Behold Here's Poison (29 page)
Read Behold Here's Poison Online
Authors: Georgette Heyer
Hannasyde got up. 'Mr Matthews, do you realise the part you've played in this?' he demanded.
'None better,' said Randall. 'I rather think I must be an accessory after the fact.'
'Do you imagine that I can possibly hush this up?'
'Well, what do you propose to do about it?' Randall inquired amiably. 'Are you going to get the Public Prosecutor to bring a case against a dead man?'
'Have you any proof of what you've told me?'
'There will be Rumbold's written statement, and I have preserved for your perusal the evidence culled from my Uncle Hyde's papers. In my character of executor I burned everything but the documents that dealt with Rumbold's case. I think your department will keep it as quiet as possible, Superintendent. Cases of the murder of blackmailers are rather ticklish, aren't they? So few people have any sympathy with the victim. You can, of course, bring a case against me for suppressing evidence, but under the circumstances, I'm inclined to think that might be a bit ticklish, too. You would merely stir up a great deal of mud for nothing. May I offer you a whiskey-and-soda?'
'Yes, you may!' said Hannasyde, with something of a snap.
Randall gave his soft laugh, and went over to a table against the wall where the whiskey decanter stood, and mixed two drinks. He came back with them, and gave one to Hannasyde. 'Well, Superintendent?' he said.
Hannasyde sat down again. 'You had better tell me the rest of it. If I choose to bring it up against you at a prosecution, it will only be my word against yours,' he added sarcastically.
'I shouldn't dream of contradicting you,' said Randall in his most dulcet voice.
'When did you see Rumbold?'
'Today, when I left Grinley Heath.'
'Where? Not at his home?'
'No, certainly not. At his office. He was quite prepared for my visit. We went out to lunch together, and over lunch he told me what I have told you, and I described to him my part in the affair, and gave him my word that I would do what lay in my power to keep the truth from Mrs Rumbold.'
There was not a trace of expression in Randall's voice, but Hannasyde cast one shrewd glance at him, and said in a softer tone: 'Not a very pleasant lunch, Mr Matthews.'
Randall said dryly: 'That, Superintendent, is putting it mildly.'
Hannasyde nodded. 'I can guess how you must feel about it.'
'Let's leave it at that, shall we?' suggested Randall, with an edge to his voice.
Hannasyde sipped his drink for a while in silence. Presently he said: 'And that's why you so carefully stayed away from here all day? To give Rumbold time to do away with himself?'
'You will have a great deal of difficulty in proving that, my dear Superintendent.'
Hannasyde smiled somewhat wryly, but all he said was: 'Did you expect to find some of the Hyde-papers in your uncle's desk that day you went down to the Poplars with Mr Carrington and me?'
'No, it hadn't dawned on me then. I expected to find what we did find—letters relating to my Uncle Henry's affair. Luckily, not as bad as they might have been.'
Hannasyde could not forbear a grin. 'You behaved atrociously over that, Mr Matthews.'
'At least I not only got rid of my dear Aunt Gertrude for you, but quite effectually stopped her smelling any rat.'
'Well, yes,' admitted Hannasyde. 'Still—! Was it the sun-glasses that gave it to you?'
'Not immediately. I don't think I can tell you when I first began to suspect. It was the quite freely-expressed opinion of my late father that my uncle was a bad hat, so that I started with an advantage over you in that I was prejudiced against him. Then, too, I had been privileged to observe his handling of my Uncle Henry, and of Dr Fielding. Probably that modified form of blackmail may have put the idea into my head. It—ah, burst into flower when you came to see me one day, and asked me what the name of Hyde conveyed to me. I rather think that I may have been a trifle flippant with you, Superintendent.'
'Very,' said Hannasyde emphatically. 'You suggested first Parks, and then Stevenson.'
'And no sooner was the word out of my mouth,' said Randall, 'than the idea of a dual personality flashed into my head. Not altogether unnaturally. You told me where Hyde lived, and I paid a call on his friend Brown, which I told you all about.'
'Oh, not quite all, Mr Matthews!'
Randall smiled. 'Well, let us say all that it was desirable you should know. When he was induced to divulge where Hyde had kept the key of his safe, I had no doubt that Hyde was none other than my uncle. A pleasing discovery, I can assure you.'
'That was why you looked as though you were ripe for murder when I suggested there had been a bond of sympathy between you?' said Hannasyde.
'Did I? I was certainly not flattered.'
'When did you get the key of that safe?'
'On the day of my uncle's funeral. His watch-chain, with the trinkets that hung on it, were in the drawer of his dressing-table.'
'After which,' said Hannasyde heavily, 'you got me to remove the detective who was watching you, so that you could visit that safe-deposit.'
Randall's eyes gleamed. 'My dear Superintendent, how can you say so? All I did was to complain of his boots.'
'Well, let that go,' said Hannasyde. 'You put that notice in the paper so that you could get at Hyde's papers.'
'And I have wanted so much to ask you how you got on with the General?' murmured Randall.
'Never mind that now. You took everything out of the safe, and burned it?'
'Everything except the papers relating to Rumbold. Those I kept in case of accidents.'
'And you were going to hush the whole thing up? Let Rumbold get away with it?'
'You must remember that I am not a policeman, Superintendent. I am merely concerned with my family's good name.'
'However much I personally may sympathise with that point of view, it was wrong, Mr Matthews!'
'Well, that isn't going to worry me,' said Randall tranquilly.
'Where is that statement you said you had for me?' asked Hannasyde.
Randall looked at him with amused comprehension. 'My dear Superintendent! Oh, but this isn't worthy of you! Did you really think I was going to hand it you, all guileless and trusting?'
'Where is it?' repeated Hannasyde.
Randall finished what was left of his drink. 'It's in the post, of course, and will reach you at Scotland Yard tomorrow morning.'
Hannasyde smiled reluctantly. 'You think of everything, don't you?'
'Well, not quite,' said Randall modestly.
Hannasyde set down his glass, and rose. 'I think I'll go and sleep on it,' he said. 'You don't seem to have left me much else to do—except clear up the mess.'
'You wrong me, Superintendent: there's very little mess. Much less than you would have made.'
'Yes,' admitted Hannasyde. 'From your point of view that's true enough. I take it your name doesn't figure in Rumbold's statement?'
'Oh no!' said Randall with a sleepy smile. 'I don't come into the case at all, my dear Superintendent.'
