Murder of a Snob Read Online Free PDF Page B

protests he passed her to young Benscombe, telling him quietly to send her home and have her address checked.

Chapter Three
    Inspector Sanson, a pompous little man who had gained promotion for his desk work, had already given the Victorian morning-room the semblance of an office at headquarters. On the breakfast table, from which the patterned cloth had been removed, were all the portable objects which had been examined for finger prints. Crisp dropped into the only easy chair.
    â€œGive me the log of the witnesses first, Sanson, then your stuff.”
    â€œThe only witness of any account so far, sir, is Bessie Walters, temporary maid, who has been in the employment of the deceased, as have the other two, for three weeks. At nine this morning, when Bessie Walters brought deceased his breakfast in the room we are now occupying, deceased told her there would be three guests to luncheon—which he said the cook could serve out of tins—and twenty all told to dinner, for which arrangements had been made with Harridge’s. The three to luncheon were to stay till Monday morning.
    â€œMr. Querk arrived shortly before noon, when he re -paired to the library. He remained there closetted with deceased until about a quarter to one, when Mr. Cornboise, his nephew, and Miss Lofting, the nephew’s intended, also arrived. The four I have mentioned consumed cocktails on the terrace until luncheon was served. After luncheon, all four re -paired to the library, where they remained closetted until a quarter to three, approximately, when Walters saw Mr. Querk going up to his room. She did not see the other two guests between luncheon and about seven, when they came downstairs together in evening dress and re -paired to the terrace. A few minutes later Mr. Querk added himself to their company.
    â€œWalters last saw the deceased at luncheon. It was his habit to sleep after luncheon in the library, where he would remain closetted until dinner, and orders were that he was never to be disturbed until dinner was served. Having lived abroad, he did not take afternoon tea.
    â€œThere had been no orders for tea for the guests. But at four, Walters went in search of the guests. She found only Mr. Querk in the house. He was in his room, and she said she thought he also had been sleeping in his chair. She offered to bring him tea, which offer having been accepted, she came back with a tray and put it on the table by the window where he was sitting.
    â€œAt four fifteen approximately, Walters re -paired to her bedroom where she remained closetted until a quarter to six. At six, Messrs. Harridge’s employees arrived with a mobile kitchen unit and all Walters had to do was to show them the dining-room. The cook and the under-housemaid not being required to—to exercise their respective functions, sir—had leave of absence from four until ten. Walters remained in the staff sitting-room until seven, when, after putting some chairs on the terrace, she took up a position in the hall in readiness for the arrival of the guests. That completes the essentials of the log of the witnesses.”
    â€œThere’s a detail missing,” said Crisp. “Benscombe, find out whether Bessie Walters was called to the front door between lunch and our arrival. Get details, but mind you don’t lead her. Carry on, Sanson.”
    â€œFinger prints, sir, ignoring those of deceased.” The Inspector turned to a separate sheaf of notes. “Miss Lofting: On exterior and interior hand plates of the door of the library. On the edge of the writing table: on some brown wrapping paper, sent through the post and post-marked London this morning ten-fifteen, found in the waste paper basket—Exhibit Two: also on the woodwork of the east window of the library, internal.
    â€œMr. Cornboise: Interior handplate of door: writing table: woodwork of window, interior and exterior.
    â€œMr. Querk: On interior handplate of door: on writing