The Unseen Hand Read online

‘That’s right,’ she said. ‘Mrs Gosling expects us to be out of bed by six o’clock. The guests’ needs come first.’

  ‘Do you like working here?’ asked Keedy.

  ‘I did until today.’

  ‘What about you, Rogan?’

  ‘It’s a privilege to work at the Lotus,’ he said, loyally. ‘There’s nowhere quite like it. The guests are always so well behaved. That’s not been the case in other hotels where I’ve worked. I’ve had to deal with some very nasty situations, I can tell you. Some men get completely out of control when they’ve had too much to drink.’ He lowered his voice. ‘Then there are those who think the female members of staff are there for them to take liberties with. We’ve never had that kind of problem here.’

  ‘And we’ve never had anyone die at the hotel,’ Millie piped up, ‘as that poor woman did this morning. What on earth was wrong with her, Sergeant? Did she have some terrible disease?’

  After looking from one to the other, Keedy inhaled deeply.

  ‘There’s something you both ought to know …’

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Having her daughter at home for a whole night was a treat for Ellen Marmion. Since she didn’t have to go on duty in the Women’s Police Force until a later shift, Alice was able to have a long, lazy breakfast with her mother. They had something important to celebrate. After months of prevarication, Joe Keedy had finally agreed on a date for the wedding. It was to be in the following June. Though they’d talked about it at length the previous evening, the women returned to the subject with renewed gusto.

  ‘We’ll have to speak to the vicar,’ said Ellen.

  ‘There’s no rush.’

  ‘The church has to be booked and the banns have to be read.’

  ‘Not for a long time yet.’

  ‘We must do everything properly, Alice.’

  ‘We will, I promise you. Joe and I don’t want anything too fancy, by the way. Tell Daddy that we’ll be happy with a quiet wedding. We’ll have to be more careful with money from now on because we’re saving up to buy a house.’

  ‘If all else fails, you can always move in here.’

  ‘No,’ said Alice, firmly. ‘That wouldn’t work at all. We’d get under each other’s feet and there’d be no real privacy for any of us. By next June, we’ll have found a place of our own.’

  ‘Make sure that it’s somewhere close to us.’

  ‘We’ll have to take what we can get, Mummy. Our main worry is that the war will still be going on. Joe seems to think it will be finished by spring of next year, but I don’t share his optimism.’

  ‘When it started,’ recalled Ellen, gloomily, ‘we thought that it would be over and done with by Christmas. That was three years ago.’

  ‘I prefer not to think about it. I don’t care if German bombs are dropping all round the church. Now that we’ve finally fixed the date, I intend to get married on that Saturday afternoon, whatever happens.’

  ‘Have you discussed the guest list with Joe?’

  ‘Yes, it will be on the short side.’

  ‘We can’t scrimp on everything, Alice. Why don’t I get pencil and paper and jot down the obvious names?’

  ‘I’d rather do that nearer the time, Mummy.’

  ‘It won’t hurt to start right now.’

  ‘Yes, it will.’

  ‘Why do you say that?’

  ‘It’s because one name will be missing off that list.’

  Ellen was jolted. While enjoying the prospect of her daughter’s wedding, she’d forgotten all about her son. Paul Marmion had been injured at the Battle of the Somme and invalided out of the army. He’d been so disruptive at home that his mother was unable to cope with his shifting moods and bad behaviour. When she least expected it, Paul had run away and made no attempt to contact anyone in the family. An intense search by his father had proved fruitless and they’d begun to think he might no longer be alive. To their relief, they discovered he’d been working as a labourer on a farm in Warwickshire but, when they went to see him, they learnt that Paul had been sacked from his job. Once again, they were completely in the dark.

  Alice made an effort to be positive about her wayward brother.

  ‘You never know,’ she said. ‘He may be back home by then.’

  ‘I doubt that somehow.’

  ‘Things will be different when winter comes. Paul will start to have second thoughts about living hand to mouth. Having a roof over his head will become much more important to him.’

  ‘I don’t want him driven back here because of bad weather,’ said Ellen, baulking at the idea. ‘I’d like him back because he’s missing his family.’ She pursed her lips. ‘That may be too much to ask.’

  ‘Paul’s my brother. He ought to be there for my wedding.’

  ‘How can he do that if he doesn’t even know when it is?’

  Alice was deflated. ‘That’s a fair point.’

  ‘If he had any intention of coming home, he’d have turned up months ago. We have to be realistic, Alice. He’s gone for good.’

  When he’d assigned the case to Marmion, the superintendent had reminded him that he expected to be kept informed of developments at every stage. Once he’d gathered enough information, therefore, the inspector was driven straight back to Scotland Yard so that he could report to his superior. Seated behind his desk, Claude Chatfield listened with interest to what the detectives had found at the Lotus Hotel. The manager had given Marmion a plan of the property. He now opened it in front of the superintendent.

  ‘How did the murder victim get into the building?’ he asked. ‘That was my first question. The second one is linked to it: how on earth did Lady Diana Brice-Cadmore, who occupied that room, leave the hotel with her luggage without being seen?’

  ‘How many exits are there?’

  ‘Three, sir – there’s one at the front and two at the rear.’

  Marmion used a finger to indicate each in turn. Chatfield pondered.

  ‘A hotel employee must be involved,’ he said at length.

  ‘That was my feeling.’

  ‘How reliable is that night porter?’

  ‘Sergeant Keedy said that he seemed alert enough when he was questioned, and the manager spoke up for Rogan. Including Mr Chell, there are four male members of staff at the Lotus, but the manager is the only one who has any real contact with the guests. The others are largely invisible. One of the attractions of the hotel to prospective guests is that it’s run by and solely for women.’

  Chatfield frowned. ‘Does that mean it’s a haven for suffragettes?’

  ‘It’s a place that offers respectability and a degree of luxury. That was how the manager described it. Until today, it also provided a guarantee of safety for its guests.’

  ‘They won’t be feeling very safe now.’

  ‘Mr Chell will be working madly to placate them.’

  ‘What’s your next step?’

  ‘Lady Brice-Cadmore lives in Berkshire. The house has no telephone, apparently. I’ll go by train to Didcot then take a taxi out to the estate. If she’s there, I’d like to find out why she made a sudden exit from the hotel. I’m also hoping that she may have some idea of the identity of the woman who was in her room.’

  ‘What about the sergeant?’

  ‘I left him at the Lotus, taking statements from all and sundry. I can’t believe that it was so easy for one woman to leave unseen and for a complete stranger to end up dead in her place.’

  ‘I agree. Somebody must have seen something.’

  ‘If they did,’ said Marmion, confidently, ‘then Sergeant Keedy will soon get the truth out of them. He’s very thorough.’

  Keedy had taken so many notes that his hand was beginning to ache, but he forced himself on, talking to each person – guest or employee – in succession. He always felt uneasy in the presence of wealth and it was very much on show. Accommodation was very expensive and the exquisite jewellery worn by some of the women he interviewed told its own story. In a previous
case, he’d visited another London hotel and immediately fallen out with the manager. His first impression of Rex Chell was that the man was cut from the same cloth – proud, arrogant, authoritative and more concerned in protecting his hotel from damaging publicity than in helping to solve a murder. On closer observation, Keedy had to revise his judgement. Chell turned out to be a master of diplomacy, quiet, patient, watchful, sympathetic and able to smooth the most ruffled feathers. Watching him in action was an education. Angry guests who came to hector the manager went away with contented smiles on their face. Those who threatened to leave instantly were somehow persuaded to stay. Chell had undeniable charm.

  Bracing himself, Keedy began yet another interview.

  ‘How long have you worked here, Mrs Gosling?’ he asked.

  ‘I started at the Lotus when it first opened.’

  ‘When was that?’

  ‘It must be all of five years ago,’ she said.

  ‘And where were you before that?’

  ‘I was the housekeeper at the Belfry in Leicester Square.’

  ‘That’s a much bigger hotel, isn’t it?’

  ‘I prefer to work here, Sergeant.’

  ‘Why is that?’

  ‘Well, there’s the manager, for a start. It’s a pleasure to work for Mr Chell. He makes you feel appreciated. Also, I have much more of a free hand here. I like that.’

  Lena Gosling was a plump, motherly, middle-aged woman with red cheeks and sparkling eyes. Keedy warmed to her at once. He knew that she’d been comforting Millie.

  ‘How is Miss Jenks?’

  ‘She’s still badly shaken,’ she replied, ‘but I’ve managed to stop her blaming herself for what happened.’

  ‘It wasn’t her fault,’ said Keedy.

  ‘I kept telling her that.’

  ‘The manager said that you’d taken her under your wing.’

  ‘She needed someone to look after her,’ said Mrs Gosling. ‘Millie has never been away from home before. The Lotus can be a bit scary to someone like that.’

  ‘What do you know of Lady Brice-Cadmore?’

  ‘She’s stayed here once before. She is a very nice woman, though she can be fussy about her food.’

  ‘Was her behaviour in any way erratic?’

  She gave a shrug. ‘I don’t understand.’

  ‘Leaving the hotel without notice was very impulsive of her. Did she seem like the sort of person to do something like that?’

  ‘No, she was far too considerate.’

  ‘Why did she ask Miss Jenks to wake her this morning?’

  ‘Millie had been looking after her room.’

  ‘Yes, but she’s the most junior member of staff. Why pick on her when other people would have seemed more reliable – Mr Rogan, for instance. He told me that he’s often had to wake guests up early in the morning. Has Miss Jenks ever done that before?’

  ‘No,’ she said, thoughtfully. ‘She hasn’t.’

  Keedy sat back in his chair. ‘I’m told that you keep this place working properly behind the scenes.’

  She laughed. ‘That’s not true at all.’

  ‘I think you’re being modest.’

  ‘I simply do my best.’

  ‘Tell me a little more about yourself, Mrs Gosling.’

  ‘Oh, I’m not important.’

  ‘I think you are.’

  Encouraged by his interest, she launched into her life story. It was tinged with sadness. London had a sizeable population of war widows and she had a special reason to understand the plight of those who’d lost their husbands in action. Her own tragedy had occurred during the Boer War when the man she’d recently married was shot dead in a skirmish. Though Lena Gosling had been deprived of the chance to have the children she’d coveted, she didn’t descend into self-pity. She simply threw herself wholeheartedly into her work and built up a reputation for reliability and diligence. Over a period of years, she’d earned a series of promotions in various hotels. She had now ended up at the Lotus with responsibility for the housekeeping.

  ‘Girls like Millie Jenks are my family now,’ she said, fondly. ‘They come here as complete innocents and need someone to look out for them.’

  ‘You obviously do that job well.’

  ‘I don’t see it as a job, Sergeant. It’s a treat.’

  ‘How do you get on with the manager?’

  ‘We get on very well. I have no complaints about Mr Chell and I make sure he has none about me. He’s the person who makes this hotel run like clockwork.’

  ‘I can imagine that.’

  ‘And he’s such a handsome man. The guests adore him.’

  Keedy was quizzical. ‘Don’t you think it’s rather odd?’

  ‘What is?’

  ‘Well, in a hotel where the vast majority of people are female, most men would feel out of place. I certainly would.’

  ‘Mr Chell would be at his ease anywhere. It’s a gift.’

  It was not one that Keedy possessed. Talking to hotel employees like Lena Gosling, he was completely relaxed. It was a different matter when he’d had to question some of the guests. They came from a world of wealth and entitlement. Keedy would never aspire to such things. In their presence, he was made to feel that he belonged to a lower order of creation and it rankled with him.

  Mrs Gosling looked him in the eye and wagged a finger.

  ‘Can I make one thing clear?’ she asked.

  ‘Yes, of course.’

  ‘You think a member of staff was responsible, don’t you?’

  ‘It’s a possibility we have to explore,’ he said.

  ‘Then let me save you a lot of wasted time, Sergeant. I know every person who works under this roof and I can vouch for each one of them. None of them would dream of doing anything that would cause trouble to the Lotus. We’ve bonded together here,’ she said, grasping his arm. ‘Don’t treat us as suspects. It’s unfair on us and it will mislead you. We’d die rather than let this hotel down.’

  Keedy was taken aback by her passion and forthrightness. He was also glad when she loosened the tight grip on his arm.

  ‘You like it here, don’t you?’ he said.

  ‘I love it, Sergeant. This is my home.’

  CHAPTER FIVE

  After responding to the crisis at the hotel, then delivering his report to the superintendent, Marmion was glad to have time to review the situation. Though he was in a full compartment of a train to Didcot, he was able to block out the sound of his fellow travellers and concentrate on the case. Questions proliferated. Who was the murder victim? What was she doing at the hotel and what possible motive had prompted someone to kill her? Where was Lady Diana Brice-Cadmore and why had she left the hotel without any kind of warning? Was there any connection between the two women? Could it be that the missing guest was implicated somehow in the murder? That seemed inconceivable. Rex Chell had described her as a model guest and hotel managers tended to be shrewd judges of character. It was part of their stock-in-trade.

  Marmion was baffled. He was confronted by a grotesque conjuring trick in which a live guest disappeared from the stage in a flash to be replaced by a dead stranger. Such an extraordinary act of deception needed careful planning and an intimate knowledge of the Lotus Hotel. The more he thought about it, the more convinced Marmion became that his starting point had to be Lady Brice-Cadmore. Having ordered a taxi for 6 a.m., she had instead left the hotel by some other means during the night and headed for an unknown destination. Marmion hoped that she’d gone home to the address he’d found in the hotel register, but that was by no means certain. The fact that her luggage had vanished with her suggested that she would have needed help. Did that come from a friend or an accomplice in a murder?

  The key element in the investigation was the Lotus Hotel itself. It was comparatively small, highly exclusive and tucked away where it would attract little attention. What was the rationale behind it? Why was it frequented by a particular clientele? Gentlemen’s clubs abounded all over London – one had
featured in a recent case handled by Marmion and Keedy – but similar establishments for women were much less common. Why had the Lotus come into being? Was it satisfying a need for a privileged sector of the female population? Who exactly stayed there and why did they prefer it over the countless other hotels in the capital?

  Marmion accepted that he and Keedy were at a disadvantage because of their gender. While they could subject the Lotus to close scrutiny, there were aspects of its operation they might never uncover. Not for the first time, he wished that Scotland Yard could see the value of having female detectives, able to elicit information out of other women in a way that was beyond their male counterparts. But the Metropolitan Police Force was far too hidebound even to consider the idea. Marmion’s daughter, Alice, a prime candidate for promotion to detective status, was not allowed anywhere near investigations into serious crimes. They were a male preserve. The Women’s Police Force was kept firmly in its place. Marmion and Keedy would have to do without the insights that only a woman could bring. As they had done for centuries, male values and attitudes would continue to dominate law enforcement.

  Marmion racked his brains until the train juddered to a halt in Reading Station. Another question then pushed itself roughly to the front of the queue.

  What had Lady Brice-Cadmore been doing in London?

  It was a paradox. Alice Marmion arrived at work with wonderful news yet was unable to pass it on. Bursting to share it with a friend, she was held back from doing so by an invisible hand. After being given their orders by the imperious Inspector Gale, she and her beat partner, Iris Goodliffe, set off on their shift. They lapsed into inconsequential chatter. Since Iris was her closest friend in the Women’s Police Force, she ought to be told that a date for the wedding had finally been decided, and she would initially share Alice’s joy. But her pleasure would be edged with pain because Iris would be reminded how empty her own private life was. Alice was being tactful, knowing that her delight would throw Iris’s misery into sharp relief.

  Unlike her shapely friend, Iris was a big, chubby, plain young woman, highly conscious of her lack of appeal to the opposite sex. When a man had finally taken an interest in her, the relationship had ended in disaster. Iris had been badly wounded by the experience. As a result, a bubbling extrovert had been turned into a morose and fearful young woman. Out of consideration for her friend’s feelings, therefore, Alice decided to hold back her good news. She was not allowed to do it for long. In spite of her many faults, Iris had keen instincts.