Kill The Toff

“Sorry,” she said. “Drink up; I’ll be a good girl and sit quiet.”

She gave him a cup of tea and picked up the Daily Cry, a newspaper which thrived on sensation. Although she pretended to glance at it, she was watching him out of the corner of her eye. Suddenly she opened her large black handbag and gave him a cigarette.

“Gasping for one, aren’t you?”

“No. Thanks. What’s the matter?”

“I came to tell you that I meant all I said last night and now I take some of it back.” She gurgled; it was a delightful, husky sound, making her seem much younger. “And this is a completely new sensation, darling. Yesterday you gave me an inferiority complex. Don’t you feel well?”

“I’ll feel better when I know who Jolly’s arguing with.”

“My uncle, I expect.”

“Why?”

“He was in a foul mood when I left him half an hour ago and crying out for someone’s blood. Probably yours. I don’t know what it was about but he wasn’t thinking kindly of the great Mr Rollison. I shouldn’t worry about my uncle but—”

The second bell began to ring again.

“Is that the front door?”

“Yes. Jolly will see to it. You stay here.”

“I want to be so useful,” said Clarissa.

As she went out she gave him a merry look, showing a gaiety which astonished him. She was younger; or at least happier in her mind which made her seem younger. She had thrown off the effect of the attack with admirable ease and something had put her in high spirits. Was it because of what had happened between them last night? Or had the morning’s events pleased her? Was she telling the truth about Arden, or—

Rollison stopped worrying about that for he heard a familiar voice, raised in some surprise after Clarissa said: “Good morning.”

“Good morning. Is Mr Rollison in?”

“I’ll see. Who are you?” Clarissa asked.

“Superintendent Grice of New Scotland Yard,” said the caller. “Please tell him it’s important.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Shock For Clarissa

Jolly reached the bedroom before Clarissa or Grice. He closed the door firmly and turned the key in the lock. His hair was on end and he looked both ruffled and angry; there was even a flush on his dry cheeks and a sparkle in his doleful brown eyes. “I am extremely sorry, sir.”

“Everything happens at once, doesn’t it? Who were you doing battle with?”

“Sir Frederick, sir. He wanted to speak to you and I felt that as Miss Arden was here it might be wise for me to say that you weren’t available. He was persistent and somewhat irate. In fact, I felt that his temper explained his persistence. I did not get the impression that anything was amiss—or, at all events, not greatly amiss. Did you know that Mr Grice has called?”

“Yes. Let him come in and then pour me out another cup of tea, will you?”

“With your permission, sir, I will pour the tea first.” Jolly drew nearer the bed and put Rollison’s cigarettes and lighter on the bedside table. “Shall I—ah—shall I endeavour to keep Miss Arden out of the room when Mr Grice comes in?”

“Do you think you could without using force?”

“No, sir.”

“Then don’t. What’s the news this morning?”

“I am afraid there is a full but distorted account of your first interview with Waleski in the Daily Record and the Echo, sir. There is little other sensational news and both newspapers have connected the incident with the Mellor affair. In the Stop Press of the Record there is a report that a stranded car was found near the Mile End Road early this morning and that bullet-holes were found in the lamps and windscreen, together with traces of blood. There was some broken glass farther along the road, according to the brief statement.” is the clinic mentioned?”

“No, sir.”

“Let us be thankful for some mercies.”

Rollison sipped his second cup of tea and motioned to the hall. Jolly spent two minutes tidying up Rollison’s clothes and the dressing-table and then unlocked the door.

He disappeared and said stiffly: “Mr Rollison will see you, Mr Grice.”

“He will see us,” said Clarissa.

“As you wish, Miss.”

Grice came in, smiling faintly; but there was an edge to his smile; he was in earnest, in no mood to be put off by airy explanations.

Clarissa looked fresh and fair and still highly amused.