按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
murder victim？
Yes； she was staying in the hotel under the name Barnabus。 Heather Barnabus。 Shall I read it to you？〃 ‘No； let me see。〃 He all but snatched the Telegraph from her； quickly scanning the story。
The girl had arrived at the hotel during the previous afternoon； had registered under the name Heather Barnabus； and； it was reported； she had been seen talking to a man in the lounge just after they had stopped serving tea around six o'clock。 A chambermaid had found her body at seven…thirty when she went to make up the room for the night。
According to the story； she had died from multiple stab wounds。
Then came the description that； at a pinch； would pass for Bond。 The police； as ever； wished to interview this man in order to eliminate him from their enquiries。
‘This girl is definitely not Carmel。〃 He tapped the picture again。
‘Though there is a passing resemblance。 It's possible that someone saw me with Carmel before we went up to her room。〃 ‘A passing resemblance？ Really？ So this Carmel looks a bit of a tart； yes？〃 ‘Not at all。 She's been put in a very difficult position。。
‘Many times I should imagine ‘By her imbecilic superior who appears to be about as professional as a veterinary surgeon in an abattoir。 …ù ‘If this one is like the Chantry person； she looks pretty ；professional to me。。
‘She s an experienced security officer； Fredericka！〃 He raised his voice； just enough to put paid to the bitchy remarks。
‘Don't you think you should do something about it？ I mean； somebody's going to connect you with that photofit； and they'll haul you off to the pokey before you can say cipher。
‘I'd feel happier if I knew where Carmel had got to。〃 ‘Oh； damn Carmel。
‘No； Fredericka。 She has serious problems； as does the Security Service。 The idiot officer who's head of their Anti…terrorist Section is about as efficient as a wasp in a jar； and I guess he's capable of almost anything； though I doubt if murder es into it。 To be honest； I'm worried in case this other girl； Heather Barnabus； has been snuffed in error。
‘You still have to clear yourself with the local law； darling。
He nodded； kissed her lightly on the cheek and headed for the bathroom。
Some twenty minutes later； shaved； showered and dressed； he called West End Central Police Station and asked for CID。 The line was answered by somebody who called himself Detective Sergeant Tibble。
‘The Heather Barnabus murder；' Bond began。
‘I'd like to speak with the officer in charge of the investigation。〃 ‘That would be Detective Chief Superintendent Daily； sir。 Can I tell him who's calling？〃 ‘Yes。 Bond。 James Bond。
There was an immediate reaction； as though the detective had been jabbed with a pin。 Seconds later a honey…smooth voice came on the line。 ‘DCS Daily； Mr Bond。 We've been looking for you。〃 ‘I've just seen the papers。 I'd like to get a few things straight。〃 ‘So would we； Mr Bond。 Where can I pick you up？〃 ‘You can't。 I'm ing to see you。〃 ‘You're sure of that？〃 ‘Absolutely。 I'll be with you in less than half an hour。〃 He gave Fredericka strict instructions。 ‘Stay in this room； even when the chambermaids e to make up the room。 Don't let anyone else in。 If the phone rings； pick it up and say nothing。 。
‘I do know how to handle it； James。 I've been in the business for some time。
West End Central Police Station is a utilitarian building； without any personality； which lies off Regent Street。 Over the years； an encyclopaedia of London's more fashionable criminals has walked up its front steps； and through the swing doors； infamous murderers and insignificant petty villains have sat in its bare unvarnished interrogation rooms。 Now； James Bond sat on a chair that was bolted to the floor。 Across the table； similarly bolted； sat the smooth…jowled Detective Chief Superintendent George Daily。 A second plainclothes man hovered near the door。
Daily's reputation was not unknown to Bond； for he was one of the new generation of policemen； university educated； smart； sharp and eminently likeable。 Daily had been with the now renamed Special Branch when it really was special； so he was well known among members of both the Security and Secret Intelligence Services which was probably the reason he had been assigned this case in the first place。
‘Well； Captain Bond； I've always wanted to meet you。 You have quite a reputation； and I recognized you from the photofit。〃 His accent was not quite what you would call upper class； which was a blessing for that affected drawl was anathema to Bond。
‘Then with due respect； Chief Superintendent； why didn't you blaze my name all over this morning's front pages？〃 Daily gave a little half smile。 On the table in front of him were a leather notebook and an expensive gold pen。 Bond thought he should mention to the man that it was not always wise to leave something like a pen on a desk when interrogating。 He figured his chances and knew he could probably take out Daily by snatching the pen and thrusting it hard into the man's eye。 The other cop could be dealt with in a more orthodox manner。
‘Why didn't I have you named in the Press release； Mr Bond？ Well； I could have been mistaken。 We got the photofit from a waiter who says he saw you with the victim。 He says you arrived a little before six。
He claims to have actually spoken with you； telling you that they had finished serving tea。 You replied that you were to meet someone； and he says he saw you join the victim。 Eye witnesses are often wrong。
The description could well have been inaccurate： photofits often are； as I suspect you already know。〃 ‘So you gave me the benefit of the doubt？〃 Again Daily gave his most charming smile。 ‘No。
No； not really。 I took the precaution of telephoning your Chief when I saw the likeness； and he had a little story for me。
‘So you know I was there？〃 ‘I do。 I also know that you went there to see somebody else； and that's quite important； because the someone else looked very much like the victim。
‘You know who she was the person I was meeting？〃 ‘Oh； yes。 In fact； I've worked with Carmel on a number of occasions； and； while the victim is superficially like her； facially really； she was not at all like her in the flesh so to speak。 Yet。。
‘She could have been mistaken for His Chantry。 。
‘In the dusk with the light behind her； to quote W。 S。 Gilbert。
‘Oh； I do think you educated policemen are wonderful。〃 Bond gave him a crooked smile。 ‘But you think there was a mistake？〃 ‘No doubt in my mind。 Once the balloon went up； and I'd spoken with your guy'nor； we removed the other lady from the hotel。〃 His eyes strayed to the plainclothes man by the door。 ‘I think you can leave us now； Meyer。〃 A friendly nod and a wink。
The cop shrugged； but left； closing the door behind him。
‘In fact； I have a message from your boss。。 ‘I don't think he'd appreciate being called either guy'nor or boss。。。
‘No？ Well； he's not going to hear me； is he？ He says that His C is safe and that your Mr Grant is also safe； contained； in fact； under house arrest。
Strikes me that the ladies and gentlemen of the Security Service are in the midst of a crisis。〃 ‘Does it now？〃 The last thing