Читать книгу Dr. Morelle and the Doll - Ernest Dudley - Страница 6

CHAPTER TWO

Charles Hafferty had left Asshe House, picking up his hat from the hall and pulling his overcoat on hurriedly, struggling with it as he went through the orchard, and keeping his electric torch moving around from side to side all the time.

His mind was still back in the sitting-room with his wife and his mother, while he felt a vague resentment that Bill Parker had made no effort to accompany him; his brother-in-law was a lazy devil, physically, however alert he might be mentally, he thought. And, he reflected inconsequentially, he didn’t like the way he mauled Olivia about in public.

His thoughts turned to his own wife, and the mess their marriage seemed to have become. Lately, he had felt that all Marie was waiting for was something to activate her and she would make some drastic move; walk out on him? He wondered if she would have done it before, if she had been in any position to do so. She had nowhere else to go. She had no money of her own. She was utterly dependent upon him. And things were not all that wonderful with him, his line of commercial art was not paying off so well lately.

It flashed through his mind that perhaps he ought to sell Woodview, the house his father had given him three years before as a wedding-present. It was near Asshe House, and Tod Hafferty had bought it cheaply several years earlier to let to a series of tenants. Wouldn’t he do better, Charles Hafferty thought, to sell it and get a flat in London?

Perhaps he would find work easier to get, and certainly Marie would enjoy living in London more than this part of the world. It occurred to him that it was his father who up till now blocked any idea that he might have to get rid of the house. Tod Hafferty would never forgive him for selling his wedding-present.

Charles Hafferty’s thoughts fastened on Tod Hafferty and the purpose of this jaunt he was making through Asshe Woods in the darkness, and his jaw set in harsh lines, as he paused and directed the beam of light around him. The trees and undergrowth met his shifting gaze. He had come about fifty yards along the path through the woods, and to his right beyond the edge of the trees was the old chalk pit.

He turned aside from the path and made his way between the trees until he was clear of them. The chalk pit was some twenty strides ahead. The ground was rough, and already his shoes were wet through. He glanced a little uneasily at his torch, he fancied it had given an ominous flicker. He hoped the battery wasn’t due to pack up, or the bulb. He didn’t relish finding his way back to Asshe House in the darkness. But the light now seemed as strong as ever. It was only a momentary anxiety.

He made out the void of the chalk pit a few feet ahead and proceeded cautiously. Now he reached the edge and flashed his torch downwards into the darkness.

It was as if some magnet drew the torch-beam at once. It fastened on what lay in the centre of the circle of light, as Charles Hafferty stared down, then with a quick movement, he turned, made his way along the edge a couple of yards and found a way down the side of the pit.

A few minutes later, he scrambled back to the chalk pit edge, where he stood for a few moments getting his breath again. Then without a further glance down behind him, he directed the torch-beam ahead and made his way through the woods again.

He went through the gate in the wire fence, then, walking more quickly now, along the rough path until he reached the gate to the orchard. He went through it, and it was then that he thought he saw a figure in the darkness ahead.

He thought it was a woman’s figure and decided it must be Olivia who had come out after him. When he heard Marie call out to him he experienced a twinge of surprise. His mouth felt dry, so that he couldn’t answer her. He moved more quickly and heard himself mumble her name, then she was there in the light of his torch.

There were her questions, then she was telling him to save using up the torch-battery, and he was answering her he didn’t know what had happened to Tod Hafferty, and they were returning to the house.

‘He’d raise the roof,’ Marie was saying, ‘if we started a search and it turned out he’d been somewhere he didn’t want anyone to know about.’

‘Some woman?’

‘I didn’t say so.’ Charles Hafferty shrugged his thick shoulders. ‘How far did you go?’ she said.

‘Through the woods, then along about a quarter-mile. I didn’t go any further along the road; if he’d got hurt there, he’d have been found by passersby.’

She nodded. ‘D’you think that’s what’s happened? That he’s in the woods and hurt? There are some bad places.’

He muttered indecisively.

They paused, looking out across the orchard, the blackness accentuated beyond the torch-beam with which Charles Hafferty kept searching the darkness.

‘Should I get Bill?’ he said.

‘A fat lot of use,’ she said. ‘He’d be afraid of getting his feet wet.’

They listened to the hiss of the wind blowing in from Sandwich Flats.

At last: ‘Ought we to tell the police?’

It was Marie who spoke, and her husband let out his breath in a long sigh. ‘Telling a copper, just because someone’s late back from a walk?’

‘They’d know what to do,’ she said. ‘Whether to start searching or wait a little longer.’

‘I suppose so.’

‘We could phone, and see what they said.’

He gave her a nod, then he turned and went back to the house. She followed. They went in by the side-door, shutting out the night with a slam.

Tea had not yet been cleared away. Anxiety hadn’t diminished anyone’s appetite, Marie thought, noting the emptied plates; Bill Parker was cramming a piece of bread and butter in his mouth. Olivia was halfway through a slice of fruitcake.

Only Helen Hafferty sat staring across the room, her cup of tea and lemon untouched beside her.

All eyes came up to Charles. He said flatly: ‘I didn’t find him.’ He looked across at his mother.

‘Think we ought to get on to the police?’ she said.

Bill Parker choked, until tears started into his eyes. Olivia made a vaguely protesting noise. Her mother stood up and moved to Charles, standing uncomfortably in the centre of the room.

‘What do you think?’ she asked him.

He had always been her favourite, Marie thought inconsequentially. Maybe it was because he was so quiet and steady, not moody like Nicky, and Olivia, too, she could be a little morose at times.

‘It wouldn’t do any harm to give them a ring,’ Charles said, awkwardly. He added unconvincingly: ‘They would know the drill.’

Bill Parker had recovered his composure. ‘I don’t think it’s anything to bother the police with,’ he said. ‘You’re making a mountain out of a molehill. If a man can’t go off on his own without everybody chasing round trying to find him.…’ His voice trailed off.

Charles Hafferty looked at him stolidly. ‘He’s my father.’

‘If you mean I don’t care what happens to him, that’s nonsense,’ the other said. He got to his feet, covering a slight belch with his hand. ‘I’m as concerned about him as much as everyone else. Only I think you’re in too much of a hurry, that’s all. He’ll turn up soon, and then we’ll look fools.’

Charles Hafferty looked at Marie, then across at his mother. ‘Shall I ring up?’

His mother’s voice trembled a little. ‘If you think it’s best.’

It was Olivia who gave Charles the telephone number of the local police station, and Bill Parker looked up at her sharply as if surprised she should know it. As Charles moved to the hall, the door opened and Bess was there to clear away the tea things. She stood silently watching Charles as he went into the hall.

They could hear him lift the receiver and ask for the number; then a pause.

Then he began talking to someone at the other end.

Trust Charles to get it all back to front, Marie thought irritably, as he stumbled his way through his account of how Tod Hafferty had gone for his walk. Good job the local cop to whom she supposed Charles was babbling on knew the Hafferty family quite well, she thought. He’d be able to fill in the gaps her husband was leaving.

They heard the click of the receiver replaced.

Charles Hafferty was perspiring a little as he came back into the room. They could see the perspiration shining on his face.

‘Well?’ Marie rapped at him.

‘He’s going to report Tod’s disappearance to the police station at Eastmarsh. He’ll call out here as soon as he can.’

‘And then?’ Bill Parker asked.

‘Then we’ll start a proper search,’ Charles said. He crossed to Helen Hafferty, who stood, her face stiff, her slim figure tensed. ‘Unless—’ He broke off and then said unconvincingly: ‘Unless Tod turns up before the cop does.’