AgathaChristie-SurpriseSurprise by Surprise (uc) Surprise

Author:Surprise (uc) Surprise [Surprise, Surprise]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

“That’s odd,” he saj^ frowning. “There was quite a lot

of blood. Where did ilcome from?”

And then, suddenly he realised what his quicker-witted

friend had already seen

“By Jove,” he said. It must have come from that flat.”

He stopped, thinkiig over the possibilities his words

implied.

“You’re sure it was—er—blood?” he said. “Not paint?

Donovan shook his hey.

“It was blood, all rigit,” he said, and shivered. ’”

They looked at each other. The same thought was clear

ly in both of their minq. n was Jimmy who voiced it first.

“I say,” he said awkwardly. “Do you think we ought to

—well—go down agaii—and have—a--a look around?

See it’s all right, you klow?” ‘‘W“^.- ||

“What about the girl;?” .; %s.^:...” »

^ “We won’t say anythng to them. Pat’s going to put on

; an apron and make us an omelet. We’ll be back by the

time they wonder where we are.” s’ ‘

“Oh, well, come on,’ said Donovan. “I suppose we’ve

got to go through with it. I daresay there isn’t anything

really wrong.”

But his tone lacked conviction. They got into the lift and

descended to the floor tyow. They found their way across

the kitchen without inuch difficulty and once more

switched on the sitting-room light.

“It must have been in here,” said Donovan, “that—that

I got the stuff on me. I never touched anything in the

kitchen.”

He looked round hiir. Jimmy did the same, and they

both frowned. Everythir.g lool-”---” —’’ – - – - -‘ ----

g . THE THIRD FLOOR FLAT 141 ^” ...iies removed from any suggestion of violence or ^ Suddenly Jimmy started and caught his companion’s

arm.

“Look!”

Donovan followed the pointing finger, and in his turn

uttered an exclamation. From beneath the heavy rep curtains

there protruded a foot—a woman’s foot in a gaping

patent-leather shoe.

Jimmy went to the curtains and drew them sharply

apart. In the recess of the window a woman’s huddled

body lay on the floor, a sticky dark pool beside it. She was

dead, there was no doubt of that. Jimmy was attempting to

raise her up when Donovan stopped him.

“You’d better not do that. She oughtn’t to be touched till

the police come.”

‘The police. Oh! of course. I say, Donovan, what a

ghastly business. Who do you think she is? Mrs. Ernestine

Grant?”

“Looks like it. At any rate, if there’s anyone else in the

flat they’re keeping jolly quiet.”

“What do we do next?” asked Jimmy. “Run out and get

a policeman or ring up from Pat’s flat?”

“I should think ringing up would be best. Come on, we might as well go out the front door. We can’t spend the whole night going up and down in that evil-smelling lift.”

Jimmy agreed. Just as they were passing through the

door he hesitated.

“Look here; do you think one of us ought to stay—just to ^ep an eye on things—till the police come?”

“Yes, I think you’re right. If you’ll stay, I’ll run up and ^ephone.”

He ran quickly up the stairs and rang the bell of the flat

above. Pat came to open it, a very pretty Pat with a flushed ace and a cooking apron on. Her eyes widened in ‘“rprise.

“You? But how—Donovan, what is it? Is anything the Clatter?”

He took both her hands in his.

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