Gently with the Ladies (Inspector George Gently 13)

proof of is another matter. I wouldn’t take an oath on that.’
    ‘You believe her, don’t you?’
    Gently said nothing.
    ‘But for heaven’s sake!’ Fazakerly said. ‘Why should Albertine come out with this unless she’s telling us the truth? She can’t be guessing about seeing Brenda. Brenda hasn’t been mentioned up till now.’
    ‘Oh, it is too bad!’ Albertine wailed. ‘I am telling the truth and he calls me a liar. And Madame will scold me all the same, because she wants it to be Mr Johnny. But you will see, Monsieur, oh you will see. It will come out. I am telling the truth. The sister was there, I cross my heart. May I fall down dead if it is a lie!’
    ‘Here, take it easy,’ Fazakerly said. ‘Monsieur’s trade is being suspicious.’
    ‘But Mr Johnny, it is too bad – and all I wanted to do is help you!’
    ‘You’re doing all right, Albertine.’
    ‘No – you see? He doesn’t believe me. And why? I am foreign, a poor foreign girl, and that is the same thing as being a liar. Oh, too bad! I won’t stop in this country. The money is nothing. I am going home.’
    Gently said: ‘Has Madame spoken of the sister?’
    She stared at him furiously, breathing fast. ‘I hate Madame,’ she said. ‘She is terrible. And I do not know that she was in the flat.’
    ‘But has she mentioned Brenda Merryn to you?’
    ‘She is a foul old woman, this understand. It cannot be spoken what things have gone on there, what she has done with Mrs Johnny and the others. I hate her. Tell her that! This is all too much, I will not stand it. I am a decent girl, I am brought up differently, I do not care how much she will pay me.’
    ‘She has offered you money?’
    ‘Always money. Money to let her play dirty tricks with me. At first, not money, I am to do it for nothing; but when I will not, then money. It is my name, you know that? Is the name of a girl in a stupid novel. Because I am named like this girl in a novel they think I will do dirty tricks like she did. Oh, oh. They were two pigs, if one killed the other it is no matter.’
    ‘Are you accusing your mistress, Miss Junot?’
    ‘Tell me this, Monsieur. Is it unlikely?’
    ‘Have you reason to think so?’
    ‘She is not in the flat. It is how you say, I would have heard sounds.’
    ‘But it was not her you saw on the stairs.’
    Albertine halted and looked sulky. ‘No, it is true, that one is the sister.’
    ‘You are still certain of that?’
    ‘Oh yes. Certain.’
    ‘Miss Junot, your mistress is a very rich woman. If she wanted something said she could pay someone to say it.’
    Albertine stared a moment, then shook her head.
    ‘She didn’t approach you in this way?’
    ‘Never. I would have spat on her money. I am not to be bought by such a woman.’
    ‘She may have paid you to abuse her to us.’
    ‘I do not need payment for that.’
    ‘While still asserting you saw Miss Merryn.’
    ‘If I had seen Madame, would I not tell you?’
    ‘She has a point there,’ Fazakerly said. ‘I don’t think she’s kidding about hating Sybil. I think she’d love to implicate Sybil if she could make it stand up.’
    ‘Oh!’ Albertine cried, turning on him. ‘You are as bad as he is, Mr Johnny. I am not lying. I have not taken money. It is true, all of it. So true.’
    ‘Shsh,’ Fazakerly said. ‘Enough is enough. We’re very grateful to you really, Albertine. You’re the missing link, if you know what that is. Which is why Monsieur is putting you through it.’
    ‘Monsieur is unfair. And it is you I come to.’
    ‘You should have gone to Monsieur in the first place.’
    ‘He does not like me. He is a great bear.’
    ‘He’s doing a job.’
    ‘He is not a gentleman.’
    Fazakerly shrugged humorously and tried to catch Gently’s eye. Albertine pouted and stuck her chin out. But she too had a keen eye on Gently. Gently himself had no expression; he sat heavily, stooped in his chair; his eyes were directed at his glass but it was doubtful if he saw it.
    At last he said: ‘Thank you, Miss Junot. You must go to the Police Station and make a statement.’
    ‘Ah,’ she said. ‘Then you do believe me. It is all this time you are playing the fox.’
    ‘We shall of course check your statement carefully.’
    ‘And you will find it true.’ She wriggled with fervour. ‘I wish you to check it in every little part. This understand, Monsieur, I am truthful and decent.’
    ‘Don’t protest too much, old girl,’ Fazakerly