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Chapter five

A Little Dance

When I got back to my flat, it was early evening. I washed my face and had a drink. Webber thought that Crystal Kingsley killed Lavery. I thought that was too easy. I phoned Redhead. ‘Where do Florence Almore’s parents live,’ I asked her. She told me, and I went out to my car again.

Mr and Mrs Grayson were old and grey. They had tired grey faces and grey smiles. Very sad people. They listened to me quietly.

‘I’m interested in Dr Almore because his house is across the road from Chris Lavery’s,’ I said. ‘You see, somebody shot Lavery this morning in his bathroom. Perhaps it was Dr Almore. You think he murdered your daughter a year and a half ago, right?’

‘Yes,’ said Mr Grayson. ‘We know he killed her.’

‘Why do you think that - And how do you know,’ I asked quietly.

‘Florence wasn’t a very good wife, or daughter,’ Mr Grayson said sadly. ‘But she found Almore and his office nurse in bed together, and she wanted to make trouble for Almore. He didn’t like that. Difficult for his job. So one night he killed her with drugs. He always had a lot of dangerous drugs in the house. It was easy for him. There was a police cover-up about it, we know that, too.’

‘I heard that Almore’s nurse put Mrs Almore to bed that night,’ I said. ‘Was that the same nurse?’

‘Yes, it was,’ said Mrs Grayson. ‘We never saw the girl. But she had a pretty name. What was it, now? Just give me a minute.’

We gave her a minute. ‘Mildred something,’ she said.

I didn’t move. ‘Mildred Haviland, perhaps,’ I said quietly.

Mrs Grayson smiled. ‘Yes, that’s right. Mildred Haviland.’

At Bay City police station I asked at the desk for Webber. He didn’t want to see me, but I said it was important. He took me into his office and we sat down.

‘I want to talk about the Florence Almore suicide,’ I said.

‘Why,’ asked Webber. ‘That happened a year and a half ago. I’m working on the Lavery murder now. That happened today.’

‘But I think Lavery is the key to the story,’ I said. ‘Listen, One: Muriel Chess’s dead body came up in Little Fawn Lake yesterday. Two: I think Muriel Chess was Mildred Haviland. Three: Mildred Haviland was Dr Almore’s office nurse a year and a half ago. Four: Mildred Haviland put Mrs Almore to bed on the night when she died. Was it suicide or murder? But Mildred Haviland left town soon after. Why was that? Five: Mildred Haviland then married and lived with Bill Chess at Little Fawn Lake. Six: Bill Chess worked for Mr Kingsley up at the lake. Seven: Kingsley’s wife sometimes slept in the same bed as Chris Lavery. Eight: Chris Lavery found Mrs Almore’s dead body a year and a half ago.’

‘I don’t understand,’ said Webber slowly.

‘I don’t understand all the story,’ I said. ‘I don’t understand why, or how. But it’s the same story. The same names go round and round in a little dance.’ I lit a cigarette and looked at Webber. ‘And Detective Degarmo doesn’t like any questions about the Almores. He gets very angry. Why? Was there something – wrong about Mrs Almores suicide?’

‘OK,’ said Webber. ‘I wasn’t in this office at the time of the Almore suicide. But there was something – not right. Perhaps somebody did murder Mrs Almore.’

‘And Degarmo worked on the Almore suicide.’

‘That’s right.’

‘And his name is Al. And the writing on Mildred Haviland’s watch says, “Al to Mildred. With all my love.” And a big man with a square face was up at Puma Point six weeks ago with a photo of Mildred Haviland.’

‘OK, Marlowe,’ Webber said tiredly. ‘What do you want?’

‘I want to show that Mrs Kingsley did not murder Lavery. I think Lavery died because he knew something about Dr Almore or Mildred Haviland. And when I show that Mrs Kingsley is not a murderer, I get five hundred dollars from Mr Kingsley.’

Webber smiled. ‘OK,’ he said.

‘And Degarmo?’

Webber’s face was sad. ‘She was his wife at one time. Six or seven years ago. She gave him a very hard time.’

I sat very, very quietly and looked at him. ‘Mildred Haviland was Degarmo’s wife?’

‘Yes. She’s dangerous, that lady. She eats men for breakfast, but they love it. One smile from her, and men jump out of windows for her. Degarmo loved her then, and he loves her now.’

I got back to my flat at about midnight. When I opened the door, I heard the phone. I walked across the room and answered it. It was Derace Kingsley.

‘I heard from Crystal this evening. I’m coming round to your flat now. Be ready to move.’ The phone went dead.