Free Superfluous Women by Carola Dunn Page A

out, a bottle of something good might have been overlooked. However, the door was locked and they had not been provided with a key.”
    â€œThey could have sent for a locksmith.”
    â€œI daresay they would have in due time, when they’d settled in. But that’s mere speculation. I offered to take a look and see if I might be able to help. It’s a simple, old-fashioned lock, as no doubt you noticed.”
    â€œEasy to pick.”
    â€œFor anyone with the slightest knowledge and skill, and a suitable instrument. Miss Chandler produced a wire coat hanger. The ladies, including my wife, accompanied me to the door to watch—”
    â€œIncluding Miss—the cook, Miss Sutcliffe is it?”
    â€œShe was there when I opened it. She saw us pass the kitchen, I suppose, and followed to see what was up. Picking the lock took only a few moments. As soon as I pushed the door open, all four ladies fled to the kitchen and closed the door.”
    â€œAnd who can blame them!” DI Underwood said feelingly. “I’d’ve liked to turn tail myself. How would you account for none of them noticing the stink before? The cellar isn’t completely airtight. You didn’t get a whiff as you approached?”
    â€œNothing suggestive of decay, but…” He flared his nostrils, remembering. “Carbolic!”
    â€œI knew it! They did smell it and tried to conceal it.”
    â€œHold on. It’s more likely, wouldn’t you say, that they smelled something vaguely unpleasant and tried to eliminate it with disinfectant.”
    â€œSpeculation, sir.” Underwood’s face was bland. “We better get this straight, sir, so we understand each other. I hope you won’t take it amiss. You’re a superior officer, I’m not questioning that, but this is my patch. Unless I decide I can’t cope, and my super agrees, this case is my pigeon. I won’t say you couldn’t be useful to me. But when all’s said and done, you’re a witness. Even was I to call for the Yard to help, chances are it wouldn’t be you they sent.”
    â€œFor witness, read suspect. You’re quite right, Inspector,” Alec acknowledged ruefully.
    â€œAt least at this stage of the game. I hope you won’t hold it against me, sir. Seems to me, though, for the present we’d better stick to the facts, as you said.”
    â€œMeaning a description of what I saw when I opened the cellar door. All right, here goes. For a start, you must realise that all I had to see by was a small torch. If there’s electric lighting down there, I didn’t care to look about for the switch.”
    â€œI don’t blame you. Proper pongy that was. I’d go so far as to say the most revolting pong I’ve ever smelt.”
    â€œFar be it from me to contradict you.”
    â€œHaving warning, we brought an arc light. As it happens, there is an electric bulb in the cellar, but the switch is awkwardly placed, an arm’s length from the door. A quick look with a torch—You wouldn’t have taken in much beyond a very dead woman, I suppose.”
    â€œA bit more. I’m a copper after all, even if beyond my bailiwick, and a detective to boot. I noted the broken rail on the left, of course. The woman was lying on her back, just below it. She appeared to be well dressed, in tweeds, a silk blouse, and pearls, whether real or imitation I couldn’t tell from above.”
    â€œBut you could tell her blouse was silk?”
    â€œThe material had a sheen. Could have been artificial silk, to be sure, but the rest suggested otherwise. She was wearing one shoe, well-polished, again judging from the sheen.”
    â€œNot much dust down there.”
    â€œNo. The cellar is supposedly nearly airtight. I didn’t see the second shoe.”
    â€œIt was found on the floor, directly below the landing.”
    â€œHmm. It must have come off as she