Free The Mermaid in the Basement by Gilbert Morris

remember where you went, sir. After you left the theatre, which direction did you take?”
    Clive’s hands began to tremble. Even Serafina saw it, and her father said nervously, “What is it, Clive?”
    “I don’t like to be questioned like this.”
    Grant said at once, “It’s either here or we’ll take you down to the station.”
    “The station! You mean you’d arrest me?”
    “There’s been a tragic event, Mr. Newton,” Winters said. His voice was soft, but his icy blue eyes were fixed on Clive. “You are acquainted with Miss Katherine Fairfield?”
    “Yes, slightly.”
    “I understand that you’ve been seeing her quite regularly.”
    “We’ve been out together.What about it?”
    Grant spoke, his words harsh. “Her maid found her this morning.
    She’d been murdered. Slashed terribly.”
    Serafina’s eyes went at once to Clive. She saw him turn pale, and he ran his hands through his hair in a gesture she’d seen often in her brother when he was disturbed.
    “I—I can’t believe it . . .” Clive stammered. They all saw that he was shaken by the news, but Winters and Grant would see his behaviour in a different light. Even to Serafina, Clive gave the appearance of a guilty man.
    “It’s true enough,” Winters said. “A great tragedy. A most brutal murder.”
    “But—why are you talking to me?”
    “We understand,” Grant said, relentless in his questioning, “that you had an altercation with Miss Fairfield at the theatre last night.”
    Clive swallowed hard and looked at his father and then at Serafina.He dropped his head and muttered, “We had an argument.”
    “Did you threaten to kill her?”
    “Certainly not!”
    “I’m afraid,” Superintendent Winters said, “we have witnesses that will testify that you did make such threats. Mr. Newton, I think you’d better tell us all of your movements from the time you left the theatre.”
    Serafina’s throat seemed to close as she listened to Clive stumble with his words. He was obviously making up the story, but one thing seemed clear. He had been drunk, and when he drank he usually could not remember what he did.
    “I—I do remember going to the Seven Dials section.”
    “Why did you go there?”
    “I—I don’t know.”
    “What did you do while you were there, Mr.Newton?”Grant persisted.
    Clive dropped his head. “A woman approached me.We went to get a drink together, and afterward we—we went to her room.”
    “What was her name?”
    “I didn’t ask her. But she gave me these scratches on my face. She wanted too much money, and I argued with her.”
    “Can you describe her, Mr. Newton?” Superintendent Winters asked quietly. “It’s very important that we find her—important for you, I mean.”
    “I don’t remember,” Clive said. “I was drunk. I do remember she had blonde hair, and she was very tall. That’s all I can remember.”
    “What street were you on?” Grant demanded.
    As Grant fired direct questions, Septimus exchanged despairing glances with Serafina. They both were sick at heart. Finally Grant said, “We have a search warrant, Mr. Newton.” He spoke to Septimus. “We’ll have to search your son’s room.”
    “Of course,” Septimus whispered. “I’ll take you up there.”
    The two detectives turned, but Winters said, “I have a sergeant outside. He’ll have to stay with you, Mr. Newton, while we’re searching your room.”
    “I’ll call him in.” Grant left the room and was back in a few minutes. With him was a small man, no more than five feet eight inches, with sandy hair, sharp light brown eyes, and a neat mustache. “This is Sergeant Kenzie. Kenzie, you will remain with Mr.Newton here while we search his room.”
    “That I will, sir.”
    The two detectives moved toward the stairway, and the maid came in at that moment with the tea. “Will you have some tea, Sergeant Kenzie?” Newton asked.
    “That would be vury good, sir,” he said in a thick Scottish accent. “I’m sorry