The Stratford Murder by Mike Hollow (best thriller novels of all time .TXT) 📗

back through his notebook, then stopped and ran his finger down a page.

‘You perhaps won’t be surprised to learn that that’s not the reason Miss Carlton gave for the end of your relationship. She says you dropped her in favour of Joan Lewis, and I think you’ll agree that does have something to do with my investigation.’

Conway looked shocked. ‘Joan? No, it’s not true! She was a married woman.’

‘Such things are not unheard of, Mr Conway.’

‘Yes, of course, but no, you’ve got it wrong. The only relationship I had with Joan was the normal contact between employer and employee. There was nothing improper about it at all.’

‘So you’re saying Miss Carlton is mistaken?’

‘No, I’m not. I’m saying Miss Carlton is lying. Can’t you see? She’s just bitter because I didn’t want to carry on with her. She’s jealous and immature, and quite frankly she’s jeopardising her future employment in this cinema. It’s outrageous, and I won’t have it.’

‘So you were not in an intimate relationship with Joan Lewis.’

‘Intimate relationship? What do you mean by that?’

‘I mean the kind of relationship that’s intimate enough for a woman to get pregnant.’

Conway’s face took on an expression of outraged astonishment. ‘What? Are you saying Joan was—’

‘Just answer the question, Mr Conway.’

‘I most certainly did not have such a relationship with her, and I’ve nothing more to say on the subject.’

‘Very well. That will do for now. But there’s just one more thing I’d like to ask you, and that’s to do with the theft from your safe.’

‘By all means,’ said Conway, visibly calming himself. ‘What do you want to know?’

‘Simply this – do you have any reason to suspect that someone working at the cinema could’ve been involved in the theft?’

‘What they call an inside job, you mean? No, I don’t. I know you said there was no sign of forced entry, but I’ve told you before, the only people with keys are myself, my secretary and whoever’s on fire-watching duty overnight, which on this occasion was Wilson. I regard him as a trustworthy fellow, and whatever Miss Carlton’s personal shortcomings might be, I’ve no reason to believe she’d do something like that.’

‘Providing the thieves with a key isn’t the only way a member of staff might be involved. If there’s no sign of forced entry, it could be because someone let them in from the inside.’

‘Well, in that case it could be anyone, couldn’t it?’

‘Perhaps, but it also seems they were sure enough of where the safe was to go straight to your own office and break into it. Your man Wilson said they didn’t ask him anything when they attacked him and tied him up. They knew exactly where to go. Could someone who works for you have given them that information?’

‘Yes, but the safe was in my office. That would be a fairly obvious place to look for it, wouldn’t it?’

‘There’s no sign on the door saying “manager’s office”. It’s just a blank door.’

‘Yes, but it’s right next to the pay box. It wouldn’t take much to work out that’s where the safe might be.’

‘Right. So you’ve no reason to suspect that any member of your staff might’ve told these thieves where to look?’

‘No, I haven’t. Are you asking this because poor Joan was murdered on the same night as the break-in? Are you saying there’s a connection?’

‘What do you think?’

‘No, it’s not possible. Joan would never do anything like that.’

‘And her sister?’

‘What? Beryl? That sweet little thing? No, it’s impossible. My staff are all very loyal – not just to the company, but to me personally. Good leadership creates trust, and trust creates loyalty, Inspector.’

‘An interesting thought, Mr Conway. I’m sure you’re right – a man can’t get far without loyal staff. Is Miss Hayes on duty at the moment?’

‘Yes, she is.’

‘In that case, if you don’t mind, I’d like a brief word with her.’

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

As soon as Conway had left the office to fetch Beryl, Jago ran an eye quickly over the papers on the desk, but he saw nothing of interest. He imagined the manager would send a page boy to find her rather than trouble himself, so he refrained from moving anything in case Conway returned too soon.

‘So do you think Beryl really could’ve been in on the job?’ said Cradock in a hushed, conspiratorial voice. Jago thought this unnecessary, since Conway had closed the door behind him, perhaps not wanting passing members of staff to see the two police officers back to interview him again.

‘I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘But I’m certainly going to ask her.’

Their conversation was terminated by Conway’s return, followed by Beryl Hayes.

‘Thank you, Mr Conway,’ said Jago. ‘Would you mind leaving us for a few minutes? We won’t be long.’

Conway opened his mouth as if to object, but appeared to change his mind. He marched out of the office without a word and closed the door behind him with a little more force than before.

‘What is it, Inspector?’ said Beryl, standing before the detectives in her usherette’s uniform.

‘As you may know, we’re investigating not only the death of your sister but also a theft that occurred here at the cinema on the same night.’

‘I had heard about a break-in – someone blew the safe, didn’t they?’

‘That’s right. Now, I’d like to ask something, and please think carefully. Do you know anything at all that might shed some light on that incident?’

‘No, I don’t. I mean, I was here that evening – I told you that, didn’t I? With my boyfriend, not on duty. But I thought they said the break-in was later, during the night. I’d gone home by then.’

‘Yes, but are you aware of anything that happened before or after that time that might help us?’

‘No, I’m sorry. Why would you think I did?’

‘Did anyone ask you about the layout of the cinema – where the offices were located, for example?’

‘No. Who’d be interested in that? I mean, people sometimes ask where the toilets are, or the cloakroom, but those