Stars For The Toff

to the living-room. Jolly moved ahead and pushed a pouffe into position in front of an armchair. Mrs Abbott was helped into the chair, only Lucifer standing aside with real or affected indifference. Jolly disappeared.

The policeman turned to her reassuringly. “Now don’t you worry, you’ll be all right now you’re with Mr Rollison.” Anxiously he added to Rollison: “You don’t intend to make a charge, do you, sir?”

“No,” Rollison answered.

“Very generous of you, sir. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve a lot to do downstairs.”

“What’s happening in the street?” asked Rollison.

“Everything’s quieter, but we had to arrest three of the young women, sir.”

“I see,” said Rollison, glumly. “Was anyone else hurt?”

“No, sir.”

“But don’t be surprised if some are,” interpolated Lucifer.

The policeman looked at him, appeared ready to ask questions, thought better of it and went towards the door. Rollison saw him out, returning to find Jolly sponging Mrs Abbott’s forehead, with Lucifer looking on sardonically. There was now time to study the woman. She was in her middle fifties, Rollison judged—her grey hair seemed to be naturally curly, and in a rather heavy, almost masculine way, she was good-looking. Her eyes were closed, as if she felt relaxed and soothed by Jolly’s ministrations.

Jolly drew back.

“A cup of coffee, madam?” he suggested, and without waiting for a reply he disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.

Rollison and Lucifer Stride stood looking at Mrs Abbott, who kept her eyes closed. After a few moments Stride moved to study the Trophy Wall. Suddenly Mrs Abbott opened her eyes and looked straight at Rollison. Not long before she had cried in rage: They killed my husband. And I’d like to kill you.”

Rollison smiled at her.

“Hallo,” he said. “Feeling better?”

She didn’t answer.

“You look better,” Rollison said. “Why did you throw that ammonia at me?”

Still she didn’t answer.

“Better still,” said Rollison, “who paid you to?”

In a flash, she cried: “No one paid me!”

Lucifer stood with his head tilted back, as if he were trying to see the bullet holes in the crown of the old top hat. The light from the window glinted on his hair, making it look like spun gold. Rollison moved away from the woman, who was staring at him as if in horror and alarm. Jolly came in, with a tray. Rollison did not repeat his questions but turned away.

“I did it because of my husband,” Mrs Abbott cried.

“I’m sorry about your husband,” Rollison said gently. “What happened?”

“That devil killed him.”

Jolly was pouring out coffee.

“Which devil?” inquired Rollison.

“Madam Melinska!”

“When?”

“It was last year, she—”

“But Madam Melinska only arrived in England a few months ago.”

“My husband met her in Rhodesia,” said Mrs Abbott. “She got her talons into him just like she got them into those other poor fools, and persuaded him to give her money. She was going to invest it for him, if you please! I told him not to trust her, but he would do it and he lost every penny.” Her face was twisted, her lips working. “And then he killed himself.” She stretched trembling fingers for the cup Jolly held towards her. “And all because of that woman, that—that bitch!”

“Or witch?”

Mrs Abbott caught her breath.

“What do you mean—witch?”

“Some people call seers witches.”

“She’s no seer, she just pretends she can look into the future. She doesn’t care what lies she tells anyone provided she can get her hands on their money. She—”

The telephone bell rang, and she broke off. Rollison moved towards it and lifted the receiver, thinking more about what Mrs Abbott had been saying than about the call. Was she speaking the truth, and was Madam Melinska responsible for her husband’s death? Or was she lying?

“This is Rollison,” he said into the telephone.

“Hallo again, Richard,” said Lady Hurst. “I will say that you excelled yourself this morning.”