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of a chance.
She squinted at him, thinking hard.  If  e wanted ter get rid o Mr.
Sorokine, why din t  e  ave this murder  appen somewhere else, any-
time?
 I suppose because somewhere else Sorokine might have got away
with it. He was thinking as he spoke.  The police would have as-
sumed it was someone extremely violent or degraded. Here we know
it could only have been one of three men. There was no possibility of
anyone having broken in from the outside.
She nodded.  Wot are we gonna do, then?
He smiled at her automatic inclusion of herself. Her loyalty was
absolute, it always had been.
 Find out what causes Sorokine to lose control, he replied, tak-
ing the first sip of tea and swallowing it jerkily because it was still too
hot.  And then prove that Dunkeld knew it, and deliberately created
a situation in which Sorokine would snap.
 Then you can  ang  im? she said hopefully.
 Sorokine or Dunkeld?
 Dunkeld, o course!  E s the wickeder! She had no doubt what-
ever.
 Something like that, he agreed, sipping the tea again, and smil-
ing at her.
Pi tt went to see Cahoon Dunkeld after breakfast. He had spent
the intervening time shaving and making himself look as fresh and
confident as he could. Then he remarshaled his evidence and the
conclusions it had taken him to. When eventually he spoke to
Dunkeld alone, it was in one of the beautiful galleries lined with pic-
tures.
 What is it now? Dunkeld said impatiently, facing Pitt squarely,
his weight even on both feet.
Pitt put his hands in his pockets and stood casually, as if he in-
tended to remain some time.  I believe you are an excellent judge of
character, Mr. Dunkeld. You know a man s strengths and weaknesses.
Dunkeld smiled sourly.  If you have only just come to that con-
268 A N N E P E R R Y
clusion, then you are slower than a man in your job should be. Is it a
job, or profession, by the way?
 It depends upon how well you do it, Pitt replied.  At Mr. Nar-
raway s level, it is a profession.
 I am not so far impressed with Mr. Narraway s judgment of a
man s strengths and weaknesses, Dunkeld said pointedly, his eyes
looking Pitt up and down with distaste.
Pitt smiled.  How long have you known that Sorokine was in-
sane? Since he killed the woman in Africa, for example?
 I didn t think he would do it again. Dunkeld was clearly an-
noyed by the tone of the question.
 No, I assumed that, or you would hardly have allowed him to
marry your daughter, Pitt agreed.
 Obviously! Dunkeld snapped, shifting the balance of his weight
slightly.  Have you a purpose to this, Inspector?
 Yes. I was wondering at exactly what juncture you thought he
was mad.
Suddenly Dunkeld was guarded. He sensed danger, although he
could not place it.  Does it matter? Sorokine is guilty. The details will
probably always be obscure. Your job is to tidy it up in the best, most
just, and most discreet way that you can.
 How did you know it was Sorokine? Pitt pursued.  Given that
you are a good judge of character, what did you see that I missed?
Dunkeld smiled.  Are you trying to flatter me, Inspector? Clumsy,
and you have based it upon a wrong assumption. I do not care what
you think.
 I am trying to learn, Pitt said as innocently as he could.
Dunkeld angered him more than anyone else he could remember.
Even understanding his weaknesses, his driving need to belong to a
class in which he was not born, his general need for admiration, even
the bitter loss of his daughter, Pitt still could not like him.  People
who kill compulsively, Pitt went on,  insanely, are triggered into the
act by some event, or accumulation of events, which breaks their nor-
mal control, so most of the time they appear as sane as anyone else.
But I imagine you have realized that.
 I have, Dunkeld agreed. He could hardly deny it.  You seem to
be stating the obvious again.
B U C K I N G H A M P A L A C E G A R D E N S 269
 What was it that triggered Sorokine?
Dunkeld blinked.
 Don t you know? Pitt invested his voice with surprise.  What
was the woman like, the one he killed in Africa?
Dunkeld thought for a moment.  Another whore, I believe, he
said casually.  Not young, into her late twenties, not particularly
handsome, but with a fine figure. A certain degree of intelligence, I
heard, and a quick tongue. A woman who could entertain as well as
merely . . . He did not bother to finish.
 Like Sadie, Pitt concluded.
Dunkeld s contempt was too great for him to conceal.  You seem
to have arrived at an understanding at last, he observed sarcastically.
Pitt gave a very slight shrug.  Did you realize this before, or after,
you hired Sadie to come here and entertain the gentlemen of the
party?
Dunkeld s temper flared, his eyes bright and hot.  Are you sug-
gesting I knew, and allowed it to happen?
 Why on earth would you do that? Pitt inquired, meeting
Dunkeld s glare.  Unless it was deliberately to get rid of a son-in-law
you dislike, and allow your daughter her freedom.
Dunkeld drew in a deep breath, shifting his weight again.  And
you think I would allow a woman to be killed for that?
Pitt remained motionless.  Do you believe he would have gone
on killing, every time the same set of circumstances arose? he in-
quired with no edge to his voice.
Dunkeld considered his answer before he gave it.  Do such men
usually stop, if no one prevents them? he countered.
 Not in my experience, Pitt replied.
 Then to ensure he was caught, it is desperate perhaps, but better
than allowing him to continue, Dunkeld reasoned.  You did not
catch him.
 I was not in Africa.
 Your arrogance is amazing! Dunkeld almost laughed.  And do
you suppose if you had been, that you would have done any better?
For God s sake, man, enclosed in the Palace, with only three of us to
choose from, you still couldn t do it!
 Is the Limoges china part of his . . . obsession? Pitt asked.
270 A N N E P E R R Y
 I ve already told you, that was a favor to His Royal Highness, and
has nothing to do with Sorokine, Dunkeld said huskily.  Now you
will have to deduce the rest for yourself, or remain in ignorance. I
have a vast amount of arrangements to make. In spite of my daugh-
ter s death, the railway will still proceed, and now I must make up for
Sorokine s loss, and find someone to take his place. I imagine I shall
not see you again. Good day. And without waiting for Pitt to reply,
he turned and strode away.
Narraway arri ved a little before ten, looking tired and un-
happy. His face was deeply lined, accentuating the immaculacy
of his clothing. He told Pitt immediately what he had learned, sum-
marizing the murder in Cape Town by likening it to the death of
Sadie. There was no more information of significance about Julius
Sorokine. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]