.*

Blackmail

Arthur Hailey

1 The chief house officer, Ogilvie, who had declared he would appear at the ○

Croydons suite an hour after his cryptic telephone call actually took twice that time. As a result the nerves of both the Duke and Duchess were excessively frayed when the muted buzzer of the outer door eventually sounded.

2 The Duchess went to the door herself. Earlier she had dispatched her maid on an ○

invented errand and, cruelly, instructed the moon-faced male secretary – who was terrified of dogs – to exercise the Bedlington terriers. Her own tension was not lessened by the knowledge that both might return at any moment.

3 A wave of cigar smoke accompanied Ogilvie in. When he had followed her to ○

the living room, the Duchess looked pointedly at the half-burned cigar in the fat man’s mouth. “My husband and I find strong smoke offensive. Would you kindly put that out.\

4 The house detective's piggy eyes surveyed her sardonically from his gross jowled ○

face. His gaze moved on to sweep the spacious, well-appointed room, encompassing the Duke who faced them uncertainly, his back to a window.

5 \neat set-up you folks got.” Taking his time, Ogilvie removed the ○

offending cigar, knocked off the ash and flipped the butt toward an ornamental fireplace on his right. He missed, and the butt fell upon the carpet where he ignored it. 6 The Duchess's lips tightened. She said sharply, imagine you did not come here to ○discuss décor \

7 The obese body shook in an appreciative chuckle . \○

like nice things, though.\He lowered the level of his incongruous falsetto voice.\Like that car of yours. The one you keep here in the hotel. Jaguar, ain't it?\

.*

8 \It was not a spoken word, but an emission of breath from the Duke of ○

Croydon. His wife shot him a swift, warning glance. 9 \ ○

10 As if the question from the Duchess had been a signal, the house detective's ○

manner changed. He inquired abruptly, \11 It was the Duke who answered, \○

12 \things it pays to check.\Moving with surprising speed, the fat man ○

walked around the suite, opening doors and inspecting the space behind them. Obviously he knew the room arrangement well. After reopening and closing the outer door, he returned, apparently satisfied, to the living room.

13 The Duchess had seated herself in a straight-backed Ogilvie remained standing. ○

14 \○

15 She met his eyes directly.\○

16 \○

end, \

17 Two high points of color appeared in the paleness of the Duchess of Croydon's ○

cheeks. \

18 \told you – Cut it out!” The words spat forth with sudden savagery , all ○

pretense of blandness gone. Ignoring the Duke, Ogilvie waved the unlighted cigar under his adversary 's adversary 's nose. \This city's burnin' mad – cops, mayor, everybody else. When they find who done that last night, who killed that kid an' its mother, then high-tailed it, they'll throw the book, and never mind who it hits, or whether they got fancy titles neither. Now I know what I know, and if I do what by rights I should, there'll be a squad of cops in here so fast you'll hardly see 'em. But I come to you first, in fairness, so's you could tell your side of it to me.\

.*

say so.\

19 The Duchess of Croydon – three centuries and a half of inbred arrogance behind ○

her – did not yield easily. Springing to her feet, her face wrathful, gray-green eyes blazing, she faced the grossness of the house detective squarely. Her tone would have withered anyone who knew her well. “You unspeakable blackguard! How dare you!” 20 Even the self-assurance of Ogilvie flickered for an instant. But it was the Duke ○

of Croydon who interjected, \Ogilvie, he said, \and killed the little girl.\

21 \more like it,\Ogilvie said. He lit the fresh cigar. \we're getting ○somewhere.\

22 Wearily, in a gesture of surrender, the Duchess of Croydon sank back into her ○

chair. Clasping her hands to conceal their trembling, she asked. \is it you know?\

23 \○

cloud of blue cigar smoke, his eyes sardonically on the Duchess as if challenging her objection. But beyond wrinkling her nose in distaste, she made no comment. 24 Ogilvie pointed to the Duke. \○

Irish Bayou. You drove there in your fancy Jaguar, and you took a lady friend. Leastways, I guess you'd call her that if you're not too fussy.\

25 As Ogilvie glanced, grinning, at the Duchess, the Duke said sharply, \on ○with it!\

26 \– the smug fat face swung back – \○

the tables, then lost it at the bar. You were into a second hundred – with a real swinging party – when your wife here got there in a taxi. \27 \○

.*

28 \tell you, Duke – I've been in this town and this hotel a long time. I got ○

friends all over. I oblige them; they do the same for me, like letting me know what gives, an’ where. There ain't much, out of the way, which people who stay in this hotel do, I don't get to hear about. Most of ’em never know I know, or know me. They think they got their little secret tucked away , and so they have – except like now.\29 The Duke said coldly, \○

30 \I'd like to know. I got a curious nature, ma’ am. How'd you figure ○where he was?\

31 The Duchess said, \○

has a habit of making notes while he is telephoning. Afterward he often forgets to destroy them. ”

32 The house detective clucked his tongue reprovingly . \○

that, Duke – look at the mess it gets you in. Well, here's what I figure about the rest. You an' your wife took off home, you drivin', though the way things turned out it might have been better if she'd have drove.\33 \○

34 Ogilvie nodded understandingly. \○

lickered ( = liquored ) up, but good...\

35 The Duchess interrupted. \you don't know! You don't know anything for ○

sure! You can't possibly prove...\36 \○

37 The Duke cautioned, \○

38 \– ○

through the basement, so's not to use the lobby. Looked right shaken, too, the pair of you. Just come in myself, an' I got to wondering why. Like I said, I got a curious nature.\