'I should not be surprised if you found that he and his wife entertained the two young men at whichever house or hotel they patronised while they were supposed to be staying in London.'
'And the poison was administered there? Too dangerous, surely? The two men might have dropped dead in the hotel. That would have taken some explaining.'
'I envisage something more in the nature of a stirrup cup, after they were all in the car.'
'Two flasks, you mean, one for the Campden-Townes and the other for the victims? The difficulty there, ma'am, is that two different, although, I suppose, related poisons were used. They'd have needed
'I do not think the point need trouble us at present. Let us take the broad view. And, speaking of the broad view, what did you make of the Maidstons?'
'Well, they denied that they stayed in that London hotel, but I don't think they've got anything more to hide except, as you say, concerning the boy. Your suggestion that he may have pinched or purchased the poisons I find very interesting, but we've yet to prove it, and I don't like frightening kids.'
'I agree, and on the major issue of the murders I do not think we shall need to involve the boy. On the other hand, if we can trace those poisons to him, we may be in a strong position to find out what happened to them afterwards. The Maidstons and the Campden-Townes seem to be very close friends.'
The Superintendent said nothing, but drummed on the arm of his chair. Dame Beatrice realised what he must be thinking, but she waited for him to speak.
'Of course, ma'am,' he said at last, 'you do see that, if the lad was in Mr Richardson's form at school, and got hold of the poisons, it is more likely, on the face of it, for Mr Richardson to have confiscated the stuff and so got it into his possession, than that the foster-parents found out about it and took it away from the lad, don't you?'
'I admit the possibility, Superintendent,' replied Dame Beatrice blandly. 'Schoolmasters do confiscate the dangerous, illegal or irritating property of boys. You would have to prove, however, that Mr Richardson knew that Clive had possession of these lethal substances. Besides, there is the evidence supplied by the boy himself.'
'A first-rate little liar I should class him as,' commented the Superintendent sourly. 'Anyway, ma'am, if I might involve you a little deeper in the affair, I'd like to suggest that you undertake another enquiry at the school. You are known to the Headmaster and would find him less difficult of approach, perhaps, than I should. Prompted by you, a question or two from him to the other boys who were in Clive's form at the time should establish whether Mr Richardson could have known that Clive had the poisons in his possession.'
'You regard me as impartial in this affair, Superintendent?'
'No, ma'am. I know you're all out to put Mr Richardson in the clear, but I also know that you won't tamper with the truth.'
'Hear, hear!' said Laura unnecessarily. Dame Beatrice nodded.
'Very well,' she said. 'The Scylla shall be my wash-pot and upon the Headmaster will I cast out my shoe. What is more, I will pay another visit to the Maidstons and will find out, if possible, whether Clive did take samples from the poisons cupboard in the chemistry laboratory and, if he did, what happened to them. I intend to promise the child diplomatic immunity if he betrays guilty knowledge of the exploit.'
The Superintendent looked a little doubtful.
'I don't want to put wind up the little so-and-so,' he said, 'but, of course, do as you like, ma'am. It all comes under the same heading, I suppose.'
'That angels can rush in where-er-the police fear to tread,' said Laura. 'May I come with you on these expeditions, Mrs Croc, dear? Only to be in the car, not to be present at the interviews.'
'Your presence will be a solace in the case of disappointment, an inspiration if I meet with success,' Dame Beatrice replied.
The Superintendent unlocked the door and bowed the ladies out.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
WAR ON FOUR FRONTS
''Poison, poison!' she murmured, and threw the food in handfuls to the foxes, who were snuffing on the heath.'
The most logical sequence, Dame Beatrice decided, would be to visit the school first, then tackle the Maidstons; after that she could interview a selection of the club members and (an addition to the list and one which she had not mentioned to the Superintendent because she had not thought of it at the time) Richardson himself.
The Headmaster received her a little coolly and listened, with a worried pucker between his brows, while she outlined her case. When she had finished, he pulled open a drawer in his desk and took out a thick and handsomely bound tablet.
'My record book,' he explained. 'I find it very useful for references of this kind. Maidston? Maidston? Here we are.
'Hardly a Grecian urn, either,' she remarked. The Headmaster smiled, pleased to note that his witticism had not gone astray.
'No, no. Rather an ugly boy, I always thought,' he agreed. 'Nothing very classical about him. His Latin was deplorable. Now then. Came to us September '60, removed at end-no, he didn't even complete the term, and, as the required notice of removal was not given, no fees were repayable-removed May '62. Letters home mostly discontented in tone but not sufficiently so to be censored by masters on duty at letter-writing periods.' He looked up again. 'We try to be liberal-minded where the boys' personal correspondence is concerned. Well, now, you suspect that this boy abstracted a small but lethal quantity of matter from the poisons cupboard in the chemistry laboratory. May I ask you to particularise?'
