日期：2025-06-30 III One of the girls rose at once as he entered the office. Its Detective Inspector Hardcastle, isnt it? she said. Miss Martindaleis expecting you. She ushered him into the inner office. Miss Martindale did not wait amoment before attacking him. Its... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 II Miss Waterhouse was also at home. She was also true to type, openingthe door with a suddenness which displayed a desire to trap someone do-ing what they should not do. Oh, its you! she said. Really, Ive told your people all I know. Im sure youve... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Eighteen IHardcastle arrived at No. 19, Wilbraham Crescent just as Miss Pebmarshwas coming out of the house. Excuse me a minute, Miss Pebmarsh. Oh. Is itDetective Inspector Hardcastle? Yes. Can I have a word with you? I dont want to be late at the I... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Seventeen It was an hour and a half later and Detective Inspector Hardcastle satdown behind his desk and accepted with relief an official cup of tea. Hisface still held its bleak, angry look. Excuse me, sir, Pierce would like a word with you. Hardca... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 II It was just after two oclock that I walked into the station and asked forDick. I found him at his desk leafing over a pile of stuff. He looked up andasked me what I had thought of the inquest. I told him I thought it had been a very nicely manage... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Sixteen COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE II noticed when Sheila Webb slipped quietly out of the Coroners Court. Shed given her evidence very well. She had looked nervous but not un-duly nervous. Just natural, in fact. (What would Beck say? Quite a goodperforma... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Fifteen The inquest was well attended by the general public. Thrilled by a murderin their midst, Crowdean turned out with eager hopes of sensational dis-closures. The proceedings, however, were as dry as they could be. SheilaWebb need not have dread... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Thirteen COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE I walked up Charing Cross Road and turned into the maze of streets thattwist their way between New Oxford Street and Covent Garden. All sortsof unsuspected shops did business there, antique shops, a dolls hospital,ball... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Fourteen COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE It had been quite a long time since I had visited Whitehaven Mansions. Some years ago it had been an outstanding building of modern flats. Nowthere were many other more imposing and even more modern blocks ofbuildings... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Twelve Having dismissed Colin, Inspector Hardcastle looked at the address neatlywritten in his notebook and nodded his head. Then he slipped the bookback in his pocket and started to deal with the routine matters that hadpiled up on his desk. It was... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Eleven Ramsay, said Colin, thoughtfully. What about him? I like the sound of him, thats all. He travels abroadat a moments no-tice. His wife says hes a construction engineer, but thats all she seems toknow about him. Shes a nice woman, said Hardcast... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Ten At No. 62, Wilbraham Crescent, Mrs. Ramsay was saying to herself encour-agingly, Only two days now. Only two days. She pushed back some dank hair from her forehead. An almighty crashcame from the kitchen. Mrs. Ramsay felt very disinclined even t... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Nine They drove along Wilbraham Crescent, turned to the right up Albany Roadand then to the right again along the second instalment of WilbrahamCrescent. Simple really, said Hardcastle. Once you know, said Colin. 61 really backs on Mrs. Hemmings hou... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Eight In addition to its number, 20, Wilbraham Crescent had a name. It wascalled Diana Lodge. The gates had obstacles against intruders by beingheavily wired on the inside. Rather melancholy speckled laurels, imper-fectly trimmed, also interfered wi... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Seven Mr. Waterhouse, hovering uncertainly on the steps of 18, Wilbraham Cres-cent, looked back nervously at his sister. Youre quite sure youll be all right? said Mr. Waterhouse. Miss Waterhouse snorted with some indignation. I really dont know what... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 II I arrived the next morning promptly at the agreed hour and found myfriend literally fuming with rage. When he had dismissed an unhappy subordinate, I inquired delicatelywhat had happened. For a moment Hardcastle seemed unable to speak. Then he sp... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Six COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE IWhen we had put ourselves outside two good underdone steaks, washeddown with draught beer, Dick Hardcastle gave a sigh of comfortable reple-tion, announced that he felt better and said: To hell with dead insurance agents,... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Five Mom! said Ernie Curtin, desisting for a moment from his occupation ofrunning a small metal model up and down the window pane, accompany-ing it with a semi-zooming, semi-moaning noise intended to reproduce arocket ship going through outer space... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Four COLIN LAMBS NARRATIVE Where do we go? I asked Dick Hardcastle. He spoke to the driver. Cavendish Secretarial Bureau. Its on Palace Street, up towards theEsplanade on the right. Yes, sir. The car drew away. There was quite a little crowd by now,... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-06-30 Three Hardcastle stared. Oh come, Miss Pebmarsh. What about that beautiful Dresden chinaclock on the mantelpiece? And a small French clockormolu. And a silvercarriage clock, andoh yes, the clock with Rosemary across the corner. It was Miss Pebmarshs... 阅读全文>>