured her.

As she turned to leave, Cobb thought of afinal question. “Did anyone come in here tonight askin’ about alost glove?”

Nell was taken aback for a moment. Then shesaid, “Yes, they did.”

“Who?”

“It was Mr. Gawain.”

Cobb thanked her and stared over at Pugh, whowas busy chatting comfortably with his fellow knights. Cobbrealized that he had to get Pugh alone and at a disadvantage togrill him about the glove and about his obsession with Sally Butts.His own home, with his wife hovering, would be the ideal place. Andhe had the address.

He nodded to Madame LaFrance and headed forthe anteroom. Beside the several halltrees crammed with hats andcoats sat two rows of boots — in assorted shapes and sizes. Cobbspotted one very large pair among them and turned one of them over.There was no design cut into the sole. Well, he thought, hecouldn’t be that lucky. But he had found out a fair amount in ashort time.

As he turned to go, Nell came up to him. “Iforgot to mention that Sally had a boy friend.”

Cobb stared at her and said, “He camehere?”

“Oh, you know about him, then? A Mr. JohnKray.”

“I do. But I didn’t know he came here.”

“Oh, he didn’t come inside, ever. But we’dsee him hangin’ about, and Sally told me he followed her sometimes.She wouldn’t speak to him though.”

“He wasn’t around here last night by anychance?”

“That’s just it. He was. When I was lettin’ agentleman in — oh, about nine-thirty — I saw him at the corner ofthe house, just lurkin’ in the snow.”

So, Cobb thought, another lie. Kray had notbeen gambling all night. And Pugh had indeed lost a glove. Cobbthanked Nell again, and left — much satisfied with his evening ofdetection.

***

Cobb was at Kray’s house at nine the next morning.Kray himself answered the door.

“I’ve got a bone to pick with you, Mr. Kray,”Cobb said as he entered the front room of the small cottage.

“I answered your questions yesterday,” Kraysaid. He looked dreadful, a combination of hangover and grief, orregret.

“But you didn’t answer them with the truth,sir.”

“What do you mean?”

“You were seen skulkin’ about MadameLaFrance’s about nine-thirty on the night of the murder.”

Kray heaved a huge sigh. “So I was. But thatwas all I did. I could hear her sing, even see her, standing nearthe window by the piano. Sometimes she would wander close enoughfor me to see her beautiful hair. Like a halo, it was. She was anangel.”

“Why did you lie to me?”

“I didn’t want you to suspect me. You knewI’d been turned down and that I continued to follow her. I didn’twant to be involved. I wanted to grieve quietly. I been up to seeher parents. They’ve been kind to me, despite everything.”

“You didn’t wait fer her to come out?”

Kray looked at his feet. “She surprised me bycoming out at ten o’clock. I was just getting ready to go back toDowd’s.”

“And you spoke with her?”

“I did.”

“And?”

“That’s the gospel truth, sir. We argued. Shetold me to stop following her. I told her it was dangerous inDevil’s Acre. If only she’d listened — ”

“So she left — on her own?”

Kray choked back a sob. “Yes, she did. I wentback to my gambling. And she was killed by some brute.”

Who might well have been you, Cobb thought.And these tears are after the fact and fraught with remorse. Cobbthen did a strange thing. He stared down at Kray’s feet. They werevery large despite the fellow’s medium build.

“You have very large feet, Mr. Kray.”

Kray looked startled by the comment. “I do.So what of it?”

“May I see the boots you were wearing twonights ago?”

“If you must. But I don’t see what you’d wantto do that for.”

“Just show them to me.”

Kray went over to a mat near the door andpicked up a large pair of walking boots. Cobb took one and examinedthe sole. There was a manufacturer’s logo cut into the sole, butthe design was not similar to the one he was looking for.Nevertheless, there could be other boots — perhaps jettisoned orburned.