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1BlackmailArthurHailey○1Thechiefhouseofficer,Ogilvie,whohaddeclaredhewouldappearattheCroydonssuiteanhourafterhiscryptictelephonecallactuallytooktwicethattime.AsaresultthenervesofboththeDukeandDuchesswereexcessivelyfrayedwhenthemutedbuzzeroftheouterdooreventuallysounded.○2TheDuchesswenttothedoorherself.Earliershehaddispatchedhermaidonaninventederrandand,cruelly,instructedthemoon-facedmalesecretary–whowasterrifiedofdogs–toexercisetheBedlingtonterriers.Herowntensionwasnotlessenedbytheknowledgethatbothmightreturnatanymoment.○3AwaveofcigarsmokeaccompaniedOgilviein.Whenhehadfollowedhertothelivingroom,theDuchesslookedpointedlyatthehalf-burnedcigarinthefatman’smouth.“MyhusbandandIfindstrongsmokeoffensive.Wouldyoukindlyputthatout.○4Thehousedetective'spiggyeyessurveyedhersardonicallyfromhisgrossjowledface.Hisgazemovedontosweepthespacious,well-appointedroom,encompassingtheDukewhofacedthemuncertainly,hisbacktoawindow.○5Prettyneatset-upyoufolksgot.”Takinghistime,Ogilvieremovedtheoffendingcigar,knockedofftheashandflippedthebutttowardanornamentalfireplaceonhisright.Hemissed,andthebuttfelluponthecarpetwhereheignoredit.○6TheDuchess'slipstightened.Shesaidsharply,imagineyoudidnotcomeheretodiscussdécor.○7Theobesebodyshookinanappreciativechuckle.No,ma'am,can'tsayIdid.Ilikenicethings,though.Heloweredthelevelofhisincongruousfalsettovoice.Likethatcarofyours.Theoneyoukeephereinthehotel.Jaguar,ain'tit?2○8Aah!Itwasnotaspokenword,butanemissionofbreathfromtheDukeofCroydon.Hiswifeshothimaswift,warningglance.○9Inwhatconceivablewaydoesourcarconcernyou?”○10AsifthequestionfromtheDuchesshadbeenasignal,thehousedetective'smannerchanged.Heinquiredabruptly,Whoelseisinthisplace?○11ItwastheDukewhoanswered,Noone.Wesentthemout.○12There'sthingsitpaystocheck.Movingwithsurprisingspeed,thefatmanwalkedaroundthesuite,openingdoorsandinspectingthespacebehindthem.Obviouslyheknewtheroomarrangementwell.Afterreopeningandclosingtheouterdoor,hereturned,apparentlysatisfied,tothelivingroom.○13TheDuchesshadseatedherselfinastraight-backedOgilvieremainedstanding.○14Nowthen,hesaid.Youtwowasinthehit-'n-run.○15Shemethiseyesdirectly.Whatareyoutalkingabout?○16Don'tplaygames,lady.Thisisforreal.Hetookoutafreshcigarandbitofftheend,Yousawthepapers.There'sbeenplentyonradio,too.○17TwohighpointsofcolorappearedinthepalenessoftheDuchessofCroydon'scheeks.Whatyouaresuggestingisthemostdisgusting,ridiculous...○18Itoldyou–Cutitout!”Thewordsspatforthwithsuddensavagery,allpretenseofblandnessgone.IgnoringtheDuke,Ogilviewavedtheunlightedcigarunderhisadversary'sadversary'snose.Youlistentome,yourhigh-an'-mightiness.Thiscity'sburnin'mad–cops,mayor,everybodyelse.Whentheyfindwhodonethatlastnight,whokilledthatkidan'itsmother,thenhigh-tailedit,they'llthrowthebook,andnevermindwhoithits,orwhethertheygotfancytitlesneither.NowIknowwhatIknow,andifIdowhatbyrightsIshould,there'llbeasquadofcopsinheresofastyou'llhardlysee'em.ButIcometoyoufirst,infairness,so'syoucouldtellyoursideofittome.Thepiggyeyesblinked,thenhardened.'fyouwantittheotherway,just3sayso.○19TheDuchessofCroydon–threecenturiesandahalfofinbredarrogancebehindher–didnotyieldeasily.Springingtoherfeet,herfacewrathful,gray-greeneyesblazing,shefacedthegrossnessofthehousedetectivesquarely.Hertonewouldhavewitheredanyonewhoknewherwell.“Youunspeakableblackguard!Howdareyou!”○20Eventheself-assuranceofOgilvieflickeredforaninstant.ButitwastheDukeofCroydonwhointerjected,It'snogo,oldgirl.I'mafraid.Itwasagoodtry.FacingOgilvie,hesaid,Whatyouaccuseusofistrue.Iamtoblame.Iwasdrivingthecarandkilledthelittlegirl.○21That'smorelikeit,Ogilviesaid.Helitthefreshcigar.Nowwe'regettingsomewhere.○22Wearily,inagestureofsurrender,theDuchessofCroydonsankbackintoherchair.Claspingherhandstoconcealtheirtrembling,sheasked.Whatisityouknow?○23Wellnow,I'llspellitout.Thehousedetectivetookhistime,leisurelyputtingacloudofbluecigarsmoke,hiseyessardonicallyontheDuchessasifchallengingherobjection.Butbeyondwrinklinghernoseindistaste,shemadenocomment.○24OgilviepointedtotheDuke.Lastnight,earlyon,youwenttoLindy'sPlaceinIrishBayou.YoudrovethereinyourfancyJaguar,andyoutookaladyfriend.Leastways,Iguessyou'dcallherthatifyou'renottoofussy.○25AsOgilvieglanced,grinning,attheDuchess,theDukesaidsharply,Getonwithit!○26Well–thesmugfatfaceswungback–thewayIhearit,youwonahundredatthetables,thenlostitatthebar.Youwereintoasecondhundred–witharealswingingparty–whenyourwifeheregotthereinataxi.○27Howdoyouknowallthis?4○28I'lltellyou,Duke–I'vebeeninthistownandthishotelalongtime.Igotfriendsallover.Iobligethem;theydothesameforme,likelettingmeknowwhatgives,an’where.Thereain'tmuch,outoftheway,whichpeoplewhostayinthishoteldo,Idon'tgettohearabout.Mostof’emneverknowIknow,orknowme.Theythinktheygottheirlittlesecrettuckedaway,andsotheyhave–exceptlikenow.○29TheDukesaidcoldly,Isee.○30OnethingI'dliketoknow.Igotacuriousnature,ma’am.How'dyoufigurewherehewas?○31TheDuchesssaid,Youknowsomuch...Isupposeitdoesn'tmatter.Myhusbandhasahabitofmakingnoteswhileheistelephoning.Afterwardheoftenforgetstodestroythem.”○32Thehousedetectivecluckedhis