The Finishing Stroke Read Online Free PDF Page B

rising author John’s been regaling us with to the point of indigestion,’ Rusty Brown said. She had a clear voice, with no nonsense about it, like her eyes. ‘He’s even made me read your book.’
    â€˜That’s the kind of gambit I’ve never learned to resist,’ Ellery said. ‘Here goes: Did you like it?’
    â€˜I thought it terribly clever.’
    â€˜Do I detect a worm in the fruit?’
    â€˜Well, perhaps too clever.’ Rusty showed her innocent dimple. ‘Might I say – precocious?’
    â€˜You have to watch this wench, Ellery,’ John said adoringly. ‘She draws blood.’
    â€˜I’m bleeding,’ Ellery moaned.
    â€˜It’s no crime to be young, Mr. Queen,’ Rusty murmured. “The crime is to let it show.’
    â€˜I’m practically a haemophiliac,’ Ellery said. ‘And this is the redoubtable Miss Brown’s mother?’
    Mrs. Brown was Rusty in a Coney Island mirror, with green eyes turned sly, bad teeth, and red hair lapsed into pinkish grey. There was a Medusa-like intensity about her that vibrated almost audibly. Ellery put her down at once as a Cause Woman, or at any rate a fanatic about something. It turned out that she was a devotee of astrology, a devout communicant of the occult and an amateur medium. Her Christian name was Olivette.
    â€˜Your Sign is the Twins, isn’t it, Mr. Queen?’ Mrs. Brown asked him immediately, with a great deal of breath.
    â€˜Why, yes, Mrs. Brown.’
    â€˜Of course. Gemini governs the intellect, and John says you’re so intellectual.’
    â€˜Mother is psychic, although a little advance information now and then helps,’ Rusty said dryly. ‘Darling, might I have some more toddy?’
    â€˜And this young lady, Mr. Queen,’ Arthur Craig said, ‘is my niece Ellen, down from Wellesley for the holidays.’ His paw was fondling a long, dainty hand. ‘Ellen, John and The ABC Press are my three reasons for being. I’ve put my imprint on them all.’
    â€˜And an exquisite edition this one is, Mr. Craig,’ Ellery said. ‘You’ve raised this alluring female, too?’
    â€˜Ellen’s father died soon after she was born – he was my only brother. Naturally, Ellen and her mother came to live with me, Marcia being in poor health and unable to raise her baby without help. Then Marcia died, and I had to become Ellen’s father and mother.’
    â€˜The only mother in captivity with a beard,’ Ellen Craig said, tugging at it. ‘Unique in all other ways, too. Are you going to patronize me, Mr. Queen, for not having my diploma yet?’
    â€˜My exclamatory description of you a moment ago was forced out of me by the facts, Miss Craig. When does Wellesley reluctantly let you go?’
    â€˜In June.’
    â€˜I’ll be there,’ quoth Mr. Queen gallantly.
    Ellen laughed. She had quite the nicest laugh – amusement in music, feminine and unaffected. She was a tall girl with a pert cock to her fair head and a delicately angular face under broad temples. Ellery decided quickly that Miss Craig was not all on the surface. There was buried treasure here, and he found himself in a mood for digging.
    So when Rusty and John wandered off to act as lookouts for the other expected guests, and Craig permitted himself good-humouredly to be dragged off by Mrs. Brown for a horoscope reading, Ellery said, ‘Do you mind being left in my company, Miss Craig?’
    â€˜I’ll tell you a secret, Mr. Queen. I’ve had a hopeless crush on you ever since I read your book.’
    â€˜Thank heaven you don’t think me precocious!’ Ellery looked apprehensive. ‘You’re over twenty-one, aren’t you?’
    Ellen laughed. ‘I’ll be twenty-two in April.’
    â€˜Then let’s go find ourselves an abandoned inglenook or something,’ Mr. Queen said enthusiastically,