Devious Murder by George Bellairs Page B

dominated by a large dressing-table littered with cosmetics, and held many small tables and chairs, as though the tenant could entertain friends and provide refreshments at the same time. The whole was in pink. The bathroom came as a shock after the classical efforts of the other two; it was in white marble, with a huge sunken bath and the most modern plumbing.
    Littlejohn and Cromwell were interested most in the windows and the views they gave of the adjacent flats. The bedroom window was large, wide, and heavily curtained. Obviously Charles Blunt had had an almost full view of the room, including the well-lighted interior, when the curtains were not drawn. The same applied to the boudoir, the window of which was smaller, yet admitted an almost full sight of the dressing-table on which, normally, Mrs. Havenith’s jewellery must often have lain.
    The police were in no position to search the house. All they needed for the time being was to obtain a preliminary glance of the arrangement of rooms and furniture.
    There were two more suites on the corridor, one of which was occupied by Mr. Havenith when he visited the place. There was no connecting door between the suites. The other one,according to Mrs. Morgan, was that of Mr. Leo Havenith when he was in residence. The detectives made a cursory tour of all the rooms. The suites, other than Mrs. Havenith’s, were not so favourably placed for inspection from the
Orchard Court
flats, to which they stood at an angle which cut off half the view.
    Throughout Mrs. Morgan watched the operation silently, tight-lipped, disapproving, as though they were violating some sacred retreat.
    â€˜You will, of course, tell Mrs. Havenith that we’ve been here and let her know the reason for our visit.…’
    â€˜I certainly will. I don’t know what she will say. She is a sensitive lady and will not like the idea of her rooms being visited by strangers.’
    â€˜I will call to see her as soon as she returns,’ said Littlejohn.
    They all descended to the ground floor, where Cairncross and Morgan were still waiting for them, in spite of Cairncross’s truculence when they left them.
    â€˜And now for the burglar alarms; then we’ll leave you in peace,’ said Cromwell.
    Mrs. Morgan seemed relieved.
    â€˜That is Mr. Cairncross’s department,’ she said. ‘If you’ve finished with my husband and me we’ll leave you. We have work to do.’
    Morgan made a gesture of shaking hands, but his wife hauled him off before he could complete the ceremony.
    â€˜A queer couple,’ said Cairncross, treacherously, as the Morgans disappeared, the husband following her meekly without a look behind.
    â€˜Why queer?’ asked Cromwell.
    Cairncross chuckled malevolently as though he owed them a grudge.
    â€˜She’s the brains of the outfit. Poor Morgan does as he’s told.He seems to enjoy it. It stimulates him and he thinks the world of her. As for her; she keeps her love for Mrs. Havenith. Adores her. I’m sure she’d kill anybody who harmed her.…’
    â€˜What about the burglar alarms?’ interjected Cromwell.
    â€˜This way.…’
    Cairncross led them to a door under the stairs, which he opened with a key on his key-ring. He switched on the light and revealed an object like a gas stove, except that it was bristling with electrical points and wires.
    â€˜Nobody’s admitted here except me. Not even the Haveniths,’ said Cairncross proudly. ‘And, of course, the mechanics of the firm who supplied it.’
    He pointed out the ramifications and various virtues of the outfit.
    â€˜Every window and outside door is wired. As soon as anybody sets off the alarm the police station terminal functions. Before the intruder’s got properly inside the house the police are here. I’m already on the spot when they arrive because I’m only round the corner, in my flat, you see. Added to that, bells