sir. They seem to have left now. But there are several still busy just out on the Heath.’
‘They will undoubtedly be back at Hillside shortly. And, in due course, they will be here, pestering us.’
‘No one’s called yet, sir.’
‘But they soon will, you may be sure. And, when they do, remember this. And tell Prosser and the boy. No one is to talk to those interfering busybodies without my prior permission. And I must be present at any interview with any officers of the law. I shall tell you in advance what to say. Is that understood?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘In that case, you can go. Tell Prosser I wish to eat at two o’clock sharp.’
As Stone left, Frankel gave the stuff in the bowl an extra strong blow with his pestle, and the lump finally shattered into fragments.
Dark clouds had now obscured London’s morning sunshine, and the light that had flooded into the Hillside windows was beginning to turn somewhat grey.
Left alone in the big room, Steele was taking the opportunity to examine the items in and on top of Austin’s desk. He was thwarted by the drawers on the left-hand side, which were locked, but the drawers on the right opened easily, and some of the contents were interesting. He had just extracted a small green notebook, and was turning the pages as Mason returned.
‘How is the girl?’ asked Steele.
‘She was very emotional, obviously. But Clare’s given her a strong sedative, and she’s sleeping now.’
‘A strong sedative? Where did she acquire that?’
‘Harriet has a substantial supply, prescribed by Dr Frankel.’
‘Good heavens! A ready supply of strong sedatives? At the disposal of a girl of eighteen?’
‘Frankel’s ordered small regular doses, apparently, with a reserve of tablets for bigger doses in emergency. According to Clare, the doctor thinks her sister’s on the verge of a nervous collapse.’
‘Considering the tension in this house, it’s hardly surprising.’
‘She seems to be living in a state of suppressed hysteria. Incredible that she should mistake a butcher’s hare for her pet cat!’
‘Not that incredible, surely, since the hare had been put in her cat’s basket and was mangled beyond recognition. Same colour fur, I imagine. It was a fiendish trick.’
‘Was it a trick, guv’nor? The housekeeper thinks it may have been an accident. She told me she was busy when the hare was delivered and she left it on the kitchen table. The cat could have dragged it to her basket and tried to eat it.’
‘Unlikely. You saw for yourself, the head had been removed, and the carcase violently mutilated. All to blur the picture.’
‘The cat could have done that.’
There was no doubt in Steele’s mind. ‘I think not. I’m sure someone intended Miss Harriet to assume her cat had been murdered, in order to drive her further out of her wits.’
Mason blew out air through pursed lips. ‘Well, that would certainly be a vile trick,’ he conceded. He watched Steele turn the pages of the green notebook. The point he’d made in the cafe continued to nag at him. ‘Still, it’s not a criminal offence, is it? Not like stabbing four men to death.’
Steele raised his eyebrows. ‘What are you saying, Jack?’
‘I don’t see why we’re spending so much time on the Austins. We’re supposed to be catching the Heath Maniac, aren’t we? There are a lot of other people we have to visit.’
‘I understand your concern.’ Steele closed the notebook and returned it to the drawer. ‘You’ll have to trust my intuition, old chap. There’s something wrong in this house. It may have a bearing on the Heath Maniac, or it may not. But I sense evil here. Bad things could be about to happen, and I think we should try to stop them.’
Mason sighed; nothing was going to change the major’s mind. But there were still practical matters to raise. ‘You haven’t forgotten we’re due at the Gilberts’ house at 3.30?’
‘We have plenty of time. While we’re in this
‘They will undoubtedly be back at Hillside shortly. And, in due course, they will be here, pestering us.’
‘No one’s called yet, sir.’
‘But they soon will, you may be sure. And, when they do, remember this. And tell Prosser and the boy. No one is to talk to those interfering busybodies without my prior permission. And I must be present at any interview with any officers of the law. I shall tell you in advance what to say. Is that understood?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘In that case, you can go. Tell Prosser I wish to eat at two o’clock sharp.’
As Stone left, Frankel gave the stuff in the bowl an extra strong blow with his pestle, and the lump finally shattered into fragments.
Dark clouds had now obscured London’s morning sunshine, and the light that had flooded into the Hillside windows was beginning to turn somewhat grey.
Left alone in the big room, Steele was taking the opportunity to examine the items in and on top of Austin’s desk. He was thwarted by the drawers on the left-hand side, which were locked, but the drawers on the right opened easily, and some of the contents were interesting. He had just extracted a small green notebook, and was turning the pages as Mason returned.
‘How is the girl?’ asked Steele.
‘She was very emotional, obviously. But Clare’s given her a strong sedative, and she’s sleeping now.’
‘A strong sedative? Where did she acquire that?’
‘Harriet has a substantial supply, prescribed by Dr Frankel.’
‘Good heavens! A ready supply of strong sedatives? At the disposal of a girl of eighteen?’
‘Frankel’s ordered small regular doses, apparently, with a reserve of tablets for bigger doses in emergency. According to Clare, the doctor thinks her sister’s on the verge of a nervous collapse.’
‘Considering the tension in this house, it’s hardly surprising.’
‘She seems to be living in a state of suppressed hysteria. Incredible that she should mistake a butcher’s hare for her pet cat!’
‘Not that incredible, surely, since the hare had been put in her cat’s basket and was mangled beyond recognition. Same colour fur, I imagine. It was a fiendish trick.’
‘Was it a trick, guv’nor? The housekeeper thinks it may have been an accident. She told me she was busy when the hare was delivered and she left it on the kitchen table. The cat could have dragged it to her basket and tried to eat it.’
‘Unlikely. You saw for yourself, the head had been removed, and the carcase violently mutilated. All to blur the picture.’
‘The cat could have done that.’
There was no doubt in Steele’s mind. ‘I think not. I’m sure someone intended Miss Harriet to assume her cat had been murdered, in order to drive her further out of her wits.’
Mason blew out air through pursed lips. ‘Well, that would certainly be a vile trick,’ he conceded. He watched Steele turn the pages of the green notebook. The point he’d made in the cafe continued to nag at him. ‘Still, it’s not a criminal offence, is it? Not like stabbing four men to death.’
Steele raised his eyebrows. ‘What are you saying, Jack?’
‘I don’t see why we’re spending so much time on the Austins. We’re supposed to be catching the Heath Maniac, aren’t we? There are a lot of other people we have to visit.’
‘I understand your concern.’ Steele closed the notebook and returned it to the drawer. ‘You’ll have to trust my intuition, old chap. There’s something wrong in this house. It may have a bearing on the Heath Maniac, or it may not. But I sense evil here. Bad things could be about to happen, and I think we should try to stop them.’
Mason sighed; nothing was going to change the major’s mind. But there were still practical matters to raise. ‘You haven’t forgotten we’re due at the Gilberts’ house at 3.30?’
‘We have plenty of time. While we’re in this
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