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When she arrived this time； she said he was ill and wouldn't be joining her。 I hope it's not serious。 She said it wasn't。〃 ‘Then she didn't tell you the truth。 Mrs March's husband died several months ago；' Bond lied。
‘Oh！〃 Fmulein Bruch looked genuinely shocked for the first time。
Then again； ‘Oh！ They were such a devoted couple。 Perhaps that's why。。。？〃 The thought trailed off as she picked a key from the rack。
‘Perhaps you would like to e with me？〃 She came around to their side of the reception desk； back on form； curtly instructing a porter to take Mr and Mrs Bond's cases to 614。 She put a great deal of stress on the Mrs Bond； as though clearly saying that she did not believe a word of it。
Laura March had opted for an obviously cheap and cheerful room。
‘It is not one of our luxury acmodations。〃 Unteffuhrer Bruch as Bond now thought of her…broke the seals and turned the key in the lock。
‘She made the reservation at short notice； and said one of our cheaper rooms would be convenient。〃 Inside it was a basic hotel： a narrow bed with a side table and telephone； one built…in wardrobe； a chair； a small writing table； and a closet…sized bathroom into which were crammed all the usual conveniences。
The under…manager nodded to them； said that when they were finished； if they came back to reception she would have them escorted to their room； which； ‘is one of our more luxurious suites'The smile clicked on and off； fast as a neon sign； and she backed out。
Bond did the bathroom； noting that there had not really been enough room for Laura to spread out her make…up and toiletries； she had just managed to get most of them into a mirrored cupboard above the hand basin。 Her preference seemed to be Lane； and he noted a small plastic container of pills； medically prescribed with the address of a chemist in Knightsbridge on the label。 The police had probably removed a couple for analysis。 He slipped the whole container into his pocket and squeezed out to find Fredericka going through the clothes hanging in the wardrobe。
‘Nothing remarkable。〃 She flicked through the garments。 ‘One basic black； for evenings； one white； one grey suit…that's nice ‘ peering at the label ‘ah； Marks and Spencer。 That is fairly cheap stuff； but good value； I think。 Two pants suits； spare pair of jeans。
Shoes。 Nothing。〃 ‘Go through the pockets。〃 It came out as an order。
‘No； James； you go through the pockets。 I'll deal with the accessories。〃 There were three small drawers running down the right hand side of the wardrobe； and as Bond started to feel and fumble through any pockets in the hanging garments； Fredericka began opening the drawers； the bottom one first； like any good burglar。
‘Nothing in any of the pockets。〃 He pleted the jeans as； she opened the top drawer。
Fredericka's hands disappeared into lace and silk。 ‘She was a good customer of Victoria's Secret。 Look； James。 Pretty；' lifting several pieces of highly feminine underwear for him to see。
He nodded。 ‘That mean anything to you？〃 ‘That she was sexually active； or had been until she came here。
‘Really？〃 ‘Girls buy underwear like this for men to see and remove。 I also make purchases from Victoria's Secret； though it hasn't done me any good recently。〃 ‘Then Laura could've been in the same boat。〃 ‘I think not。 This stuff is 。 。 。 Well； it's blatant； and it conforms to a pattern。 She had a friend who liked certain things。 I； on the other hand； just take a good guess。 Still hasn't done me much good。〃 ‘That could change； Fredericka。 Who knows what might happen in the good Swiss air。〃 He had moved over to the small writing table and began to look through the hotel folder which contained brochures； stationery and 。。。 ‘Good grief。 I can't believe the cops didn't find this。〃 He pulled out two sheets of hotel writing paper folded in half。 A letter； signed by Laura。 She had large； bold handwriting。 Very large； for she said little and managed to take up one and a half sheets of paper； with great loops and little circles used for dotting the ‘i' ‘What is it？〃 Fredericka was at his shoulder。 He could smell her scent and the delicious musk of her hair。
Bond moved a fraction so that she could read the letter。 There was no addressee； but Laura had written： David My Dearest； Well； as I told you； I have returned to our old favourite place。 Nothing changes； the mountains are where they have always been。 I also think of you all the time； but know that you are now dead as far as I am concerned。 Yet you are everywhere here。 Perhaps I should not have e； but I needed to be close to something we both shared。
It has rained all day and I have mooned around the hotel； tried to read； looked out on the mountains which are invisible with the cloud。
Tomorrow they say it will be fine； so I shall go to our favourite place。
Oh God； David； my brother； my lover； I do not know what to do。
As ever； my dear dead love； Your Laura。
‘Jesus；' Fredericka said quietly。 ‘James； let's get out of here。〃 He nodded； for there was a terrible； creepy feeling； as though the dead woman were in the room with them。 If he had any faith in the supernatural； Bond might even have believed that the monster David March； and his sister； Laura； were both there； chuckling furtively from the small bed。 For the second time that evening he felt the short hairs rise on the back of his neck。
Carefully folding the letter and slipping it into his pocket； Bond turned to face Fredericka。 She was ashen； trembling； tears starting at her eyes； the marks of shock springing from her； as though she had suffered a wound。 He wrapped his arms around her； knowing that he too was trembling。
‘Yes； Fredericka。 Things like this are enough to spook anyone。 Let's go。〃 He locked the door behind them； and they rode in silence down in the elevator to the reception desk where the stern Fraulein Bruch looked up without a smile。
‘I'm afraid we can t deal with all of my cousin s effects tonight。〃 His voice was back to normal： level and confident。 ‘It's been a long day； so we're going to have to ask you to wait until tomorrow。 I'll do it； myself； first thing in the morning。
Marietta Bruch allowed a brief look of irritation to cross her face before saying that she understood perfectly。 Snapping her fingers for the porter； she instructed him to show Mr and Mrs Bond to their room。
There was one bedroom with a king…sized bed which had a reproduction Victorian head and foot black metal bars rising as though caging the two ends； and huge ornamental brass bedknobs； polished and gleaming。 The spacious sitting…room had been remodelled； contrasting oddly with the bedroom。 It contained a suite of black leather furniture； a businesslike desk； circular glass table； television and minibar refrigerator。 Bond felt an involuntary chilling shudder as the tiny fridge brought David March's horrible cold storage vault vividly back to mind。
The large french windows； at the far end of the sitting…room； led to a long balcony which overlooked the front of the hotel。 Fredericka had gone straight out on to it as soon as the porter had been tipped and shown out。
Bond followed； standing beside her； looking do