Dead Water by Ngaio Marsh Page A

I will do nothing foolish. Goodbye, my dear boy.’
    She replaced the receiver.
    Alleyn sat with his arm still round his wife. ‘Something happened,’ he said. ‘She sounded frightened. I swear she was frightened. Damn and blast Miss Emily for a pigheaded old effigy. What the hell does she think she’s up to!’
    ‘Darling: she promised to be sensible. She doesn’t want you to go. Does she, now?’
    ‘She was frightened,’ he repeated. ‘And she wouldn’t say why.’
    At the same moment Miss Emily with her hand pressed to her heart was staring at the object she had exposed when she had knocked the telephone directory on its side.
    This object was a crude plastic image of a Green Lady. A piece of ruled paper had been jammed down over the head and on it was pasted a single word of newsprint.
    ‘Death.’
VI
    Miss Emily surveyed the assembled company.
    There were not enough chairs for them all in her sitting-room. Margaret Barrimore, the Rector and the Mayor were seated. Jenny and Patrick sat on the arms of Mrs Barrimore’s chair. Major Barrimore, Superintendent Coombe and Dr Maine formed a rather ill-assorted group of standees.
    ‘That then,’ said Miss Emily, ‘is the situation. I have declared my purpose. I have been threatened. Two attempts have been made upon me. Finally, this object –’ she waved her hand in the direction of the Green Lady which, with its unlovely label still about its neck, simpered at the company ‘ – this object has been placed in my room by someone who evidently obtained possession of the key.’
    ‘Now, my dear Miss Pride,’ Barrimore said. ‘I do assure you that I shall make the fullest possible investigation. Whoever perpetrated this ridiculous –’ Miss Emily raised her hand. He goggled at her, brushed up his moustache and was silent.
    ‘I have asked you to meet me here,’ she continued exactly as if she had not been interrupted, ‘in order to make it known, first, that I am not of course, to be diverted by threats of any sort. I shall take the action I have already outlined. I have particularly invited you, Mr Mayor, and the Rector and Dr Maine because you are persons of authority in Portcarrow and also because each of you will be affected in some measure by my decision. As perhaps more directly, will Major Barrimore and his family. I regret that Miss Cost finds she is unable to come. I have met each of you independently since I arrived and I hope you are all convinced that I am not to be shaken in my intention.’
    Mr Nankivell made an unhappy noise.
    ‘My second object in trespassing upon your time is this. I wish, with the assistance of Superintendent Coombe, to arrive at the identity ofthe person who left this figurine, with its offensive label, on my desk. It is presumably the person who is responsible for the two attempts to inflict injury. It was – I believe “planted” is the correct expression – while I was at luncheon. My apartment was locked. My key was on its hook on a board in the office. It is possible to remove it without troubling the attendant and without attracting attention. That is what must have been done, and done by a person who was aware of my room number. Unless, indeed, this outrage was performed by somebody who is in possession of, or has access to, a duplicate or master key.’ She turned with splendid complacency to Superintendent Coombe. ‘That is my contention,’ said Miss Emily. ‘Perhaps you, Mr Coombe, will be good enough to continue the investigation.’
    An invitation of this sort rested well outside the range of Superintendent Coombe’s experience. Under the circumstances, he met the challenge with good sense and discretion. He kept his head.
    ‘Well, now,’ he said. ‘Miss Pride, Mr Mayor and ladies and gentlemen, I’m sure we’re all agreed that this state of affairs won’t do. Look at it whatever way you like, it reflects no credit on the village or the Island.’
    ‘Yurr-yurr,’ said the Mayor who was clearly