Noonday and Night

The girl, taken by surprise, gave a terrified little giggle and then blushed and stammered out:

‘Well, I wouldn’t put it like that. I should just put, “Killed in the course of duty,” like as though it had been an accident. It looks better – not so crude.’

‘So it does. Are you in sole charge of this office when Mr Honfleur is away?’

‘This time I am.’

‘What about those times when he goes off on his travels to inspect hotels or select new ones, or to investigate passengers’ complaints?’

‘Oh, well, it doesn’t happen all that often, but I log it sort of unofficially in case anything goes wrong and I have to notify the board.’

‘But you are now in sole charge of this office?’

‘Well, I suppose you could call it that, although still responsible to Mr Honfleur and the board, of course.’

‘Of course. But this time you are not responsible to anyone but yourself.’

‘I don’t know what you mean.’

‘I wondered whether perhaps this time Mr Honfleur did not travel upon the company’s business, but on some private errand of his own.’

Again the girl looked uncomfortable, but she did not giggle. She said,

‘It’s a confidential matter and I don’t give away Mr Honfleur’s business to anybody except the board.’

‘Admirable, and, of course, I have no wish to pry. My errand was to ask where I could find Driver Knight.’

‘Well, I suppose he’s at home, unless he’s gone into hospital. I haven’t heard, not since he sent in another medical certificate.’

‘But you know his address?’

‘Oh, yes, I’ve got it somewhere.’

‘And you know that I am empowered by your board of directors to look into the extraordinary things which have been happening, two drivers murdered and another viciously attacked – or so he claims.’

‘Oh, yes. I’ll find Knight’s address for you. Do you wish me to ring him up and warn him to expect you?’

‘Just as you think best, but it is hardly necessary.’

‘Very well, then, I won’t bother, although all our drivers are on the ’phone. They have to be.’ She went over to a filing cabinet.

‘And will you ask Mr Honfleur to ring me as soon as he gets back? He knows the number,’ said Dame Beatrice, when the girl had written out Knight’s address for her.

‘I though you meant to take Honfleur on the hop when he gets back,’ said Laura, as they drove to the address Dame Beatrice had been given.

‘The police will do that. I do not think Basil Honfleur intends to return to his office.’

‘What makes you think that?’

‘Certain remarks which you yourself let fall at our last meeting with him.’

‘Don’t tell me I let some cat or other out of some bag or other!’

‘To an innocent man you would not have done so, but Basil Honfleur is anything but an innocent man.’

‘Why, what did I say? Have I gone and put my foot in it?’

‘Far from it. If Honfleur has absconded it makes my unpleasant task just a little easier. You asked him, if you remember, whether he wanted the word “amenities” spelt with one m or two.’

‘I was only kidding.’

‘You surprise me. I would have thought (as I’m sure he did) that you were expressing complete disbelief in his story and considerable contempt for him as a liar. You followed this later by tempting him into a confession that, far from being a free man and a blameless bachelor, he was paying alimony to a discarded wife and was also keeping a mistress. The reasons for his illicit enterprises were thus laid bare. If he was not to keep his employment – and he felt that his prospects were extremely poor once the long-projected merger went through – he had to find another source of income. To be an unemployed bachelor is one thing. To support two homes is another.’

‘Wasn’t Honfleur ever a genuine collector of antiques, then?’

‘I hardly see how he could afford to be. I think that, if we were ever to visit his house again, the Welsh dresser and its dishes, including mine, would be gone and, bit by bit, the far more valuable objects which Conradda saw in Honfleur’s bedroom. She managed, I think to see a hoard which was due to be stored at Saighdearan.’

‘So how much of Honfleur’s story is true?’

‘It hardly matters. Now for Knight.’

‘How shall you tackle him?’

‘By telling him what I believe to be the truth and getting him to confirm it and to add such embellishments in his own defence as may seem good to him.’

Knight still wore a bandage round his neck. He did not seem in the least surprised to see them, although he looked a little suspiciously at their private-eye, the burly, ex-policeman escort.

‘You were expecting us?’ Dame Beatrice blandly enquired.