Spider's Web

The Inspector went across to the panel. "Mrs. Hailsham-Brown knew that Costello's body was in the recess," he insisted. "Whether she dragged it there herself, or whether you helped her, I don't know. But I'm convinced that she knew." He came back to face Sir Rowland. "I suggest," he continued, "that Oliver Costello came here to see Mrs. Hailsham-Brown and to obtain money from her by threats."

"Threats?" Sir Rowland asked. "Threats of what?"

"That will all come out in due course, I have no doubt," the Inspector assured him. "Mrs. Hailsham-Brown is young and attractive. This Mr. Costello was a great man for the ladies, they say. Now, Mrs. Hailsham-Brown is newly married and – "

"Stop!" Sir Rowland interrupted peremptorily. "I must put you right on certain matters. You can confirm what I tell you easily enough. Henry Hailsham-Brown's first marriage was unfortunate. His wife, Miranda, was a beautiful woman, but unbalanced and neurotic. Her health and disposition had degenerated to such an alarming state that her little daughter had to be removed to a nursing home."

He paused in reflection. Then, "Yes, a really shocking state of affairs," he continued. "It seemed that Miranda had become a drug addict. How she obtained these drugs was not found out, but it was a very fair guess that she had been supplied with them by this man, Oliver Costello. She was infatuated with him, and finally ran away with him."

After another pause and a glance across at the Constable, to see if he was keeping up, Sir Rowland resumed his story. "Henry Hailsham-Brown, who is old-fashioned in his views, allowed Miranda to divorce him," he explained. "Henry has now found happiness and peace in his marriage with Clarissa, and I can assure you, Inspector, that there are no guilty secrets in Clarissa's life. There is nothing, I can swear, with which Costello could possibly threaten her."

The Inspector said nothing, but merely looked thoughtful.

Sir Rowland stood up, tucked his chair under the table, and walked over to the sofa. Then, turning to address the police officer again, he suggested, "Don't you think, Inspector, that you're on the wrong track altogether? Why should you be so certain that it was a person Costello came here to see? Why couldn't it have been a place?"

The Inspector now looked perplexed. "What do you mean, sir?" he asked.

"When you were talking to us about the late Mr. Sellon," Sir Rowland reminded him, "you mentioned that the Narcotic Squad took an interest in him. Isn't there a possible link there? Drugs – Sellon – Sellon's house?"

He paused but, receiving no reaction from the Inspector, continued, "Costello has been here once before, I understand, ostensibly to look at Sellon's antiques. Supposing Oliver Costello wanted something in this house. In that desk, perhaps."

The Inspector glanced at the desk, and Sir Rowland expanded on his theory. "There is the curious incident of a man who came here and offered an exorbitant price for that desk. Supposing it was that desk that Oliver Costello wanted to examine – wanted to search, if you like. Supposing that he was followed here by someone. And that that someone struck him down, there by the desk."

The Inspector did not seem impressed. "There's a good deal of supposition," he began, only to be interrupted by Sir Rowland, who insisted, "It's a very reasonable hypothesis."

"The hypothesis being," the Inspector queried, "that this somebody put the body in the recess?"

"Exactly."

"That would have to be somebody who knew about the recess," the Inspector observed.

"It could be someone who knew the house in the Sellons' time," Sir Rowland pointed out.

"Yes – that's all very well, sir," the Inspector replied impatiently, "but it still doesn't explain one thing – "

"What is that?" asked Sir Rowland.

The Inspector looked at him steadily. "Mrs. Hailsham-Brown knew the body was in that recess. She tried to prevent us looking there."

Sir Rowland opened his mouth to speak, but the Inspector held up a hand and continued, "It's no good trying to convince me otherwise. She knew."

For a few moments, a tense silence prevailed. Then Sir Rowland said, "Inspector, will you allow me to speak to my ward?"

"Only in my presence, sir," was the prompt reply.

"That will do."

The Inspector nodded. "Jones!" he called across to the Constable, who, understanding what was required of him, left the room by the hall door to fetch Clarissa.

"We are very much in your hands, Inspector," Sir Rowland told the police officer. "I will ask you to make what allowances you can."

"My one concern is to get at the truth, sir, and to find out who killed Oliver Costello," the Inspector replied.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

THE CONSTABLE came back into the room, holding the hall door open for Clarissa.

"Come in here, please, Mrs. Hailsham-Brown," the Inspector called. Clarissa entered from the hall, and Sir Rowland went over to her. He spoke very solemnly. "Clarissa, my dear," he said. "Will you do what I ask you? I want you to tell the Inspector the truth."