Held At Bay Read Online Free PDF Page B

sharply.
    â€œFor an excellent reason,” said Mannering dreamily. “I don’t believe the Baron was at Price’s house last night. In fact I’m sure he wasn’t.”
    â€œWhy keep it up,” said Bristow almost wearily. “You were at that place last night.”
    â€œMy dear Bill, I was no nearer Chelsea than the Elan and the Cat and Fiddle. I can offer you several hundred witnesses that I was at the Cat and Fiddle from ten-thirty till two, if you want them.” He was speaking with more seriousness than usual when he talked to Bristow, and the Chief Inspector was frowning. Mannering’s alibis were usually slim, and this seemed water-tight. “According to this, Price himself was in his strong room at eleven-fifteen, before going to bed.”
    â€œHe was,” Bristow said. “And the burglary was discovered at just before two o’clock. You’re sure you were at the Cat and Fiddle ?”
    â€œI certainly was. I don’t know where the Baron was, but I don’t think he was at Chenny Street.”
    â€œIf you weren’t, he wasn’t,” said Bristow, grimly.
    The boy returned, and Mannering poured tea before Bristow could go on. He proffered cigarettes, and Bristow lit one.
    â€œIf you weren’t at the place last night, then someone planted the handkerchief to frame you. That’s it, isn’t it?”
    â€œTo frame the Baron,” corrected Mannering. “Not the kind of thing the Baron’s likely to appreciate, is it?”
    â€œNot from what I know of him,” said Bristow. His expression was harder than usual. “That’s very interesting—”
    â€œFor God’s sake don’t keep talking like a phrase book,” said Mannering. “Are you satisfied I wasn’t at Chenny Street last night?”
    â€œI’d like to look round here first,” said Bristow.
    It was not the first time he had asked to search Mannering’s flat, after a robbery, and generally the Baron made him welcome. It was an indulgence, he would say, because he was a friend of Bristow. But he did not feel indulgent that morning.
    â€œYou’re not going to search without a warrant,” he said. “If you want a warrant for this job, get it with pleasure. It might do something to get the silly idea that I’m the Baron out of your mind. All right, anything else?”
    Bristow looked at him thoughtfully.
    â€œNot yet,” he said. “I’ll get that warrant.”
    â€œGet it and be damned,” said Mannering. “More tea?”
    Bill Bristow had an acute sense of humour, although there were times when he was a little slow in seeing a point. For a moment he stared at Mannering angrily, and then he started to laugh. He was still chuckling, and Mannering was smiling grimly, when they left the flat together. They parted in Piccadilly.
    Mannering went straight to the Elan. Lorna asked no questions, although she must have seen the papers. Mannering said nothing until he put her on the boat train at Victoria, and Lucy Fauntley – a middle-aged, good-natured and understanding woman – had been settled in her corner. Lord Fauntley, a peppery little financial magnate and jewel-collector, was in America on business, and the women were travelling alone.
    â€œI’ll phone you once or twice,” Mannering said as they walked along the platform. “It was a false alarm last night of course. Some damned fool thinks it’ll be useful to cross the trails.”
    â€œJust a damned fool?” asked Lorna.
    â€œPlease yourself,” said Mannering, but she could judge the anger underneath the surface of his smile. “If it was anyone more than a fool, he’s going to suffer for it. Don’t worry, darling, we’ve been through worse than this. Bristow doesn’t appear to think I was in two places at once. It’ll be refreshing to work side-by-side with the