Free Inspector West Takes Charge by John Creasey Page B

in his pockets.
    Then a sergeant called for a word with Lampard.
    Harrington said: ‘I’ll be back in a few minutes.’
    The door closed on him. Roger put a hand at Janet’s waist, and said lightly: ‘Have I got competition?’
    ‘I like him,’ Janet said. ‘He’s sore, and he’s got an awful load on his mind. Perhaps he’s irritable after coming here and seeing what it would be like to be rich. What do you think of him?’
    ‘Tough, resourceful, secretive, and possibly with a chip on his shoulder. Apart from the inheritance and don’t take any notice when he says he doesn’t want Dreem’s fortune if he’s brooded over a raw deal from the family, he could have killed for that. No, it’s not likely, but it’s on the cards. The more I think about the case,’ Roger went on slowly, ‘the worse it gets. That Fenton killing was absolutely cold-blooded, and we’ve at least one murder to solve. It increases the possibility that the Prendergasts were murdered, too. And Potter, damn it, Potter wouldn’t be so obvious as to bring Fenton here and then plan the murder, so that I had a nice little witness, stone dead and uninformative.’
    ‘I don’t like you when you talk like that,’ said Janet. ‘It makes you sound as callous as Lampard. Roger, do you think Claude was poisoned?’
    ‘Of course he was,’ Roger said.
    ‘I don’t mean that,’ said Janet, ‘what I mean is well, was he poisoned before he went to see Mark, because he was going to see Mark? Or would he have been killed in any case?’
    ‘Good question,’ Roger said.
    ‘I wish Mark would come,’ Janet said, restlessly, and then raised one hand. ‘My goodness, I’d forgotten! You know that little man Morgan -’
    ‘Pep Morgan?’
    ‘Yes. Isn’t he a private detective?’
    ‘There are other names for him.’
    ‘He called this evening, and left some notes for Mark,’ Janet’ said. ‘They’re in my bag. He said that’ Mark was expecting them.’ She picked her bag up, and drew out an envelope. ‘Do you think we ought to open this?’
    ‘No,’ said Roger. He took the envelope, and ripped it open. As he read he raised one eyebrow. ‘It’s a list of the people who have been in and out of Gabriel Potter’s office, and of Gabriel’s movements. Three people Pep couldn’t identify called, as well as our Maisie, Sir Andrew McFallen and a Gregory Hauteby. Nothing startling. It’s a pity.’
    ‘What’s a pity?’
    ‘That Mark’s not at the Yard. He’s got the right attitude towards routine investigating. Like you, I wish –’
    The door opened, and Lampard put his head round it.
    ‘We’ve found your pal Lessing,’ he announced, and withdrew without another word.
    ‘Is he hurt?’ cried Janet.
    Roger hurried after Lampard, seeing Harrington come out of a cloakroom, rubbing the backs of his hands. The door leading to the domestic quarters was blocked open, and there were movements in the passage beyond of men, and a stretcher.
    ‘Oh, no!’ exclaimed Janet. Her hand was tight on Roger’s arm.
    Mark was on the stretcher, and his face was colourless. There were scratches on his cheeks, an ugly bruise on the side of his face. But even from where they were standing they could see that he was breathing.
    Lampard appeared by Roger’s side.
    ‘Found him in a ditch,’ he said briefly. ‘He doesn’t seem too bad. Shall we take over a room here?’ It was the first time Lampard had shown any indecision.
    ‘With Claude hors de combat, Harrington’s the host,’ said Roger. ‘Unless Maisie appears and we could tell her that Claude gave the permission.’ He turned to Harrington.
    ‘It’s all right with me, if that means anything.’
    The manservant, Petrie, was near the stretcher, with two elderly women. They hurried upstairs to prepare a room. Janet and the nurse from Claude’s room spent ten minutes with Mark, and passed the same verdict as Lampard.
    ‘I’ll sit with him,’ Janet volunteered.
    ‘I’ll wait here until