Part 10 (1/2)

Mrs. Murdoch answered with dignity. Mrs. Fairfax did not fish, she said.

Sergeant Beef looked up from his notebook. And there isn't nothink else as you could tell me?

Mrs. Murdoch coughed. I have Mr. Fairfax's London address, she said.

That might come in useful, said Beef. I'll note it down. And with great care he did so.

That appeared to be all the information that Beef wanted or could get from Mrs. Murdoch.

I tell you wot though, he said, I should like a word wiv the girl wot giv' 'em their dinner yesterday. She might 'ave 'eard somethink.

The waiter who served Mr. Fairfax at lunch yesterday can come and speak to you, said Mrs. Murdoch. But the servants are not encouraged to listen to private conversation among the guests. And now I will ask you to excuse me. I trust that the name of the Riverside Private Hotel will be used as little as possible in connection with this unpleasant case.

The way in which she enunciated the word unpleasant suggested that Beef himself was involved in the general nausea of the business.

That's not for me to say, Ma'am. You better get on to the newspapers about that. They'd say any think.

Mrs. Murdoch rose. It's all very unsavoury, she said. I'll send the waiter to you. Good evening. She marched from the room resolutely.

Beef blew violently through his lips, so that, his moustache wavered outwards. 'Ow 'ud you like to work for 'er? he whispered. An' she never suggested us 'aving a drop of nothink, either. Still that's interesting wot she said about young Rogers being 'ere with that Fairfax, isn't it?

The waiter, an elderly man correctly dressed, came in.

Did you give Mr. Fairfax 'is ... lunch yesterday? asked Beef.

Yes. I served the gentlemen.

Didn't 'ear nothink did you?

I don't quite understand, said the waiter haughtily.

All right, my lad, said Beef. The old girl's not 'ere now. You needn't be up in the air. Wot was they talking about?

I never listen. ...

Come off of it. Come off of it. Wot did they say?

I did happen to gather that the gist of their talk referred to the younger gentleman's occupation Mr. Fairfax was emphatic in his advice to him to leave the sea, and settle down ash.o.r.e.

Is that all?

That is all I heard.

Was they talking secret at all?

Oh no. Quite openly.

Didn't say nothink about that afternoon?

I heard nothing beyond what I've told you.