Merlin leaned forward over his desk. “Are you saying—?”
“Patience, Chief Inspector. Mr Voronov had many useful friends. He had Kilinski followed. One night, Monday of last week, I believe, Kilinski went to Tarkowski’s place. Some hours later, Kilinski was driven away in a car by an air force officer. He was followed to Euston Road. The car stopped, there seemed to be a fight, the officer got knocked down and Kilinski ran off. After a few minutes, the car drove away.”
“How do you know all this, by the way?”
“I hear everything in Voronov’s house. All is known to me.”
“Then what happened?”
“Voronov’s follower went over to Kilinski, who had stopped not far from Tarkowski’s building, and offered him a drink.”
“They knew each other?”
“They had met before, yes. Kilinski was already drunk but he drank some more. In the drink was poison and Kilinski died.”
“And who was the follower?”
“Misha Trubetskoi. Since long ago, Misha has always carried a, how do you say, flask that has vodka laced with rat poison. Misha lived a dangerous life with many enemies. He was always well armed. This flask was part of his armour.”
“So, put simply, Voronov arranged for Trubetskoi to kill Kilinski?”
“That is so. Trubetskoi even bragged to me about it the other day, waving his flask, as he often did, in front of my nose. Kilinski was just one in a long list of victims of Kyril Ivanovitch and his cronies.”
*
“So there you have the whole sorry story, my darling. We thought we had a Polish killer, then found out it was a Russian. Both, however, are dead and beyond the reach of the law.”
They were lying in the warmth of Sonia’s bed. She had been fast asleep when Merlin climbed in just before midnight, but had roused at the first touch of his leg. After they had made love, she had nestled into him and insisted on hearing everything before they went back to sleep. “Poor Ziggy.” She reached out and hugged him closer.
“Is Jan out of hospital yet?”
“Tomorrow morning apparently. He’ll be alright. And how about your constable, Tommy Cole?”
“Bursting to get back on the job with Johnson. Johnson’s out with Jack. Doesn’t seem to be that busy, though, does it?” They hadn’t heard any planes or guns since Merlin had arrived.
“Perhaps the Germans are getting bored with bombing us.”
“Perhaps, darling. Oh. Wait. There’s something I want to show you.” He jumped out of the bed, went over to the chair on which he had hung his jacket and reached into a pocket. “What do you think of this? I should have put in it the Yard strong room before I left tonight, but I forgot.” The amulet gleamed in the soft ray of Sonia’s bedside lamp. Sonia drew in her breath as Merlin handed it to her. “Try it on, why don’t you? It’s about 400 years old. First worn by an Aztec emperor, perhaps later by some dark Spanish aristocrat. Whoever wore it before, none will have been as beautiful as you.”
Sonia punched Merlin’s shoulder. “Idiot!” Merlin winced. “Oh, darling Frank, I am so sorry. I forgot for a moment. Are you alright?”
“I’m fine Sonia. Please, go on.”
She raised herself in the bed and was about to put the amulet on when she suddenly stopped. “I think not.”
“Why not?”
“Think about all the bad luck this gold brought to the Countess and her family. And to Ziggy.”
“Are you superstitious, my dear?”
“All Poles are very superstitious, Frank. No, put it away. Thanks for showing it to me, but you get it back where it belongs.”
Merlin looked disappointed. “It has to go back tomorrow, though by all rights it should really be going back to Spain. I thought it would be fun to see it on you one time.”
“No, darling. Put it away, please. You will have to make do with me as I am, without gold or other adornment.” Sonia smiled shyly before slowly removing the bedcover. Merlin forgot his disappointment.
Epilogue