patiently waiting.
Then without warning a deep bass roar
caused him to shift the receiver an inch or
two away from his ear.
13
“Hallo, Neele, you old vulture. At it again
with your corpses?”
Inspector Neele and Professor Bernsdorff
of St. Jude’s had been brought together over a
case of poisoning just over a year ago and had
remained on friendly terms.
“Our man’s dead, I hear, doc.”
“Yes. We couldn’t do anything by the time
he got here.”
“And the cause of death?”
“There will have to be an autopsy, naturally.
Very interesting case. Very interesting
indeed. Glad I was able to be in on it.”
The professional gusto in Bernsdorff’s rich
tones told Inspector Neele one thing at least.
“I gather you don’t think it was natural
death,” he said dryly.
“Not a dog’s chance of it,” said Dr. Bernsdorff
robustly. “I’m speaking unofficially, of
course,” he added with belated caution.
“Of course. Of course. That’s understood.
He was poisoned?”
“Definitely. And what’s more–this is quite
unofficial you understand–just between you
and me–I’d be prepared to make a bet on
what the poison was.”
“Indeed?”
“Taxine, my boy. Taxine.”
14
“Taxine? Never heard of it.”
“I know. Most unusual. Really delightfully
unusual! I don’t say I’d have spotted it myself
if I hadn’t had a case only three or four weeks
ago. Couple of kids playing dolls’ teaparties—pulled
berries off a yew tree and
used them for tea.”
“Is that what it is? Yew berries?”
“Berries or leaves. Highly poisonous.
Taxine, of course, is the alkaloid. Don’t think
I’ve heard of a case where it was used
deliberately. Really most interesting and
unusual . . . You’ve no idea, Neele, how tired
one gets of the inevitable weed-killer. Taxine
is a real treat. Of course, I may be
wrong—don’t quote me, for Heaven’s sakebut I don’t think so. Interesting for you, too, I
should think. Varies the routine!”
“A good time is to be had by all, is that the
idea? With the exception of the victim.”
“Yes, yes, poor fellow.” Dr. Bernsdorff’s
tone was perfunctory. “Very bad luck on
him.”
“Did he say anything before he died?”
“Well, one of your fellows was sitting by
him with a notebook. He’ll have the exact
details. He muttered something once about
tea—that he’d been given something in his tea
15
at the office–but that’s nonsense, of course.”
“Why is it nonsense?” Inspector Neele, who had been reviewing speculatively the
picture of the glamorous Miss Grosvenor
adding yew berries to a brew of tea, and finding
it incongruous, spoke sharply.
“Because the stuff couldn’t possibly have
worked so soon. I understand the symptoms
came on immediately he had drunk the tea?”
“That’s what they say.”
“Well, there are very few poisons that act
as quickly as that apart from the cyanides, of
course–and possibly pure nicotine—-”
“And it definitely wasn’t cyanide or
nicotine?”
“My dear fellow. He’d have been dead
before the ambulance arrived. Oh no, there’s
no question of anything of that kind. I did suspect strychnine, but the convulsions were
not at all typical. Still unofficial, of course,
but I’ll stake my reputation it’s taxine.”
“How long would that take to work?”
“Depends. An hour. Two hours, three
hours. Deceased looked like a hearty eater. If
he had a big breakfast, that would slow things
up.”
“Breakfast,” said Inspector Neele thoughtfully.
“Yes, it looks like breakfast.”
16
“Breakfast with the Borgias.” Dr. BernsdorfF
laughed cheerfully. “Well, good hunting,
my lad.”
“Thanks, doctor. I’d like to speak to my
sergeant before you ring off.”
Again there were clicks and buzzes and faroff
ghostly voices. And then the sound of
heavy breathing came through, an inevitable
prelude to Sergeant Hay’s conversation.
“Sir,” he said urgently. “Sir:9
“Neele here. Did the deceased say anything
I ought to know?”
“Said it was in the tea. The tea he had at
the office. But the M.O. says not …”
“Yes, I know about that. Nothing else?”
“No, sir. But there’s one thing that’s odd.
The suit he was wearing–I checked the contents
of the pockets. The usual stuff–handkerchief,
keys, change wallet–but there was
one thing that’s downright peculiar. The
right-hand pocket of his jacket. It had cereal