'No, I don't want you to,' Laura cried. She clasped his arm, and then released him quickly with a nervous glance towards the house. 'I don't want you to!' she repeated urgently.
'You mustn't think that I don't understand - how it happened,' said Farrar, speaking with an effort. 'You picked up the gun, shot him without really knowing what you were doing, and -'
Laura gave a gasp of surprise. 'What? Are you trying to make me say I killed him?' she cried.
'Not at all,' Farrar responded. He sounded embarrassed. 'I've told you I'm perfectly prepared to take the blame if it comes to it.'
Laura shook her head in confusion. 'But - you said -' she began. 'You said you knew how it happened.'
He looked at her steadily. 'Listen, Laura,' he said. 'I don't think you did it deliberately. I don't think it was premeditated. I know it wasn't. I know quite well that you only shot him because -'
Laura interrupted quickly, 'I shot him?' she gasped.
'Are you really pretending to believe that I shot him?'
Turning his back on her, Farrar exclaimed angrily, For God's sake, this is impossible if we're not going to be honest with each other!'
Laura sounded desperate as, trying not to shout, she announced clearly and emphatically, 'I didn't shoot him, and you know it!'
There was a pause. Julian Farrar slowly turned to face her. 'Then who did?' he asked. Suddenly realizing, he added, 'Laura! Are you trying to say that I shot him?'
They stood facing each other, neither of them speaking for a moment. Then Laura said, CI heard the shot, Julian.' She took a deep breath before continuing. 'I heard the shot, and your footsteps on the path going away. I came down, and there he was - dead.'
After a pause Farrar said quietly, 'Laura, I didn't shoot him.' He gazed up at the sky as though seeking help or inspiration, and then looked at her intently. 'I came over here to see Richard,' he explained, 'to tell him that after the election we'd got to come to some arrangement about a divorce. I heard a shot just before I got here. I just thought it was Richard up to his tricks as usual. I came in here, and there he was. Dead. He was still warm.'
Laura was now very perplexed. 'Warm?' she echoed.
'He hadn't been dead more than a minute or two,' said Farrar. 'Of course I believed you'd shot him. Who else could have shot him?'
'I don't understand,' Laura murmured.
'I suppose - I suppose it could have been suicide,' Farrar began, but Laura interrupted him. 'No, it couldn't, because -'
She broke off, as they both heard Jan's voice inside the house, shouting excitedly.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Julian Farrar and Laura ran towards the house, almost colliding with Jan as he emerged through the french windows. 'Laura,' Jan cried as she gently but firmly propelled him back into the study. 'Laura, now that Richard's dead, all of his pistols and guns and things belong to me, don't they? I mean, I'm his brother, I'm the next man in the family.'
Julian Farrar followed them into the room and wandered distractedly across to the armchair, sitting on an arm of it as Laura attempted to pacify Jan who was now complaining petulantly, 'Benny won't let me have his guns. She's locked them up in the cupboard in there.' He waved vaguely towards the door. 'But they're mine. I've got a right to them. Make her give me the key.'
'Now listen, Jan darling,' Laura began, but Jan would not be interrupted. He went quickly to the door, and then turned back to her, exclaiming, 'She treats me like a child. Benny, I mean. Everyone treats me like a child. But I'm not a child, I'm a man. I'm nineteen. I'm nearly of age.' He stretched his arms across the door as though protecting his guns. 'All of Richard's sporting things belong to me. I'm going to do what Richard did. I'm going to shoot squirrels and birds and cats.' He laughed hysterically. 'I might shoot people, too, if I don't like them.'
'You mustn't get too excited, Jan,' Laura warned him.
'I'm not excited,' Jan cried petulantly. 'But I'm not going to be - what's it called? - I'm not going to be victimized.' He came back into the centre of the room, and faced Laura squarely. I'm master here now. I'm the master of this house. Everybody's got to do as I say.' He paused, then turned and addressed Julian Farrar. 'I could be a JP if I wanted to, couldn't I, Julian?'
'I think you're a little young for that yet,' Farrar told him.
Jan shrugged, and turned back to Laura. 'You all treat me like a child,' he complained again. 'But you can't do it any longer - not now that Richard's dead.' He flung himself onto the sofa, legs sprawling. 'I expect I'm rich, too, aren't I?' he added. 'This house belongs to me. Nobody can push me around any longer. I can push them around. I'm not going to be dictated to by silly old Benny. If Benny tries ordering me about, I shall -' He paused, then added childishly, 'I know what I shall do!'
Laura approached him. 'Listen, Jan darling,' she murmured gently. 'It's a very worrying time for all of us, and Richard's things don't belong to anybody until the lawyers have come and read his will and granted what they call probate. That's what happens when anyone dies. Until then, we all have to wait and see. Do you understand?'
Laura's tone had a calming and quietening effect on Jan. He looked up at her, then put his arms around her waists nestling close to her. 'I understand what you tell me, Laura,' he said. 'I love you, Laura. I love you very much.'
'Yes, darling,' Laura murmured soothingly. 'I love you, too.'
'You're glad Richard's dead, aren't you?' Jan asked her suddenly.
Slightly startled, Laura replied hurriedly, 'No, of course I'm not glad.'
'Oh yes, you are,' said Jan, slyly. 'Now you can marry Julian.'
Laura looked quickly at Julian Farrar, who rose to his feet as Jan continued, 'You've wanted to marry Julian for a long time, haven't you? I know. They think I don't notice or know things. But I do. And so it's all right for both of you now. It's been made all right for you, and you're both pleased. You're pleased, because -'
He broke off, hearing Miss Bennett out in the corridor calling, 'Jan!', and laughed. 'Silly old Benny!' he shouted, bouncing up and down on the sofa.
'Now, do be nice to Benny,' Laura cautioned Jan, as she pulled him to his feet. 'She's having such a lot of trouble and worry over all this.' Guiding Jan to the door, Laura continued gently, 'You must help Benny, Jan, because you're the man of the family now.'
Jan opened the door, then looked from Laura to Julian. 'AH right, all right,' he promised, with a smile. 'I will.' He left the room, shutting the door behind him and calling 'Benny!' as he went.
Laura turned to Julian Farrar who had risen from his armchair and walked over to her. Td no idea he knew about us,' she exclaimed.
'That's the trouble with people like Jan,' Farrar retorted. 'You never know how much or how little they do know. He's very - well, he gets rather easily out of hand, doesn't he?'
'Yes, he does get easily excited,' Laura admitted. 'But now that Richard isn't here to tease him, he'll calm down. He'll get to be more normal. I'm sure he will.'
Julian Farrar looked doubtful. 'Well, I don't know about that,' he began, but broke off as Starkwedder suddenly appeared at the french windows.
'Hello - good evening,' Starkwedder called, sounding quite happy.
'Oh - er - good evening,' Farrar replied, hesitantly.
'How's everything? Bright and cheerful?' Starkwedder enquired, looking from one to the other. He suddenly grinned. 'I see,' he observed. 'Two's company and three's none.' He stepped into the room. 'Shouldn't have come in by the window this way. A gentleman would have gone to the front door and rung the bell. Is that it? But then, you see, I'm no gentleman.'
'Oh, please -' Laura began, but Starkwedder interrupted her. 'As a matter of fact,' he explained, 'I've come for two reasons. First, to say goodbye. My character's been cleared. High-level cables from Abadan saying what a fine, upright fellow I am. So I'm free to depart.'
'I'm so sorry you're going - so soon,' Laura told him, with genuine feeling in her voice.
'That's nice of you,' Starkwedder respo
nded with a touch of bitterness, 'considering the way I butted in on your family murder.' He looked at her for a moment, then moved across to the desk chair. 'But I came in by the window for another reason,' he went on. 'The police brought me up in their car. And, although they're being very tight-lipped about it, it's my belief there's something up!'
Dismayed, Laura gasped, 'The police have come back?'
'Yes,' Starkwedder affirmed, decisively.
'But I thought they'd finished this morning,' said Laura.
Starkwedder gave her a shrewd look. 'That's why I say - something's up!' he exclaimed.
There were voices in the corridor outside. Laura and Julian Farrar drew together as the door opened, and Richard Warwick's mother came in, looking very upright and self-possessed, though still walking with the aid of a cane.
'Benny!' Mrs Warwick called over her shoulder, and then addressed Laura. 'Oh, there you are, Laura. We've been looking for you.'
Julian Farrar went to Mrs Warwick and helped her into the armchair. 'How kind you are to come over again, Julian,' the old lady exclaimed, 'when we all know how busy you are.'
'I would have come before, Mrs Warwick,' Farrar told her, as he settled her in the chair, 'but it's been a particularly hectic day. Anything that I can possibly do to help -' He stopped speaking as Miss Bennett entered followed by Inspector Thomas. Carrying a briefcase, the inspector moved to take up a central position. Starkwedder went to sit in the desk chair, and lit a cigarette as Sergeant Cadwallader came in with Angell, who closed the door and stood with his back to it.
'I can't find young Mr Warwick, sir,' the sergeant reported, crossing to the french windows.
'He's out somewhere. Gone for a walk,' Miss Bennett announced.
'It doesn't matter,' said the inspector. There was a momentary pause as he surveyed the occupants of the room. His manner had changed, for it now had a grimness it did not have before.
After waiting a moment for him to speak, Mrs Warwick asked coldly, 'Do I understand that you have further questions to ask us, Inspector Thomas?'
'Yes, Mrs Warwick,' he replied, I'm afraid I have.'
Mrs Warwick's voice sounded weary as she asked, 'You still have no news of this man MacGregor?'
'On the contrary.'
'He's been found?' Mrs Warwick asked, eagerly.
'Yes,' was the inspector's terse reply.
There was a definite reaction of excitement from the assembled company. Laura and Julian Farrar looked incredulous, and Starkwedder turned in his chair to face the inspector.
Miss Bennett's voice suddenly rang out sharply. 'You've arrested him, then?'
The inspector looked at her for a moment before replying. Then, 'That, I'm afraid, would be impossible. Miss Bennett,' he informed her.
'Impossible?' Mrs Warwick interjected. 'But why?' 'Because he's dead,' the inspector replied, quietly.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
A shocked silence greeted Inspector Thomas's announcement. Then, hesitantly and, it seemed, fearfully, Laura whispered, 'Wh- what did you say?'
'I said that this man MacGregor is dead,' the inspector affirmed.
There were gasps from everyone in the room, and the inspector expanded upon his terse announcement. 'John MacGregor,' he told them, 'died in Alaska over two years ago - not very long after he returned to Canada from England.'
'Dead!' Laura exclaimed, incredulously.
Unnoticed by anyone in the room, young Jan passed quickly along the terrace outside the french windows, and disappeared from view.
'That makes a difference, doesn't it?' the inspector continued. 'It wasn't John MacGregor who put that revenge note on the dead body of Mr Warwick. But it's clear, isn't it, that it was put there by someone who knew all about MacGregor and the accident in Norfolk. Which ties it in, very definitely, with someone in this house.'
'No,' Miss Bennett exclaimed sharply. 'No, it could have been - surely it could have been -' She broke off.
'Yes, Miss Bennett?' the inspector prompted her. He waited for a moment, but Miss Bennett could not continue. Suddenly looking completely broken, she moved away towards the french windows.
The inspector turned his attention to Richard Warwick's mother. 'You'll understand, madam,' he said, attempting to put a note of sympathy into his voice, 'that this alters things.'
'Yes, I see that,' Mrs Warwick replied. She rose. 'Do you need me any further, Inspector?' she asked.
'Not for the moment, Mrs Warwick,' the inspector told her.
'Thank you,' Mrs Warwick murmured as she went to the door, which Angell hastened to open for her. Julian Farrar helped the old lady to the door. As she left the room, he returned and stood behind the armchair, looking pensive. Meanwhile, Inspector Thomas had been opening his briefcase, and was now taking out a gun.
Angell was about to follow Mrs Warwick from the room when the inspector called, peremptorily, 'Angell!'
The valet gave a start, and turned back into the room, closing the door. 'Yes, sir?' he responded quietly.
The inspector approached him, carrying what was clearly the murder weapon. 'About this gun,' he asked the valet. 'You were uncertain this morning. Can you, or can you not, say definitely that it belonged to Mr Warwick?'
'I wouldn't like to be definite, Inspector,' Angell replied. 'He had so many, you see.'
'This one is a continental weapon,' the inspector informed him, holding the gun out in front of him. 'It's a war souvenir of some kind, I'd say.'
As he was speaking, again apparently unnoticed by anyone in the room Jan passed along the terrace outside, going in the opposite direction, and carrying a gun which he seemed to be attempting to conceal.
Angell looked at the weapon. 'Mr Warwick did have some foreign guns, sir,' he stated. 'But he looked after all his shooting equipment himself. He wouldn't let me touch them.'
The inspector went over to Julian Farrar. 'Major Farrar,' he said, 'you probably have war souvenirs. Does this weapon mean anything to you?'
Farrar glanced at the gun casually. 'Not a thing, I'm afraid,' he answered.
Turning away from him, the inspector went to replace the gun in his briefcase. 'Sergeant Cadwallader and I,' he announced, turning to face the assembled company, 'will want to go over Mr Warwick's collection of weapons very carefully. He had permits for most of them, I understand.'
'Oh yes, sir,' Angell assured him. 'The permits are in one of the drawers in his bedroom. And all the guns and other weapons are in the gun cupboard.'
Sergeant Cadwallader went to the door, but was stopped by Miss Bennett before he could leave the room. 'Wait a minute,' she called to him. 'You'll want the key of the gun cupboard.' She took a key from her pocket.
'You locked it up?' the inspector queried, turning sharply to her. 'Why was that?'
Miss Bennett's retort was equally sharp. 'I should hardly think you'd need to ask that,' she snapped. 'All those guns, and ammunition as well. Highly dangerous. Everyone knows that.'
Concealing a grin, the sergeant took the key she offered him, and went to the door, pausing in the doorway to see whether the inspector wished to accompany him. Sounding distinctly annoyed at Miss Bennett's uncalled-for comment, Inspector Thomas remarked, 'I shall need to talk to you again, Angell,' as he picked up his briefcase and left the room. The sergeant followed him, leaving the door open for Angell.
However, the valet did not leave the room immediately. Instead, after a nervous glance at Laura who now sat staring at the floor, he went up to Julian Farrar, and murmured, 'About that little matter, sir. I am anxious to get something settled soon. If you could see your way, sir -'
Speaking with difficulty, Farrar answered, 'I think - something - could be managed.'
'Thank you, sir,' Angell responded with a faint smile on his face. 'Thank you very much, sir.' He went to the door and was about to leave the room when Farrar stopped him with a peremptory 'No! Wait a moment, Angell.'
As the valet turned to face him, Farrar called loudly, 'Inspector Thomas!'
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There was a tense pause. Then, after a moment or two, the inspector appeared in the doorway, with the sergeant behind him. "Yes, Major Farrar?' the inspector asked, quietly.
Resuming a pleasant, natural manner, Julian Farrar strolled across to the armchair. 'Before you get busy with routine, Inspector,' he remarked, 'there is something I ought to have told you. Really, I suppose, I should have mentioned it this morning. But we were all so upset. Mrs Warwick has just informed me that there are some fingerprints that you are anxious to identify. On the table here, I think you said.' He paused, then added, easily, 'In all probability. Inspector, those are my fingerprints.'