[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
It depends on your viewpoint, Mr. Porgia.
The old man wheezed a sad laugh and took a sip of the Guinness that Aardvark
had brought for him.
It does indeed, he replied wearily, it does indeed.
One other point, Mr. Porgia, said Jack. There was a member of the Russian
mafia who Chymes hunted down after the Andersen s Wood murder. His name was
Max Zotkin.
The Governor looked at him intently. I know of this man, he said slowly.
What about him?
Is he here?
Porgia took a deep breath and stared at Jack for a moment. Mr. Zotkin s
residency at Reading Gaol is potentially a matter of grave importance. What
will you do with this information, Inspector?
Nothing unless pushed, sir. Call it an insurance policy.
You are the first person to ask, and while understanding of the reason for
the subterfuge, I am unable to lie to you: There is no one of that name
resident at this prison, nor has there ever been. Use the information wisely.
Good-bye, Inspector. You will excuse me if I don t get up.
He looked fondly at Mary.
Mary,bid me farewell.
Tis more than you deserve, replied Mary; but since you teach me how to
flatter you, imagine that I have said farewell already.
Giorgio smiled and mouthed a silent Adieu!
Page 174
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Jack drove away from the prison deep in thought. If someone wanted to make it
look as though Winkie had been killed with a Porgia MO, then it stood to
reason that it was to throw them off the scent. And if that was the case, then
they were clearly looking in the right direction.
Mary was thinking of other things. Are you going to tell me where Max Zotkin
might be if he s not in prison?
No, replied Jack thoughtfully, and with a bit of luck, I intend to keep it
that way.
Mary s phone rang, and she flipped it open, listened to something Baker had
to say and then closed it again.
News?
You could say that. It s Bessie Brooks. She was nabbed trying to run away
from a hotel in Swindon without paying. They re going to transfer her to
Reading Central at midday.
33. What Bessie Brooks Had to Say for Herself
BEAR TO SHIT IN WOODS OFFICIAL
Following yesterday s passing of the Ursine Suitable Accommodation Bill,
bears will no longer have to live in urban housing allocated to them by the
authorities. The new deal was greeted with open paws among Reading s bear
population. Really, we re delighted, declared married father of one Mr. Gus
Bruin. No more city for us we re off to the forest! Parcels of land will be
made available in Andersen s Wood, where humanlike bear family units will be
able to live in small cottages, take long walks and eat porridge.
Article inThe Gadfly, September 8, 1989
Jack pressedthe two record buttons simultaneously.
This is a taped interview. Miss Bessie Brooks is being interviewed, and the
time is twelve-twenty P.M. Detective Inspector Jack Spratt is conducting the
interview. Also present are DS Mary Mary, Constable Kandlestyk-Maeker and Miss
Brooks s solicitor, Seymour Weevil.
He looked across at Bessie. She was staring at the table and appeared sullen.
Bessie was in her early twenties and an attractive brunette who stood at
least six foot one. She had dark brown eyes that were red with tears, and her
expensive outfit was rumpled and dirty. She did not lift her head to look at
any of them, and a packet of cigarettes that Jack had placed on the table
remained untouched, even though they could see from the faint stain on her
fingers that she was a smoker.
Seymour Weevil, a short man with his hair combed carefully back from his
Page 175
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
forehead, watched the proceedings impassively from within a suit that should
have been condemned as an affront to human decency long ago.
Miss Brooks, you have been brought in for questioning regarding the murder
of one Humperdinck Aloysius Dumpty. You do not have to say anything. But it
may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something which
you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. Do
you understand?
Bessie Brooks nodded imperceptibly.
Miss Brooks
But Seymour Weevil interrupted him. My client is very willing to answer your
questions but feels that she has been treated like a criminal. She also
objects to having her apartment searched. She wishes it to be known that she
loved Mr. Dumpty deeply and has no idea who killed him.
Jack ignored Weevil and continued. Can you tell me your whereabouts on the
night of the nineteenth and the morning of the twentieth of this month?
Bessie didn t answer. Seymour Weevil gave her his handkerchief a cheap one
for her to keep, Jack noted and said kindly, It would help the police if you
spoke to them, but you have the right to remain silent. Do you wish to
exercise that right?
She lifted her head and stared at Jack and Mary in turn. Her mascara had run
badly, and her eyes brimmed with tears. Do you think he suffered? she asked
in a quiet voice.
We don t think so, replied Mary without any emotion.
Jack placed the picture of her with Humpty on the table. It was in a plastic
bag. She paused and then picked it up.
Where did you get this?
It was on Mr. Dumpty s desk.
A smile crossed her face momentarily as she realized that he must have liked
her enough to have her photo up in his office. She touched Humpty s features
on the print with a fingertip and spoke again, yet this time her voice had
found a new confidence.
Vienna, June last year, she sighed wistfully. Hump was on a business trip
selling a thousand tons of Wozbekistanian industrial-strength instant soup
powder. He asked me if I wanted to come along.
She cocked her head to one side as she filled herself with fond memories of
the trip.
On the night this photo was taken, we went to seeMadame Butterfly . In the
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]