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Evan stared at him, his eyes wide, unsure for an instant whether he was joking or not. Then Monk suddenly found he was not sure himself. There was no reason to believe the cabby. Perhaps there had been heated words between them, some stupid quarrel, possibly over nothing more important than the fere. Maybe the man had followed Grey upstairs, carrying a case or a parcel for him, seen the flat, the warmth, the space, the ornaments, and in a fit of envy become abusive. He may even have been drunk; he would not be the first cabby to bolster himself against cold, rain and long hours a little too generously. God help them, enough of them died of bronchitis or consumption anyway.
Evan was still looking at him, not entirely sure.
Monk spoke his last thoughts aloud.
"We must check with the porter that Grey actually entered alone. He might easily have overlooked a cabby carrying baggage, invisible, like a postman; we become so used to them, the eye sees but the mind doesn't register."
"It's possible." Belief was strengthening in Evan's voice. "He could have set up the mark for someone else, noted addresses or wealthy fares, likely-looking victims for someone. Could be a well-paying sideline?"
"Could indeed." Monk was getting chilled standing on the curb. "Not as good as a sweep's boy for scouting the inside of a house, but better for knowing when the victim is out. If that was his idea, he certainly mistook Grey." He shivered. "Perhaps we'd better call on him rather than send a message; it might make him nervous. It's late; we'll have a bit of lunch at the local public house, and see what the gossip is. Then you can go back to the station this afternoon and find out if anything is known about this cabby, what sort of reputation he has—if we know him, for example, and who his associates are. I'll try the porter again, and if possible some of the neighbors."
The local tavern turned out to be a pleasant, noisy place which served them ale and a sandwich with civility, but something of a wary eye, knowing them to be strangers and perhaps guessing from their clothes that they were police. One or two ribald comments were offered, but apparently Grey had no
t patronized the place and there was no particular sympathy for him, only the communal interest in the macabre that murder always wakens.
Afterwards Evan went back to the police station, and Monk returned to Mecklenburg Square and Grimwade. He began at the beginning.
"Yes sir," Grimwade said patiently. "Major Grey came in about quarter after six, or a bit before, and 'e looked 'is usual self to me."
"He came by cab?" Monk wanted to be sure he had not led the man, suggested the answer he wanted.
"Yes sir."
"How do you know? Did you see the cab?"
"Yes sir, I did." Grimwade wavered between nervousness and affront. "Stopped right by the door 'ere; not a night to walk a step as you didn't 'ave to."
"Did you see the cabby?"
" 'Ere, I don't understand what you're getting after." Now the affront was definitely warning.
"Did you see him?" Monk repeated.
Grimwade screwed up his face. "Don't recall as I did," he conceded.
"Did he get down off the box, help Major Grey with a parcel, or a case or anything?"
"Not as I remember; no, 'e didn't."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes I am sure. 'E never got through that door."
That theory at least was gone. He should have been too old at this to be disappointed, but he had no experience to call on. It seemed to come to him easily enough, but possibly most of it was common sense.
"He went upstairs alone?" He tried a last time, to remove every vestige of doubt.
"Yes sir, 'e did."
"Did he speak to you?"
"Nothing special, as I can think of. I don't remember nothin', so I reckon it can't 'ave bin. 'E never said nothin' about bein' afraid, or as 'e was expecting anyone."
"But there were visitors to the buildings that afternoon and evening?"
"Nobody as would be a-murderin' anyone."
"Indeed?" Monk raised his eyebrows. "You're not suggesting Major Grey did that to himself in some kind of bizarre accident, are you? Or of course there is the other alternative—that the murderer was someone already here?"
