Andrew Cavell's story

'Can I come in?' a voice said. The voice was calm, cold, upper-class.

'Yes, and shut the door please,' К said. She looked up.

'It's me. Andrew Cavell. Miss Everett has left — I think.'

К looked at this proud man in his fine suit.

'Miss Everett has left — you think,' К said.

'I heard her. We all heard her,' Mr Cavell laughed.

'A little whisky, Mr Cavell?' К asked.

'Yes, please.'

'Shall I get you some ice?'

'Er - no, thanks. Just water, please. Thank you.'

'What can you tell me about Sir Michael?'

'A lot.What do you want to know?'

'A lot.'

'Well, I didn't like him. I can tell you that. He was my sister's husband, but I didn't like Michael Gray at all. I never liked him.

'Michael Gray married my sister twenty-five years ago. He wasn't a rich man then -just out of the army. We - the family -took him into the company. My father, Lord Cavell, liked him. He worked hard and before long he became the boss of Cavell and Company. Cavell and Company is the family business. Michael was a hard worker, but he married into money.'

'You never liked him. Why?'

'For a number of reasons. He often had fights with Eli/abeth and I didn't like that at all. He liked women and he spent a lot of money on them. But he spent money like water. I didn't like that. It's our money, the family's. He changed his will. My sister told me about it. He wanted to leave.£100,000 to that silly girl, Angela Everett.'

'His secretary.'

'Yes — his secretary.'

'Why did you come to "Flanders", Mr Cavell?'

'I wanted to speak to Michael. We had a talk before dinner.'

'Tell me about it.'

'Well, he's dead now, so that's good for Cavell and Company.'

'Yes, it's excellent.'

'And you're glad?'

'Yes. He's dead and I'm glad. The family business is more important to me than Michael Gray. Of course, I'm sorry for my sister. She really loved him.'

'Did Sir Michael leave £100,000 to Miss Everett?'

'I don't know. I haven't seen the will. He talked about it.'

'Perhaps Miss Everett is a rich woman now.'

'Perhaps she is.'

'You're a cold man, Mr Cavell.'

'Cold?'

'Yes. He's dead and you're glad. Perhaps he has left £100,000 to his secretary, but you don't even look angry. You really hated Sir Michael, didn't you? Behind that calm face, you hated him.'

'True, madam, but I didn't murder him.'

'Sir Michael died at 9.25. Where were you at the time?'

'Hasn't my sister told you? I was in the living room. She spoke to me about Everett. Then we heard Nancy - Mrs Flack. We ran outside. We ran to the study door. Colonel Fawcett and I broke down the door. We saw the body on the floor — just there. Elizabeth immediately telephoned the police.'

'Did you touch the body?'

'No. Michael was dead. We all saw that and we didn't touch the body. We just waited for the police.'

'And the police sent me'.

'Yes, madam. The police sent you!

'Thank you, Mr Cavell.'

'Excuse me, but can we all go to bed now?'

'No, I'm sorry. It's late, but I must speak to all of you. But first I must speak to Mrs Flack again.'

'I'll send her to you.'

'Thank you, Mr Cavell.'

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