Mother's so-called accident Tetford reported it as just yet another accident at a dangerous corner. It wasn't. The brake linings had been tampered with. When Mother pressed the brake it didn't work. It was murder.' `My mother was murdered,' Crystal said. `Tetford messed it up.' `How do you know the brake linings were tampered with?' Tweed demanded, leaning forward. `Leo is a mechanic,' Crystal spoke up. 'Worked for a garage once and was so good they offered him a job. He can take any car to pieces and put it back together perfectly. He could demonstrate on your Audi' `No thanks,' Tweed said firmly. 'When did you go down to examine the smashed-up car?' `The day after his men had made a superficial check.' `And did you report your findings to Telford?' `I did.' Leo's face flushed. 'He told me I was only twelve years old – he even got my age wrong – and warned me not to go spreading silly stories or I'd find myself in serious trouble.' `And have you told this to anyone else since?' `Only to Crystal and she's kept quiet.' `Surely you mentioned it to Warner, your father?' `I knew he didn't want to discuss it or talk about it to anyone. He's never referred to it since. I'm telling you now so you know everything that might be connected with your investigation.' `Keep it that way. And I appreciate your telling me.'
They both got up and left the library together. Tweed looked at Paula who had a very serious expression. `What do you make of that?' `It could add a whole new dimension to the case. I believed Leo. I've seen him fiddling with his motorcycle in bits, then setting to work to put it together again.'
She stopped talking as the door opened and Marshal breezed into the room, his usual flamboyant self. He wore jodhpurs, tucked into gleaming leather riding boots, and a blazing yellow tunic. In his right hand he held a whip, which he slapped against his boots. `Mornin', you two detectives. Time you solved the case.'
Tweed was not amused. He stared hard at Marshal before he spoke. `It's not a flippant matter when your own mother has been brutally murdered. And we are closer to breaking the case than when we arrived. Were you thinking of going riding?' `As a matter of fact I'm taking a trot through the woods. Lavinia often rides the course laid out beyond the tennis courts which has tricky jumps. She sails over them. I can't watch her. But this morning I'll be on my second horse, Whiskers. A slow plodder so quite safe to take into the woods.' `In that case, Mr Main, I suggest you postpone your ride, confine yourself to your apartment for the morning.' `What the hell for?You can't order me about!' `Some members of my team are in The Forest shooting rabbits to help out Snape. There's a danger the growing population of our furry friends will overrun the place.' `I haven't seen one damned one of the things on the lawn.' `And you don't want them invading that lawn, digging up a labyrinth of warrens. Also,' Tweed went on genially, 'I don't want one of my suspects shot.' `I'm a suspect?' Marshal's face reddened with fury. `Everyone in this mansion is until we have all the evidence I am collecting almost hourly.' `Oh, well…' Marshal paused uncertainly. 'I do have a whole pile of accounts to check in my apartment. If you'd spoken earlier I wouldn't have had to change my togs.'
With this parting shot he left the library, slamming the door behind him Shortly afterwards Snape appeared with a telephone he plugged into a wall socket. `There's a Professor Heathstone on the line. Asked for you personally. Said it was urgent' `Hello. Tweed here.' `Good morning, Mr Tweed, I am a man of few words. I am a rare-book dealer.' `I don't deal in them'
The voice was reedy, like that of an old man, throaty and pronouncing every word slowly. As though he had to remember what he wanted to say. `Ah,' the voice continued, 'an impulsive man. Not what I had expected. I have important information for you. I have a room at the Pike's Peak Hotel in Gladworth. Could you be here in, say, fifteen minutes?' `No, I couldn't. I'd need to know more about this alleged important information before I come anywhere near you.' `Very well. I was in a second-hand bookshop in Paris quite recently when, tucked behind some rubbish, I found a first edition of Ulysses, by the Irish gentleman. Have you any idea of what that would go for at a London auction?' `No. And if you don't get to the point quickly I'm going off the line.' `Patience, Mr Tweed. Just a few moments longer. Inside was a sheet with names typed on it, a new sheet. It gave the names of the members of something called the Red Circle. The chairman, apparently, is someone called Calouste something or other.'
There was silence. Tweed thought he could hear heavy breathing on the line. `I'll be at your hotel in half an hour,' Tweed said as Harry entered the library. `There will be a charge, Mr Tweed. I'm a businessman.' `There always is a charge.' `What is it, Harry?' Tweed asked as he put down the phone and Marler followed him into the library. `Thought I'd tell you we're all ready to go at the back door.' `You have come at just the right moment. A change of plan.'
Newman came in as Tweed began telling them about the mysterious phone call, recalling every word from memory and stating that he was going to meet this professor Heathstone at Pike's Peak Hotel. Paula chimed in that she was going with him.
Marler immediately came up with a detailed plan, reminding Tweed of Philip Cardon's warning that six or seven French killers had arrived. He thought Philip, as usual, had exaggerated the number to put Tweed on full alert. He told Harry and Newman how they should react. `The car park at that hotel is the danger point, so we must get there first.' `I hope you're right about this,' Paula said to Marler. `This could be very dangerous for Tweed.' `Haven't I always been right?' Marler said with a smile as he put his arm reassuringly round her waist. `Give me time to think,' she teased him. `And just before we leave,' Marler continued as Tweed was impatiently waiting by the door. `What is it now?' Tweed snapped. `I want everyone to give Harry their handcuffs. He will need plenty.'
26
`This meet at the hotel is a trap,' Paula said as she sat by Tweed driving the Audi through the tunnel road leading to Gladworth. 'I'm not happy about any of it.' `Of course it's a trap,' Tweed replied. `A trap for you,' she insisted, `so why walk into it?' `Because a trap can be reversed, eliminating the trappers.' `If you say so.'
Her mood was not helped by the weather change. The sun had vanished. She had the sensation that, even with headlights on, they were driving into a pool of gloom, maybe doom.
A short distance behind them Newman was driving his Merc. As passengers in the rear of the car he had Marler and Harry. Harry had produced from his tool bag a thin long-barrelled weapon, which he handed to Marler. He also gave him a short slightly larger metal barrel with perforated holes at frequent intervals, plus several cartridges. `An American Colt,' Marler said. 'Not many of them about, even in the States.' `Pal of mine visiting New York was threatened with that in a bar. He took it off the American. Chap didn't know you don't threaten a Cockney. The shorter bit with a screw lining inside is-' `A silencer,' Marler said. 'Trouble is they can jam a gun.' `Agreed. But you could get off two shots, maybe three before you get into trouble.' `You think I can, if necessary, use it…' `To scare any thug dead.' `Could come in useful. Thanks.'
Marler's anxiety, carefully concealed, was that they would get to the hotel car park after the French thugs. It would giver the enemy a huge advantage.
Marler had no way of knowing this also was Paula's worry. Calouste had a reputation for brilliant organization. She reminded herself that they still didn't know whether the man who had phoned Tweed was really Professor Heathstone.
She gave the order as they entered Gladworth, which was its normal sleepy self. She scanned the street for parked cars. Not a one. `Park the car a few yards this side of the entrance to the car park for the hotel.' `Why?' Tweed asked. `Do as you're told.'
He parked where she had suggested. To his horror Paula, her Browning hauled out of her leg sheath, jumped out and walked briskly into the car park. She had chosen this weapon because it was easier to conceal, held close to her side.
She walked in slowly, an unlit cigarette between her lips, just a local girl searching for her boyfriend. The car park was deserted. She went back to the entrance, beckoning to Tweed, who drove inside. She pointed to a space under the hotel wall, twirled a hand, indicating he should back in ready for a quick escape.
The Mercedes, driven by Newman, had stopped at the entrance to Gladworth. He had observed Paula's movements and knew there was no danger. Yet.
Tweed walked with Paula out of the car park, entered the large reception hall past a sorry-looking palm tree in a tub to the reception desk. The girl behind the counter greeted him with a welcoming smile. `If the car park is anything to go by you haven't many guests,' he remarked. `Only one. It's the time of the year. Come June and we'll be bursting at the seams. A number of those crazy mountaineers eager to scale Pike's Peak.' She clasped a hand to her mouth. 'Oh, have I said the wrong thing?' `You most certainly have not. The only mountain I want to scale is
