df.theedge-第34节
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'And why was he killed？' the Mountie asked。 'What did he know？''
I risked a glance； looked away； Filmer's mouth was a tight line。 The answer to the question had to be in his tautly…held head at that moment and it was as inaccessible to me as Alpha Centauri。
Zak suggested that Ricky had identified one of the hijackers。 Perhaps； he said； the hijackers had e on the train。 Perhaps they were among the racegoers； waiting another chance to kidnap their quarry。
Filmer's neck muscles slowly relaxed； and I realized that for a moment he must have suspected that the scene had been specifically aimed at him。 Perhaps he spent a lot of his time reacting in that way to the most innocent of remarks。
Mavis and Walter Bricknell demanded that the Mountie should keep their own precious horse safe。
The Mountie brushed them aside。 He was taking over the enquiry into the death of Angelica Standish； he said。 Two deaths connected to the same train could be no coincidence。 What was the connection between Angelica and Ricky？
Zak said that he was in charge of the Angelica investigation
No longer； said the Mountie。 We were now in the province of Manitoba； not Ontario。 His territory； exclusively。
Zak's intended scene of investigation into Angelica's murder had been upstaged by the reality of the Lornmores' car and then aborted by the long stop at Thunder Bay。 Passing the questioning to the Mountie bridged the void neatly； and the Mountie told us that the reason that Steve； Angelica's business manager； also her lover； had not turned up at Toronto station was because he too was dead； struck down in his apartment by blows to the head with a mallet。
The audience received the news of still more carnage with round eyes。 The said Steven； the Mountie went on； seemed to have been in bed asleep at the time of his murder； and the Ontario police were wanting to interview Angelica Standish as a suspect
'But she's dead！' Mavis Bricknell said。
After a pause； Donna said she and Angelica had talked for maybe two hours between Toronto and Sudbury； and Donna was sure Angelica couldn't have murdered Steve； she was lost without him。
Maybe； the Mountie said； but if she was as upset as all that； why had she e on the train at all？ Couldn't it have been to escape from having to realize that she's killed her lover？
Giles…the…murderer calmly enquired whether any murder weapon had been found after Angelica had been killed。
Also； Pierre asked； wouldn't Angelica's murderer have been covered with blood？ The whole toilet partment had been splashed。
Zak and the Mountie exchanged glances。 The Mountie said grudgingly that a blood…covered rolled…up sheet of plastic had been found on the track near the area where Angelica must have been battered； and it could have been used as a poncho； and it was being investigated for blood type and fingerprints。
Donna said couldn't Steve and Angelica both have been killed by a mallet？ That would make her innocent； wouldn't it？ She couldn't believe that anyone as nice as Angelica could have been mixed up in an insurance swindle。
What？ What insurance swindle？
I glance involuntarily at Daffodil； but if there had been a flicker of her eyelids； I had missed it。
Donna in confusion said she didn't know what insurance swindle。 Angelica had just mentioned that Steve was mixed up in an insurance swindle； and she was afraid that was why he had missed the train。 Donna hadn't liked to probe any further。
Sheridan Lorrimore； saying loudly that Angelica had been a bitch； made a lunging grab at the pistol sitting prominently in a holster on the Mountie's hip。 The Mountie； feeling the tug； turned fast and put his hand down on Sheridan's wrist。 It was a movement in a way as dextrous as John Millington on a good day； speaking of razor…sharp reactions； more like an athlete than an actor。
'That gun's mine； sir；' he said； lifting Sheridan's wrist six inches sideways and releasing it。 'And； everybody； it's not loaded。'
There was a general laugh Sheridan； universally unpopular and having made a boorish fool of himself yet again； looked predictably furious。 His mother； I noticed； had turned her head away。 Mercer was shaking his。
The Mountie； unperturbed； said he would be proceeding vigorously with the enquiries into both Angelica's and Ricky's deaths and perhaps he would have news for everyone in Winnipeg。 He and Zak went away together； and Donna drifted around from table to table for a while telling everyone that poor Angelica had really been very sweet； not a murderess； and she； Donna； was dreadfully upset at the suggestion。 She wrung out a real tear or two。 She was undoubtedly an effective actress。
'What do you care？' Sheridan asked her rudely。 'You only met her yesterday morning and she was dead before dinner。'
Donna looked at him uncertainly。 He'd sounded as if he really believed in Angelica's death
'Er。。。' she said； 'some people you know at once。' She moved on gently and presently disappeared with disconsolate…looking shoulders down the corridor beside the kitchen。 Sheridan muttered under his breath several times； making the people he was sitting with unfortable。
Emil and his crew； including me； immediately began setting the tables round the passengers for dinner； and were soon serving warm goat's cheese and radicchio salads followed by circles of rare Chateaubriand with snow peas and matchstick carrots and finally rich orange sorbets smothered in fluffy whipped cream and nuts。 Most of the passengers persevered to the end and looked as though it were no torture。
My suggestion to Angus； while we were dishwashing after the battle； that maybe his food could have been injected somehow with a substance that even now could be working away to the detriment of everyone's health was received by him with frosty amusement。 Absolutely impossible； he assured me。 I had surely noticed that nearly all the ingredients had e on to the train fresh。 He was cooking this food； not bringing it in pre…frozen packs。
I assured him truthfully that I had been impressed by his skill and speed； and I thought his results marvellous。
'You actors；' he said more indulgently； 'will think of any impossible thing for a plot。'
Everyone got off the train at Winnipeg； one thousand； four hundred and thirteen miles along the rails from Toronto。
Two large motor horse…boxes were waiting for the horses； which were unloaded down and loaded up ramps。 The grooms and Leslie Brown led the horses across from train to van and saw them installed and then； carrying holdalls； themselves trouped on to a bus which followed the horse…boxes away towards the racetrack。
A row of buses waited outside the station to take the racegoers away to a variety of outlying motels； and a long new coach with darkly tinted windows was set aside for the owners。 A few of the owners； like the Lorrimores and Daffodil and Filmer； had arranged their own transport separately in the shape of chauffeur…driven limousines； their chauffeurs ing over to the train to carry their bags。
The crew； after everyone else had left； tidied away； into secure lockers every movable piece of equipment and goods； and then joined the actors in the last waiting bus。 The Mountie； I was interested to see； was among us； tall and imposing even with his scarlet and brass buttons tucked away in his bag。
George came last； carrying an attache case of papers and looking over his shoulder at the train as if wondering if he'd forgotten anything。 He sat in the seat across the aisle from me and said the cars would be backed into a siding for two days； the engine would be removed and used elsewhere； and there would be a security guard on duty。 In the siding； the carriages would be unheated and unlit and would e to life again only about an hour before we left on the day after tomorrow。 We'd been able to keep the same crew from coast to coast； he said； only because of the two rest breaks along the way。
The owners and some of the actors were staying in the Westin Hotel which had； Nell had told everyone during dinner； a ballroom and fort and an indoor pool on the roof。 There was a breakfast room set aside for the train party where a piece of the mystery would unravel each morning。 Apart from that； everyone was on their own： there were good shops； good restaurants and good racing。 Transport had been arranged to and from the racecourse。 We would all e back to reboard the train after the Jockey Club Race Train Stakes on Wednesday； and cocktails and dinner would be served as soon as we'd rolled out of the station。 The party； in good humour； applauded。
I had decided not to stay in the same hotel as any of the groups of owners； actors； racegoers or crew； and asked Nell if she knew of anywhere else。 A tall order； it seemed。
'We've put people almost everywhere；' she said doubtfully； 'but only a few actors will be at the Holiday Inn 。。。 why don't you try there？ Although actually。。。 there is one place we haven't booked anyone into； and that's the Sheraton。 But it's like the Westin…expensive。'
'Never mind； I'll find somewhere；' I said； and when the crew bus； after a short drive； stopped and disgorged its passengers； I took m
