Too Many Murders(100)

“What about Erica? She must have returned from Moscow that second time changed out of all recognition,” Carmine said.

“In one way, yes. In another, no. The fire had gone, but an icy determination took its place. She abjured all sexual activity until someone in high authority made her understand that sex is a beautiful woman’s best tool. She was instructed in the art of fellatio. A large amount of money was placed in a Boston bank in her name, and, as far as I know, she began her upwards climb. After a few mawkish letters, I lost contact with her.”

“Then you don’t know that she rose to be the highest executive in a very large American company that manufactures weapons of war?” Carmine asked.

“No, really?” Hugh Lefevre looked delighted. “How truly marvelous!”

“But she didn’t spy for Moscow.”

“You can’t possibly know that. After her training, she would be able to dupe anybody.”

“Erica was a blind for someone else. She must have had a controller—someone who guided her actions and told her what to do. She never behaved like a master spy because she wasn’t a master spy. She was just a blind.”

“I hope you’re correct, Captain. If you are, then Erica’s company is still penetrated. Splendid, splendid!”

When Carmine left, he walked all the way back to the Hilton, as much of his way as possible through Regent’s Park, among azaleas and rhododendrons, blossoming trees and rich carpets of impossibly green grass. Hyde Park it wasn’t, but it had its charms. Only when he found a refreshment pavilion and had that cup of tea did he lose the last of the sour taste in his mouth that was Professor Hugh Lefevre. Old, crippled, fueled by an ideology. There were plenty of people like him; differing ideologies, perhaps, but the same end result.


He joined Desdemona for lunch in the coffee shop, as she had just come in from a long walk through Hyde Park pushing Julian in what she now called a “pram”—less than a day, and his wife’s Englishness was back with a vengeance. But she looked rested and relaxed despite her hike. Myron might be a pain in the ass, but occasionally he got some things right.

How to tell her that he was going home? Directly, no apologies and no prevarication.

“I got everything I needed from Professor Lefevre,” he said, reaching to take her hand. “That means I have to go home.”

The light died in her eyes, but she mustered all her resources and managed to look merely disappointed. “I know you’d stay if you could,” she said steadily, “so it must be very urgent. I imagine all policemen’s wives go through this sort of thing—the divorce rate is so high.” She stretched her mouth into a smile. “Well, Captain Delmonico, you’re not going to get rid of me as easily as that! Yes, I’m disgruntled, but I knew when I married you what sort of person you are. And you do have a fatal attraction for nasty cases! It rubbed off on me straight away, so I must have the same quality. My bed will be cold, but not as cold as yours—I have Julian. Just promise me that when it’s all over, you’ll bring me back here. Not in Myron’s luxury! Some smelly private hotel out on the Gloucester Road will do—I can bear the curry and the cabbage. And we won’t need to hire a pram because Julian seems to prefer a stroller. He’s inherited your curiosity, my love, and likes to see where he’s going.”

“It’s a deal,” said Carmine, kissing her hand. “I’ll worry just the same. London’s a big place.”

“Oh, we won’t be in London,” Desdemona said blandly. “I arranged it with Delia. We both knew you’d go home quickly, so Julian and I are going to stay with Delia’s parents in the Cotswolds. No one will find out where we’ve gone. Myron’s generosity can get us there—I confess I quail at the thought of battling with a baby, a pram and luggage on a train. We’ll travel in a Rolls.”

“It will be trains, buses and taxis next time,” he warned.

“Yes, but you’ll be there to help. I am a very large person, Carmine, but I have only one pair of hands.”

Light was dawning on Carmine. “You are pissed off at me! What a relief!”

“Yes, of course I’m pissed off!” she said crossly. “It’s no fun trying to be a perfect policeman’s wife, I can tell you! I didn’t expect you to find what you were looking for quite so quickly. I thought Julian and I would have you for at least three days. I’ve never seen the crown jewels!”

“That’s good, neither have I.”

“How long have I got?” she asked.