Her eyes grew large and dark and, under her heavy tan, the change of colour gave her an odd mottled look.
Then I heard the gentle slapping of West’s feet as he came towards us. He didn’t seem in a hurry, but he reached us quicker than I would have thought possible.
He came up beside me, his breath whistling down his thick nose, and I knew he was staring at Lucille, and when I turned, that was what he was doing.
She stared back at him like a rabbit staring at a snake.
My voice sounded husky as I said: ‘This is Lieutenant West. Lieutenant, this is Mrs. Aitken.’
West said in his slow drawl, ‘Good afternoon, madam. I’ve just been checking the cars, I expect you’ve read…’ but that was as far as he got.
Lucille turned abruptly and walked away. She didn’t exactly run, but her slim brown legs took her over the ground at quite a pace.
West turned and watched her go. Neither of us said anything until she had run up the steps and out of sight.
‘Sort of snooty, huh?’ he said, cocking his head on one side. ‘High-hat, would you say?’
‘What’s a police officer to her?’ I said, trying to sound casual. ‘After all she’s a rich man’s wife.’
‘That’s right.’ He took off his hat and wiped the sweat band with his handkerchief. It seemed to be a habit of his. ‘Now I wonder what was on her mind. Did you see how she changed colour?’
‘Did she?’
I began to move towards the terrace, my heart bumping unevenly against my ribs.
West fell in step beside me.
‘Yeah. She changed colour. Quite a doll. With a shape like that it seems a waste to have married an old guy like Aitken.’
‘If it worries you all that much, why don’t you take it up with him?’ I said curtly.
West glanced at me and smiled a tired smile.
‘I’m not all that in love with my job, but I don’t aim to lose it. Would she have a lover, do you think?’
‘Why not ask her, if it’s any of your business?’ I said, turning to glare at him.
He rubbed his big hand over his sweating face and sniffled a yawn.
‘I’d like to, but I don’t imagine she’d tell me. Does she ever use any of Aitken’s cars?’
My heart skipped a beat.
‘Did you find any of them damaged?’
‘No. The chauffeur keeps them nice. He probably has to.’
‘Then it’s no business of yours if she uses them or not. But if it will set your mind at rest, she hasn’t a driving permit so the answer is she doesn’t use them.’
He squinted at me.
‘Just because she hasn’t a driving permit,’ he said slowly, ‘doesn’t mean she doesn’t take a car out sometimes. Some people take chances. How come she doesn’t drive?’
I was suddenly scared I had said too much.
‘Maybe you’d better ask her,’ I said. ‘What business is it of yours?’
‘Look, friend,’ he said quietly, ‘you don’t have to get touchy. It’s my job to ask questions. I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t have to. I’m a cop. When something happens out of the way, I wonder why. I’m wondering why she turned into a ghost when she saw me. A girl with her looks and her shape usually has plenty of confidence. It should take more than a cop to fazz her, but she was fazzed all right. Why? What’s on her mind? You don’t turn that colour at the sight of a cop unless your conscience is taking a beating. What’s biting her, I wonder?’
‘How should I know?’ I said through stiff lips.
He patted my arm absently.
‘That’s right. How should you know?’
He moved past me and headed towards the terrace.
I went after him, but kept far enough behind him so as not to enter into another conversation with him.
He gave Aitken four certificates, clearing his cars.
Aitken took the certificates and tossed them contemptuously on the terrace table. West then gave Hackett a certificate for his car.
‘I guess that’s about all,’ he said, looking around at us. ‘Thanks for your help, sir.’ This to Aitken. ‘And for yours too.’ His small eyes moved to me. Then in a silence you could lean on, he plodded across the terrace, went down the steps to the waiting police car.
‘Well, I must say that’s a wonderful way of wasting tax-payers money,’ Aitken growled. ‘Of all the damned nonsense I’ve run into…’
‘Would you say that?’ Hackett asked, lifting his heavy eye-brows. ‘They’re trying to find the man who killed a policeman. To them it is important. They know the killer’s car is damaged. This is the surest way of finding his car,’ he waved his certificate. ‘Sooner or later, they will come across a car that is damaged and hasn’t a certificate, then they will have found the killer. Personally, I think it’s a smart idea.’ He turned to me. ‘Well, we’re holding you off from your golf.’ He stretched his massive frame. ‘And I’ve got to be running along too.’ He looked over at Aitken. ‘The wife will be wondering where I’ve got to. So long, R.A., this venture of ours is going to be a lot of fun,’ and he shook Aitken’s hand.
‘I hope so,’ Aitken said. ‘A lot depends on Scott.’
Hackett slapped me on the shoulder.
‘He’ll handle it. Well, I’ll get off. Look after that leg, R.A. The sooner you’re up and about again the better.’
There was more talk before Hackett and I crossed the terrace together and walked down the steps to where our cars were parked.
‘You won’t forget to come over to my hotel,’ Hackett said. ‘I’d like you to meet the wife.’
‘That’s nice of you,’ I returned. ‘The trouble is R.A. expects me to come here every night and that limits my time.’
‘Yes, I can see that. But try and find time.’ He paused beside his Buick, looking over at the Pontiac. ‘I see you’re still using Jack’s car.’
I kept my face expressionless with an effort.
‘Yes, but not for much longer. I should have my car back soon.’
The shrewd eyes moved over my face.
‘What did you say was the matter with it?’
‘It’s leaking oil.’
He nodded.
‘Cars can be hell. Coming down here, I blew a gasket. It doesn’t seem to matter how much one spends buying a car, something or other goes wrong sooner or later.’
I wasn’t kidding myself he was talking because he liked the sound of his voice. I was sure a punch line was coming and I tensed myself, waiting for it.
‘Have you met R.A.’s wife?’ he asked abruptly and his eyes were sudden searchlights on my face.
I hadn’t expected that punch to be quite so direct nor so hard. I flinched. There was nothing I could do about it. It had been hard enough to get under my guard.
‘I—I’ve seen her.’
He nodded.
‘I’ve seen her too.’ He looked away from me as he opened his car door. ‘Some girl. I’ve often wondered why R.A. married her. She’s a young man’s girl. He’s much too old for her. When a girl that young marries a man nearly forty years older than she, she becomes rank poison to any young fella who happens along.’ He grinned cheerfully at me. ‘Though why I’m sounding off like this to you I can’t imagine. A sensible guy like you wouldn’t go for rank poison, now would you?’ He patted my arm and got into the car. ‘Don’t forget to come and see us when you have time,’ he went on, poking his genial face out of the car window. ‘So long for now: hope to see you soon.’
I remained motionless as a shop-window dummy and watched him drive away.
I knew then he had recognized Lucille as she had come out of my bungalow last night, and in his odd, kindly way, he was waving a red light in my face.