Dead Water by Ngaio Marsh

pegs and a length of fine clothes-line. Could have been nasty. There’s a five foot drop to the pond. And rocks.’
    ‘Did you tell her?’
    ‘Yes. She said she’d have spotted it for herself.’
    ‘When was this?’
    ‘This morning. About an hour ago.’
    ‘Damn.’
    ‘Quite so.’
    ‘Does she suspect anyone?’
    ‘Well, yes. She reckons it’s a certain lady. Yes, Mr Mayor. Good morning, sir. I won’t keep you a moment.’
    ‘Has your Mayor just walked in?’
    ‘That’s right.’
    ‘Did you by any chance, mean the shop-keeper? Miss Cost, is it?’
    ‘That’s right.’
    ‘I’ll ring up Miss Pride. I suppose she knocks off for lunch, does she? Comes off her perch? ’
    ‘That’s right. Quite so.’
    ‘What’s the number of the pub?’
    ‘Portcarrow 1212.’
    ‘You’ll keep in touch?’
    ‘That’ll be quite all right, sir. We’ll do that for you.’
    ‘Thank you,’ Alleyn said. ‘No matter what they say I’ve got great faith in the police. Goodbye.’
    He heard Coombe give a chuckle and hung up.
    ‘O, Rory!’ his wife said. ‘Not again? Not this time? It’s been such fun, our holiday.’
    ‘I’m going to talk to her. Come here to me and keep your fingers crossed. She’s hell when she’s roused. Come here.’
    He kept his arm round her while he waited for the call to go through. When at last Miss Emily spoke from her room at the Boy-and-Lobster, Troy could hear her quite clearly though she had some difficulty in understanding since Miss Emily spoke in French. So did Alleyn.
    ‘Miss Emily, how are you getting on?’
    ‘Perfectly well, I thank you, Roderique.’
    ‘Have there been unpleasantnesses of the sort that were threatened?’
    ‘Nothing of moment. Do not disarrange yourself on my account.’
    ‘You have been hurt.’
    ‘It was superficial.’
    ‘You might well have been hurt again.’
    ‘I think not.’
    ‘Miss Emily, I must ask you to leave the Island.’
    ‘In effect: you have spoken to the good Superintendent Coombe. It was kind but it was not necessary. I shall not leave the Island.’
    ‘Your behaviour is, I’m afraid, both foolish and inconsiderate.’
    ‘Indeed? Explain yourself.’
    ‘You are giving a great deal of anxiety and trouble to other people. You are being silly, Miss Emily.’
    ‘That,’ said Miss Emily distinctly, ‘was an improper observation.’
    ‘Unfortunately not. If you persist I shall feel myself obliged to intervene.’
    ‘Do you mean, my friend,’ said Miss Emily with evident amusement, ‘that you will have me arrested?’
    ‘I wish I could. I wish I could put you under protective custody.’
    ‘I am already protected by the local officer who is, for example, a man of intelligence. His name is Pender.’
    ‘Miss Emily, if you persist you will force me to leave my wife.’
    ‘That is nonsense.’
    ‘Will you give me your word of honour that you will not leave the hotel unaccompanied?’
    ‘Very well,’ said Miss Emily after a pause. ‘Understood.’
    ‘And that you will not sit alone on a shelf? Or anywhere? At any time?’
    ‘There is no room for a second occupant on the shelf.’
    ‘There must be room somewhere. Another shelf. Somewhere.’
    ‘It would not be convenient.’
    ‘Nor is it convenient for me to leave my wife and come traipsing down to your beastly Island.’
    ‘I beg that you will do no such thing. I assure you – ’ Her voice stopped short. He would have thought that the call had been cut off if he hadn’t quite distinctly heard Miss Emily catch her breath in a sharp gasp. Something had fallen.
    ‘Miss Emily!’ he said. ‘Hallo! Hallo! Miss Emily!’
    ‘Very well,’ her voice said. ‘I can hear you. Perfectly.’
    ‘What happened?’
    ‘I was interrupted.’
    ‘Something’s wrong. What is it?’
    ‘No, no. It is nothing. I knocked a book over. Roderique, I beg that you do not break your holiday. It would be rather ridiculous. It would displease me extremely, you understand. I assure you that