Colin Forbes - The Main chance

They stood up, went to a square table near the far end, sat down in tapestry-covered carver chairs with cushions on the seats. Leo sat in the third chair, his long legs in constant motion, his hands clasping, unclasping, then clasping again. Can't he ever keep still for a minute? Paula wondered. `Where is everyone?' Tweed asked. `They had dinner quickly, didn't they. Then they trooped off upstairs to their apartments. Lavinia had a pile of papers and said she didn't want to be disturbed. Mr Warner had a big briefcase and told me on no account was he to be disturbed.' `So what did you want to tell us?' Tweed said impatiently. `Don't suppose you've ever heard of a Mrs Mandy Carlyle?'

The shock registered with both listeners. Tweed managed to keep his expression blank. Paula clenched her teeth. `Who is she?' Tweed asked. `Better go see her and find out for yourself. Here is her address.'

He produced a sheet of folded paper from his back pocket, straightened it, pushed it across the table so both could read it. The words were written in an educated script. Baron's Walk, Dodd's End. `You've visited this place?' Tweed suggested. Not me. It's this side of Tunbridge Wells.' `Who told you all this?' `Can't tell you that. It's a secret…' `You think so?' Tweed's fist crashed down on the table. It made Leo jump up half out of his chair, then he sank back. 'I'm investigating the brutal murder of your own grandmother. So you will tell me now!' `Well -' Leo's restless hands were performing a variety of movements – if you'll promise not to tell a soul…' `That's it. I'm sending you up to Scotland Yard.' `Oh Lord, not that. It was Crystal.'

Where did your sister get her information from?' `I don't know. If you don't believe me you can send me up to your bloody Scotland Yard.' `All right.' Tweed relaxed. 'Now we'll have Crystal down here for a chat.' `She's not here. She left after dinner to visit a boyfriend in Gladworth, or maybe outside the village. And, before you ask, I don't know his name! And I don't know where he lives.' He quietened down. 'She can be very secretive about her own life.' `You do realize, Leo, this whole conversation is absolutely confidential? Not a word to Crystal.' `She'd kill me if I told her. I thought I was being helpful, telling you what I have.' `You have been. So, not a word to Crystal…' `I've told you. She'd kill me. You've never seen her when she goes really wild. I'd like to go upstairs to my rooms to sleep. I'm fagged out.' `Good idea. Get some sleep.'

When he had gone Tweed looked at Paula, who looked back as he spoke. `Mrs Carlyle – or Mrs Mandy Carlyle as he said. What do you think of that?' `Casts a new light on the whole situation.'

Tweed checked his watch. 'Good Lord, it's 8.30 p.m. Where did the time go?' `Driving carefully back from Seacove, which is a long way off. And it's 9.30 p.m. Your watch has stopped. No sign of our meal. Mrs Grandy has stormed off without bothering to feed us. I'm not hungry anyway.' `So where is Marshal? He should have been back at least an hour ago. Strange.'

The mobile started buzzing. He answered it. He listened and made very few comments, glancing now and again at Paula. `We actually interviewed her,' he said at one point. `Yes, we interviewed her recently. Tell you about it later. I want to leave now.'

He closed the call, sat staring up at the ceiling for a minute. Then he looked at Paula. `That was Roy Buchanan. Think you could stand a drive across country? Not too long.' `Something has happened?' `You could say that. Mrs Mandy Carlyle has been murdered. Same technique as used on Bella. Professor Saafeld is on his way down to Dodd's End.' `Now that is strange,' Paula said as she stood up. `After what Leo told us. So soon afterwards.' `That occurred to me.'

When Tweed pulled up the Audi a few yards from the entrance to Dodd's End a dramatic sight met their eyes. The front of Baron's Walk was illuminated in a glare of lights: three police cars, their blue lights revolving, were parked close to the front garden, uniformed policemen with powerful torches were searching the garden and all the windows had their curtains closed but there were lights behind them. `It's like a circus,' Paula commented. `It's Chief Inspector Hammer,' Tweed told her. 'He took an earlier call at Hengistbury Manor before we got back. Buchanan spoke to him and Hammer charged over here and started a revolution.' `He's thick as three posts,' Paula said. `To be fair he's all right with an open-and-shut case, a murder weapon found with fingerprints, the victim's husband has run off. But he's not so strong when personality and character have to be unravelled.' `And Hengistbury is all personality and character.' `I think we'll leave the car here and walk up the left side where the single street lamp is on. The one opposite is not working.'

They were passing the house where the woman who watched behind her curtains had been interviewed on their previous visit. No. 3. She was standing in her open doorway chatting to another neighbour in a dressing- gown. Outside other houses more neighbours in various states of dress were chattering, with frequent glances at Baron's Walk. `Ghouls,' muttered Paula. `They probably don't get much entertainment, locked away in this close.' `You call this entertainment?' Paula snapped. `They will, in a macabre way…'

Tweed and Paula showed their folders to a constable who lifted the police tape for them to duck under. Tweed was heading for the wide drive leading to the open garage, the way they'd entered on their first visit. They reached the garage as Hammer's bulky figure in a crumpled suit rushed towards them from the half-open front door. `I'm in charge here,' he bawled. 'That's not the way in.' `You're not in charge,' Tweed told him mildly. 'I am. I know the way in through the garage.' `I'm in charge of this one,' Hammer bawled for the benefit of every policeman nearby. "This isn't necessarily anything to do with-' `Shut up!' Tweed rapped out, turning on him. 'And under no circumstances are you to mention the name Hengistbury,' he ordered, lowering his voice. 'It's by no means certain the two cases are connected.' `Well, go up the steps at the back and see her.' `That her car?' Tweed asked, nodding towards a BMW painted a strong egg-yellow parked in the garage. `It is.'

Tweed was already halfway up the steps when Hammer tried to push in front of Paula. She reacted by stretching out an arm, pushing him back as she smiled. `At the top of steps turn right down the corridor,'

Hammer called out. 'Last door on the left. She's in the living room…'

Tweed paused just inside the entrance. If anything it was worse than what he'd seen in Bella's study. Mandy was sprawled back in an armchair, her legs wide apart, her purple panties thrown on the floor. Round her neck was a wire collar with spikes. That is, what was left of her neck which was little more than a wide gash with a blood-soaked blouse beneath it. Her head was drooped over the back of the chair, her hair awry. Bending over her was Professor Saafeld, who looked up when he heard Tweed. `He raped her,' Hammer announced. 'Really enjoyed himself,' with a hint of lasciviousness in his gravelly voice.

Paula swung round in a fury. Hammer was only feet away from her when she lashed out: 'If that's the most decent comment you can make, go and find the bathroom and wash your filthy mouth out with Dettol. `You…' Hammer stepped back. 'You.. ' Lost for words, he clumped out of the room on his stubby legs and disappeared. `I doubt if she was raped,' Saafeld said. 'Something odd about this whole scenario. The necklace, probably dropped over her from behind, is a replica of the one used to kill Bella. I suspect Mrs Carlyle was at least half-drunk at the time. All subject to examination at my morgue. When the paramedics arrive I want her taken back to Holland Park in the chair. They'll find it difficult but that's what I need.' `I know you won't want to say yet,' Tweed began, `but can you give me any idea when the crime was committed?'