Gently with the Ladies (Inspector George Gently 13)

grudge against your wife,’ Gently said. ‘She seems to have shared in the Beryl Rogers disaster. That necklace was a sort of symbol, you know. Miss Johnson may have felt an irresistible urge to deprive your wife of it.’
    ‘And all this while she was making me a tool?’
    ‘She knew who you were when she picked up with you.’
    ‘You can’t make me believe it. There’s no proof strong enough. Though she swore it herself, it wouldn’t be true.’
    ‘In part true. We have mixed motives.’
    ‘Not even in part. I won’t have that, either. If there’s any connexion it’s separate, coincidental. First she loved me, that’s single and immaculate.’
    ‘In the way you defined love?’
    Fazakerly sank into the chair again. ‘Why did I ever go to you?’ he said. ‘It must have been my evil star driving me along. The trouble is you’re too damned understanding. I can’t make any sort of front against you. You even stop me doing it with myself, you take the belief out of my words. So you want Sarah. Take Sarah. But Sarah isn’t going to be any use to you.’
    ‘Because,’ Gently said.
    ‘I’m confessing, damn you. It was me who killed Clytie and stole the necklace.’
     
    There was a service bell on the wall near them and Gently reached over and rang the bell. A waiter came running through the swing doors as though his only duty was to answer that bell. He clicked his heels and smiled.
    ‘What are you drinking?’ Gently said.
    Fazakerly glowered. ‘Scotch,’ he snapped.
    ‘Export lager,’ Gently said.
    The waiter ducked and ran out again.
    ‘This is one thing that money can buy,’ Gently said. ‘I can’t afford to buy it myself, but I agree it’s worth whatever you’re paying for it. Just answer one question and I’ll take you seriously.’
    ‘I’m tired of answering questions,’ Fazakerly said.
    ‘What did you do with the necklace?’
    ‘I slung it in the Medway.’
    ‘Then I’m afraid you’ll have to stay free and rich.’
    The drinks came, a jar of Scotch with jumbo ice-cubes clattering in it, and a misty vase of lager. Fazakerly sat pat. Gently paid. Fazakerly drank slowly from amongst his bergs. His eyes were steady and distant. Just while he drank you would think he was dreaming of far atolls and sleepy guitars.
    ‘So you’re chopping Sarah.’
    ‘I didn’t say so.’
    ‘That’s the worst of you. You never say anything. You just apply pressures – that’s your technique, isn’t it? You harp away on one string till you drive a person gaga. And all the time you don’t mean it. You’re merely operating on their brain.’
    ‘You think I don’t mean it about Miss Johnson?’
    ‘I think you’ve been laying it on too thick. She’s a nice sharp tool for dealing with me. A bright lancet. The right-shaped blade.’
    ‘I wanted your reactions. That’s natural.’
    ‘And now you’ve got them, what next?’
    Gently grinned. ‘I may even begin believing in your innocence.’
    ‘That’s crazy. Right when I’ve stopped believing in it myself.’
    They drank some more.
    ‘You said you’d never met Beryl Rogers,’ Gently said.
    Fazakerly nodded. ‘I heard what happened though. Brenda filled me in on that. And it must have made an impression on Clytie because she always kept the memory fresh. That necklace was a symbol all right. It was pointing straight at La Bannister’s heart.’
    ‘Who would know your wife had it out on Monday?’
    ‘Stockbridge of course. Perhaps Mother Lipton.’
    ‘It was Mrs Lipton’s day off.’
    ‘She’d know that Clytie was going out.’
    ‘Is she dishonest?’
    Fazakerly shook his head. ‘She’s a damned old bitch, but she’s honest. We’ve had her ever since we moved there. She could’ve pinched a fortune if she’d wanted.’
    ‘Who else would know?’
    ‘La Bannister herself, and anyone who knew Clytie and knew she was going out. She always wore it. People would notice. If she’d booked a table, say, somebody might have done some guessing.’
    ‘Did you know?’
    ‘No. So I couldn’t have told Sarah. And it’s daft even beginning to suspect Sarah with La Bannister right on the spot. It couldn’t have meant such a damn sight to Sarah, not enough to make her turn burglar. But it was vitriol to dear Sybil. The wonder would be she waited so long.’
    ‘Tell me some more about your wife and Mrs Bannister.’
    ‘More in what way.’
    ‘About their relations.’
    Fazakerly sipped.
    ‘I’ve tried to believe that