‘Throw your clothes on,’ I said when she answered the phone. ‘Get Mrs. Dedrick up too. Muffin’s calling for you in about ten minutes. I want you ever at Ocean End. I’ve found Dedrick.’
Paula said she would be ready. She didn’t waste time asking questions.
I hung up and lit a cigarette. I was sweating with excitement. Somewhere in the silent room a clock ticked busily. I swung my legs up on the settee and tried to keep calm. With any luck, this would be the end of the case. By tomorrow, if it worked out the way I hoped it would, Perelli would be free.
I closed my eyes. It seemed a long time since I had any sleep. A lot had happened since Maxie had given me the pass-key to Barratt’s apartment. It seemed almost too good to be true that within an hour the thing would be finished.
Then suddenly from somewhere upstairs there came a single choked bang of a gun.
I was off the settee across the room and bad the door open before the echo of the shot had ceased to roll through the silent house.
I stood in the hail, staring Into the darkness, listening. A door opened. A light flashed up. Someone ran along the gallery above me, past the head of the stairs. I caught a fleeting glimpse of a woman in a blue silk wrap. Another door opened; then a wild, horrified scream rang out. I sprang forward, mounted the stairs three at the time, reached the gallery as another scream sounded from a lighted doorway at the end of the gallery.
I ran down the gallery, paused outside the door and looked into the room: Dedrick’s room.
Serena was bending over the bed, frantically shaking his shoulder as he lay still and silent on the bed. ‘Lee!’ she was screaming. What have you done? Lee! My darling! Speak to me!’ I went quickly into the room. One brief look at the man on the bed told me he was dead. The side of his head was smashed in, and blood ran down his face on to his white shirt.
I caught hold of Serena’s arm.