Scandal at Six(25)

“Ah. I see. A different kettle of fish altogether. Thanks for telling me, Cowgill. I do see your point, and will certainly think this over very carefully. I have already told Dot Nimmo that she is to work here, and she’s really looking forward to it. But this might well change her mind! What have you done with Pettison? He usually shows up if somebody comes up the drive.”

“He is answering our questions at the moment. Not always willingly, but we are persisting. Now, if you’ll come with me, I’ll show you something else you need to see.”

“Not another killer reptile!” she said nervously, and followed him out of the room.



*



They went through to the main hall, and then Cowgill indicated the stairs. “Up there, Lois, and I hope you’ve a strong stomach.”

“Not very,” she said. “Depends what it is. Is it really necessary for me to see?”

“No, but I’d like you to know what Dot’s in for, should you be foolish enough to let her work here.”

At the top of the stairs, Cowgill turned right along a corridor until, at the very end, he brought out a key and opened the door. Then he took her hand, and led her gently inside.

“Hey, what are you up to—” She stopped suddenly, gripping Cowgill’s hand tightly.

In front of them, hanging from the ceiling, was a very large gorilla, eyes shining from the light in the corridor. It was huge, dark and extremely frightening. Lois tried to back out, but Cowgill held her steady.

“Don’t worry, my dear. It is long dead, poor thing. That noose round its neck is meant to be frightening. According to our specialists, it probably died of very old age at least fifty years ago. Moth-eaten, here and there, if you look closely. Now, that’s not all. If you’ve had enough, we’ll go, but there is more.”

“No, I’m okay. Is the rest as grisly?”

Cowgill nodded, and drew her round the room. The gorilla was a centrepiece, and all around were specimens of the animal kingdom, particularly all sizes of monkeys, some splayed to show their interior workings. Others, like a vast collection of insects, large and small, were laid out in pretty patterns in glass cases.

Lois stared, and then inside felt a rising anger against Pettison. She was not afraid, but furious that he could have made these innocent animals victims of his—his what? Was it some horrid perversion, or a workplace for an amateur ’ologist of some sort?

“This is awful, Cowgill! What the hell has he been up to?”

“He calls it his mausoleum.”

“For his people, no doubt! My God, if I had him here, I’d . . .” Lois could not think of anything bad enough to do to Pettison.

“Then I’m glad he’s not,” said Cowgill. “But there is one mitigating fact. He bought this stuff, lock, stock and barrel, from the effects of an eccentric collector who died many years ago. There are some specimens here of creatures that are now extinct, and these are valuable. Anyway,” he continued, “now do you see what Dot Nimmo should not come across with a duster in her hand?”

“I noticed you unlocked it. We could tell him to keep it locked at all times when New Brooms is likely to be on the premises.”

Cowgill shrugged. “Up to you, Lois. But now you know about it, I trust you will give the whole thing more thought. Now, I must go and find my chaps. Mrs Richardson has been taken to hospital, and we must consider if and when we can allow the zoo to be opened again.”

“Are you going to let go of my hand, or do I have to follow you?”

He chuckled, and before she could withdraw her hand, he kissed it, and then marched off along the corridor and down the grand staircase ahead of her.





Fifteen





“So what did you discover from Cowgill about the accident in the chimp cage?” Gran had dished up a steaming stew, full of leftovers from the Sunday roast, and augmented with herbs and her own spicy stock.

“Mm! This smells good.” Lois sat down at the table and began to eat.

“Are you going to answer Gran’s question?” Derek said.

“Well, best after supper, I think,” she said. She had considered whether to tell Gran and Derek about the Pettison mausoleum, and had decided that on balance it would be a good thing to do. Then any extra precautions she had to arrange for Dot would be explained in advance. It was simple, really. She needed Dot to work there to know exactly how things went on, and that would include knowing how the reptile invasion of the shop could have happened. And why!

“Why best after supper?” said Gran. She feared the worst. Lois had that look about her, one her mother knew so well. Another case of ferretin’ was in the offing.