|
|
Alva's eyes went wide. "You were with him when he died?" she gasped, looking at Madderfy and then back at me. "No, I wasn't," I replied, trying to let her down gently, "Maybe I should have been. But I was unavoidably detained." She looked suddenly sad, nodding morosely. "I'm trying to find out what happened, why he died," I added, "The police think he took his own life, but I'm not convinced." I also glanced at Madderfy, but he seemed unperturbed by my pronouncement. Alva looked up slowly, tears in her eyes. She looked like she had been crying a lot recently. "Perhaps you're right, Mister Gask," she said so softly I could barely hear her, "I hope you are. I would make a big difference to me. I just don't know any more." Madderfy gripped my elbow again. I was beginning to find his touchy-feely personal style annoying, but I resisted the temptation to give him a smack in the kisser. Instead, I let him guide me away, towards the door I had entered a few minutes before. We stepped into the hallway, now deserted. Madderfy's charm and bonhomie disappeared as if at the flick of a switch. "What the hell are you doing here, Gask?" he growled into my ear, "Gate-crashing a private, family event?" "I'm trying to find out what happened to Vale," I said, "As my client is paying me to do. And that's what you said you wanted, too." "Well, there's nothing here for you, understand? Leave my daughter alone. She's upset enough as it is," he ranted. Privately, I doubted it. I was pretty certain Alva Vale knew more than she was letting on, and I suspected there were many Goblins in that room who knew something, too. But perhaps now was not the time to press those particular enquiries. "If you've got something for me," he went on, face like thunder, "Come by the office. Stay away from here." "Okay, okay," I said, "I'm going." I put my hat back on my head and moved towards the front door. One of the goons from before appeared at another open doorway, glanced at me and then looked at Madderfy, who shook his head. I let myself out, slamming the door behind me and stalking off down the hill doing my best to look frustrated and pissed-off. Of soon as I was out of sight, of course, I ducked into the shadows and waited. It was a long wait, but this job sure does make one patient. In twos and threes, black-garbed mourners were shown out and made off in various directions. Creagan and Logan left together, early, apparently in animated conversation, at least on the younger Madderfy's part. He waved his arms expansively as he talked, like someone trying to convey a complex situation to the hard of understanding. Logan slouched, looking uninterested, although he did seem to occasionally contribute to the conversation. Madderfy and his two minders were almost the last to leave, and I saw his speaking at length to the old housekeeper, no doubt issuing instructions about looking after his daughter and making sure that she saw nobody. After all the guests had left, I waited on. Lights at the windows were extinguished, drapes were drawn and aqn evening silence fell over the neighbourhood. The house was dark and quiet. Then there was a furtive movement at the door, and a dark figure slipped out, careful to close the door behind them silently. I hung further back in the shadows as the figure passed my hiding-place. It was Alva Vale, of course.
|
Part 38