Alibi for Inspector West Read online

  “Shall I ever forget her!”

  “She wasn’t unlike Maisie Dunster,” he told her. “Only Maisie’s much more attractive.”

  “And seductive?” Janet, quite free from tension now, went on, “Darling, I hate myself when I behave like I did tonight, I really do. No, don’t interrupt.” She put a hand over his lips, and went on with words she had obviously rehearsed over and over again. “I know you have the job to do, I know we’ve had this kind of upset before, I know there are times when I hate the job so much that I could climb on the roof and cry “down with Scotland Yard!”—” She paused, momentarily, a gleam of laughter in her eyes. “But deep down I also know that you love it more than I hate it, that you couldn’t really live without the Yard but I can live with the situation even if I do have to let off steam sometimes. You needn’t worry, you really needn’t. Just—” She broke off again and went on with only a slight change of tone, “Just keep me hopeful with promises of what we’ll do when you do retire. After all, it won’t be more than five years now, and we’ve had twenty-five already, so it isn’t really too long.”

  “No,” he said, huskily. And then, “I’ll keep you hopeful.”

  “Don’t promise you’ll have every other weekend off and ten days” leave every quarter,” she protested, half-laughing. “Just be with me as much as you can, darling. Please “ Slowly the laughter faded and there was a new earnestness, new intentness in her manner. “You’re all I’ve got, you know. The boys, bless them, aren’t mine any longer, not in the true sense—and on a night like this they’re on your side. I love you so much,” she went on quietly. “Do you know, since those tennis club days I’ve never looked at another man. And—darling! Let me finish. I do not want to know whether you have looked at another woman. I really don’t. I don’t mind what you do provided you’re happy, and I hate myself when I add to your problems.”

  There were tears in her eyes.

  And his eyes stung.

  • • •

  Later, when their bodies had intermingled with a passion which they had not known for a long time, they fell asleep.

  When, just after half past seven, Martin brought in a tea tray, Roger was still holding her tightly.

  “Whoops!” exclaimed Scoop. “See you later.”

  He put down the tray and fled.

  • • •

  On the Monday morning, Roger and Janet after waking early, were talking about the case. Relaxed in a chair by the bedside with Janet sitting against pillows, a bed- jacket draped over her shoulders, Roger could see the whole series of incidents more clearly. Now and again Janet asked a question, for clarification, but for the most part it was a monologue. The tea was cold in the pot and the room warm from hot sunshine when the telephone bell rang. He picked up the extension by the side of the bed, and glanced at the clock. It was a little after nine.

  “Roger West,” he announced, expecting someone from the Yard.

  “Mr. West,” a woman said, and he knew at once that this was Rachel Warrender, “I will be grateful if you can spare me an hour this morning.”

  “I may not be able to fit in an hour,” Roger had to reply. “Will half an hour do?”

  “You’re very kind. Shall I come to your office?”

  “If you do, it will have to be official,”Roger said.

  She hesitated for a moment, then said huskily, “You’re quite right, thank you. Where do you suggest?” Roger was looking at Janet and framing the name “Rachel W” with his lips. Janet’s eyes widened and she stretched out a hand, whispering, “Roger!”

  “Just a moment,” Roger covered the mouthpiece with his hand. “Had a brainwave?”

  “Why not ask her here?” Janet suggested. “I could bring in some coffee or a drink, and I’d love to see her.”

  It was a sensible idea, it would help to seal their new understanding, the new mood, and Roger turned back to the telephone.

  “If you could be at my home in half an hour or so, we could talk here.”

  “Oh, that would be splendid!” He had not heard Rachel Warrender speak with such spirit before. “I may be a little more than half an hour, I’m at my office in Lincoln’s Inn, but I’ll be with you as soon as I can.”

  She rang off.

  As Roger replaced the receiver, Janet was getting out of bed. She edged towards the window, so that she couldn’t be seen from the street. Stretching up to draw the curtains, her skin was so white, her figure so lovely, her hair so dark where it fell about her shoulders, that he caught his breath.

  “If she’ll be here in half an hour I’ve got to get a move on.” Out of the tail of her eye she saw him get up from the chair. “Darling, you get shaved quickly. I’ll have to make some toast—darling, you’ll have to. I—Roger!” she almost screamed. “Roger, there isn’t time!”

  “I know,” he said, enveloping her. “And I’m nearly an old man.” He held her very tightly, then kissed her on the forehead and let her go. “I’ll get my own breakfast.”

  He bathed, shaved, made toast, piled on butter and marmalade, made instant coffee, telephoned the Yard to say he would not be in the office until eleven thirty or so, checked that nothing new had developed over the Rapelli case and that Fogarty, Campbell and Rapelli, the only remaining three on any kind of charge, all appeared to have spent good nights. So far, so good.

  “And Tom,” he said to Danizon, “I must be in court when the charges against Campbell are made. Will you see that he’s not heard until midday—noon—at the earliest?”

  “Yes, sir,” Danizon said. “What about Fogarty?”

  “If he’s released, make sure he’s effectively trailed,” Roger said.

  “I’ll see to it, sir,” said Danizon. “I can tell you that Mr. Coppell will be out most of the day, he’s going to that conference of European Police. And the commissioner will be out too—he’s going to the luncheon reception.”

  Roger laughed.

  “Almost a free day, in fact!”

  “If I were you, sir,” said Danizon, “I’d take at least part of the day off. Just go to court and—but I’m sorry, sir. I’m talking out of turn.”

  Roger could almost see him go pink with confusion as he rang off.

  A moment later, Janet came out of the sitting-room, a housecap sloping over one eye, a small apron over her nightdress. She carried a mop and a duster and a can of furniture-polish spray. Her nose and cheeks were shiny and her lips pale.

  “I’ll have my bath now and get dressed—you open the door when she comes. I’ll bring coffee at a quarter past ten, is that right?”

  “Ten o’clock,” urged Roger. “I’m not sure how this interview will go, and I could make heavy weather of it.”

  “Why?” asked Janet. “Isn’t she buxom enough for you?”

  Five minutes later he was outside, snipping the fading heads off some scarlet parrot tulips and noticing the trimness of lawn and hedge which he had hardly seen during the pressures of the past few weeks. Did either of the boys help Janet much? he wondered. Or was this mostly her work? Practically nothing needed doing, he must remember to compliment her.

  He was pulling a few weeds, mostly seedlings, when a car drew up. He looked through the thick privet hedge, able to see that it was a white M.G.: just the car he could imagine Rachel Warrender having. And it was her. She climbed out, and he was slightly startled by her appearance, for she wore a white linen trouser-suit, accentuating her youth and slimness of figure, and a small, round, sailor hat. Not at all the average person’s con-ception of a woman solicitor, Roger thought amusedly. He felt sure that Janet, watching out of the window, would have eyes rounded in surprise.

  “Good morning, Miss Warrender,” he called across the hedge. “You found the house all right, then.”

  She started, and turned to look at him. And now he was even more startled: in fact appalled. For she looked in terrible distress. Her beautiful eyes were shadowed, and so glassy that he doubted if she had slept all night. She nodded, and formed the words
“good morning”, but did not utter a sound. He met her at the gate, and saw that there were tears in her eyes as well as lines at her forehead and mouth. He didn’t shake hands but led the way to the front door, said, “The door on the right,” and followed her into the sittingroom.

  Roger doubted whether she would have noticed if this had been a pigsty, she was so preoccupied with her own problems. She sat down in a chair, looking so ill and troubled that he even found himself wondering whether she took drugs and was in urgent need of a shot.

  Then, she looked at him very straightly, and said, “Mr. West, I think you are the only man who can help me, and I’m not even sure that you will. May I tell you what is troubling me? And may I beg you to give me your advice?”

  Chapter Fifteen

  RACHEL

  “If I can help, I certainly will,” Roger answered, gently. “And if it’s something which, as a policeman, I can’t discuss, I’ll tell you. Are you comfortable there?”

  “Perfectly, thank you.”

  “Will you have a cup of coffee, or—?”

  “Nothing, thank you.” She sat upright, and placed her hands on the arms of her chair. “In the beginning it was very simple, but I now believe that you were right and I was wrong. I am afraid that Mario Rapelli did attack Verdi. When I appeared in court I felt sure that he was a victim of conspiracy, and that the police wanted a conviction whether he was guilty or not guilty. I don’t think that is true now.”

  “I’m very glad,” Roger said; he wanted to hear all she had to say before asking questions.

  “Even last night, when we talked, I hoped I was right first time. But I now have proof that Maisie lied in the witness box and that the other witnesses also lied to me. And I’ve made another discovery, Mr. West, in its way just as bad.” She leaned forward, her eyes seeming to grow bigger and bigger. “I’ve had a private investigator checking. I know that the two men who saw the attack on Verdi, your two witnesses I believe, were approached and offered a substantial sum of money to renege. Smith- son refused, but Campbell agreed.” Now, her face seemed nothing but eyes. “Smithson is dead, and Campbell switched right round and tried to compromise you.”

  When she stopped, Roger said evenly, “Do you know who killed Smithson?”

  “Fogarty, of course.” Rachel paused, as if to find the right word, then went on, “I believe Fogarty was paid to run Smithson down. I know he claims to have been drunk but—did you know that he was practically a non- drinker?”

  “The medical reports say that he had little or no alcohol in his blood that night,” said Roger.

  “I should have known you would have discovered that,” remarked Rachel. “My father—” She caught her breath. “My father begged me not to take this case. Why was he so anxious I shouldn’t take it? Why — ?” She caught her breath again, and added, “If the worst thing that happened as a result of this were a blow to my pride, it wouldn’t matter a fig. But—”

  Roger believed that she was coming to the crux of the visit. But there was a reservation in his mind, one he had to consider although emotionally he found the suspicion difficult to justify.

  She could be fooling him.

  These huge; brown eyes which looked so weary could be affected by eye drops or by drugs. Her story could be partly false; she could be presenting the case in such a way as to disarm him, to convince him (and so the police) that if she had committed any crime it was unwittingly: that she was the victim of criminals who had used her as a front. Roger knew that any solicitor who knowingly represented an accused man who was bribing witnesses, would be struck off without mercy, and she must know this too. She could be fighting for her whole future in her profession.

  He wanted to believe what she said, but so much would depend on what she was going to say now.

  Through tightly set lips, she went on, “I don’t think you know this, Mr. West, but Mario and I used—used to see a great deal of each other.” The words came as if she had to force each one out with a conscious effort. “I—I loved him, Mr. West—but when I discovered he was meeting Maisie Dunster and going to all these odd parties, I stopped seeing him. Then, the other day, he telephoned me and said he was in trouble. It was such a shock, both what he told me and hearing from him again—I was just beginning to forget him—” Rachel bit her lip “—I told him I couldn’t possibly take the case. Then, almost at the last minute, I changed my mind. That was why he looked so startled when I appeared in court. I believed what he’d told me, Mr. West—after all, it was because of Maisie and those—those parties, that I gave him up.” She laughed bitterly. “But it now appears that he paid —bribed—all these people to lie for him. And bribed them before he attacked Verdi. If he’d struck Verdi in a fit of rage, I wouldn’t have been so troubled. If he’d told me exactly what had happened, I’d have done everything humanly possible, I would have paid for the best possible counsel. But he deliberately lied to me. Deceived me. Found the money to pay these false witnesses. Yet he earns scarcely enough to keep himself; he has often borrowed from me.”

  She paused, as if for breath, and now Roger no longer doubted her sincerity.

  “Where is he getting the money?” Rachel asked chokingly. “Who is financing him, and why? Did he attack Verdi for personal reasons, or was there some other reason? Why was my father so desperately anxious I shouldn’t take this case? Can you find out, Mr. West? Before next Thursday when Mario comes up for the second hearing? I need to know before—before I decide whether to defend him or not. Can you, please?”

  And now Roger thought he knew what she was asking.

  She realised he would find out all he could about Rapelli and the murder, that he would go ail out to get at the truth; and she wanted him to tell her, the defending solicitor, in advance. But he simply could not tell her except through the normal channels—and that would have to be at the trial. To help her before the police court hearing he would have to betray not only the general police code but his own standards.

  Yet how could he say no?

  • • •

  Roger heard Janet come down the stairs, and guessed she would soon be in with the coffee. He wasn’t at all sure that her presence would help this situation, but knew, after what had happened, that he could not keep her away. But he could prepare Rachel for her arrival and at the same time give himself the chance to think.

  “Rachel,” he said, suddenly, “my wife will bring some coffee in a few minutes. I would like to ponder this until she’s gone.”

  Rachel made no protest of any kind, and showed little reaction.

  “You will consider it?” She sounded pleading.

  “I will.”

  “You—you’re very good,” she said huskily.

  Five minutes later Janet came in, looking fresh and elegant in a dark brown dress, her hair attractive, her make-up perfect. She was at her beautiful best, and carried off a situation like this as few others could. She was obviously curious but didn’t ask questions; was pleasant and friendly but overdid nothing.

  Suddenly, she stood up.

  “Roger dear, do pour Miss Warrender some more coffee, when she’s ready. I have to go out. Miss Warrender, I don’t know whether to hope you win, or Roger, but I do hope you both come out of this case with credit.”

  “Especially your husband,” Rachel said drily.

  “If it has to be one or the other—yes!” Janet laughed, shook hands, and left. Rachel watched her go out of the room and then looked at Roger wonderingly.

  “What a lovely woman!”

  “We certainly agree about that,” Roger said, laughing. “And I agree”—he sobered immediately—” that we have a difficult problem. I would like to help, but helping at this stage, if it were known, could create an intolerable situation for me. You have no idea what happens when a police officer stretches the law.”

  “I can imagine,” Rachel said. She looked better, brighter, but there was tension in her voice again. “Are you telling me nicely that you won’t help?”
/>   “No,” Roger said. “I am simply saying that I need to study all the angles before I make you any promise. When must you know?”

  “I don’t need to know until Wednesday morning, I suppose,” she replied. “An hour would give me time to find someone else to represent Mario. Will you let me have word one way or the other by Wednesday at nine o’clock?”

  “Yes,” promised Roger.

  She rose to her feet, her expression even brighter, and clasped his hand with both of hers.

  “You’re very kind and understanding,” she said. “Thank you very much. And now I must go. I’ve taken up far too much of your time already.”

  He showed her to the door and she stepped along the path too quickly for him to reach and open the gate for her. He did not want to attract much attention from his neighbours, so he turned back into the house. It was too early to reach any kind of conclusion, but he had become very predisposed towards helping the girl.

  But supposing he did, and it were found out? What would Trevillion do or say? What would be his chances of staying in the Force, and what would be the result if he didn’t? If he were dismissed ignominiously, would he still be eligible for the Allsafe job?

  Supposing he checked that with Artemeus before he made a decision?

  He thrust the thought aside. He hadn’t even decided whether to tell Janet about the offer, hadn’t decided whether he wanted the job, good though it was. He had to decide on the strength of his feeling for or against the Yard, not on one issue which was a long way from being typical. There were short term things he had to do; among them, see Rapelli.

  But first, the Yard.

  He heard Janet hurrying down the stairs, went to the foot of them and called, “Can I give you a lift?”

  “Oh, darling, if you would.” Janet’s eyes lit up. “I’m going to a committee meeting at the Town Hall, if you could just drop me off there.”

  Ten minutes later he leaned across and opened the door for her, vividly reminded of doing exactly that for Maisie Dunster only a few hours ago, only a few hundred yards away from here. He did not dwell on that, but drove quickly to the Yard through thick traffic. The day was warm, the exhaust fumes were strong, it was the kind of day when anyone who had to work indoors was likely to be bad-tempered.