The Girl from Heavytree Farm

Chapter Three: Discovery of a murderer

CHAPTER THREE 

George Manfred preferred to dine out in the evenings. It ensured that he enjoyed a meal fitted to his demanding culinary tastes, and it meant that Leon Gonsalez could not dominate the conversation all evening, discussing his latest theory. Since Leon's marriage last June this had been less of a problem, as Leon and Mirabelle spent a certain part of each evening staring into each other's eyes, leaving Manfred and Poiccart to enjoy their meal in peace. On the present occasion, however, it was necessary to have some discussion, and so Manfred phoned a restaurant where he knew it would be possible to have a table in a quiet corner where they would not be overheard, and booked a table for 7pm. 

Leon, as usual, was all for keeping the matter out of the hands of the police. They now had sufficient evidence to make Armitage the obvious suspect for Elsie Manners's death, and with the added evidence of the China tea, it seemed likely that they could pin his wife's death on Armitage. Manfred, however, preferred to let Inspector Meadows know about the evidence they had gathered to date. Poiccart thought that the police would not act; having previously questioned Armitage and let him go, they would not be anxious to reopen the case. 

Mirabelle preferred to get the police involved, and said so. George Manfred heartily approved her view; Raymond Poiccart said cautiously that it could at least be mentioned to Meadows. 

'But not until tomorrow,' said Leon at once. 'The good inspector will not turn out tonight to listen to us spinning him stories! Let me at least have tonight to get our man; and if he escapes me, then you may tell Meadows tomorrow.' 

Manfred agreed, smiling at Leon's earnest desire to prove his case, but Poiccart was solemn. 'You must promise that you will not lead Mirabelle into danger,' he said, gravely. 

Leon flashed a look of love at his wife and responded, 'Ramon mi buen amigo, how could you suggest such a thing? Of course not.' His expressive hands reinforced his words, but Poiccart shook his head. 

'I know you of old,' is all he would say. 

'What stage are we at with the letters to Armitage?' Leon asked his wife. 

'He's had a general warning that he's under observation,' replied Mirabelle, 'and this morning I delivered the second warning. He's due to receive one more.' 

'We'll deliver it this evening,' Leon said emphatically. Poiccart shook his head again. 

He knew that Armitage was a very dangerous man. Mirabelle was young and hotheaded; Leon often acted like a crazy youth. It was all very well for Leon to dodge death, but did he have to include his young wife as well? 

But he remembered Mirabelle's spirited defence of Heavytree Farm, and how she had fired on Oberzohn's men then and later when they cleared up the last of Oberzohn's gang in London; and he took some comfort in the memory. 

After the meal, Leon and Mirabelle walked back ahead to Curzon Street. Entering by the back door, they went up to the study, where Leon wrote the last warning letter to Armitage on the classic green-grey paper, using the flowing hand that had been described by the Megaphone as 'effeminate' and by Detective-Superintendent Falmouth as 'Latin'. 

It was not his normal handwriting, which was small and cramped; but Leon could disguise his handwriting as well as he could disguise himself. He blotted the letter, addressed the envelope and sealed up the letter within it. Then he turned to Mirabelle, who had been checking through their other correspondence while he wrote. 

'We need to dress unobtrusively,' he said. 'Dark clothes.' 

'Evening dress? You normally wear evening dress.'