Chapter 20 chapter eight

Inspector Kemp was in a bad mood. For the first half hour he had been interviewing a frightened eighteen-year-old boy who, thanks to his uncle's high position, aspired to be the kind of high-class waiter that Luxembourg restaurants demanded.And currently he is just one of six low-level trainees who wear an apron to distinguish him from the high-level waiters. His main job is to be scolded, to be called around by his superiors, to take this and that, and to blame them for any mistakes. Overhead, there was constant berating in French, Italian, and sometimes English.Charles really deserved to be a "big man". Not only did he not protect his own nephew, he reprimanded and cursed him more fiercely and frequently than the other five.Still, in his heart, Pierre longed for at least one day in the distant future to be a head waiter in at least one trendy restaurant.

Currently, however, his future is in red light, and he thinks he's suspected of an out-and-out murder. Kemp almost took out the boy's internal organs, exasperated, but he had to convince himself that the boy did exactly what he told him—that is, picked up a lady's purse from the ground, Put it back next to her plate. "I was in a hurry to deliver the sauce to Mr. Rob, and he was getting impatient, and the young lady dropped the purse when she got up to dance, so I picked it up and put it back on the table, and then Quicken your pace, because Mr. Robb is pointing my nose. That's it, sir."

That's it.Kemp let him go bitterly, feeling tempted to add, "But don't let me catch you doing something like that again." Inspector Piroc came in and told the Inspector; a young lady had asked to see him, or rather the officer in charge of the Luxembourg restaurant case. "Who is she?" "Miss Chloe West." "Bring her in," Kemp said, "and I'll give her ten minutes. In ten minutes it's Mr. Farrelday's turn. Ah, well, it wouldn't hurt to keep him waiting a few minutes longer. They are restless." As soon as Miss Corrow West came in, Camp felt immediately and intuitively that he knew her.But a minute later, he negates his instincts.No, he'd never seen the girl, he was sure.Yet that sense of déjà vu still haunted him.

Miss West was about twenty-five, tall, brown-haired, and very pretty.She seems tense. "Miss West, what's the matter?" said the Inspector curtly. "I read in the paper about the Luxembourg restaurant - people who died there." "Mr. George Button? How? You know him?" "Well, no, not much. I mean I don't really know him." Kemp studied her carefully and made his first judgment. Miss Corrow West seemed very refined and kind.He said kindly: "Could you please give me your full name and address first so we can continue talking?" "Colo Elizabeth West. 15 Merry Lane, Lida Street. I'm an actress."

Camp looked at her again out of the corner of his eye and decided she was right, an actress. "Continue with what you just said, Team West." "When I saw Mr Barton's death, and - and the news of the police investigation, I thought maybe I should come and tell you something. I told my friend, and she felt the same way. I don't mean the same thing. It must be, but—" Miss West paused. "We'll judge," Kemp said kindly, "just tell us." "I didn't happen to be acting at the time," West's team explained. Inspector Kemp almost said "Shut up" to show he knew their lingo, but held back.

"But my name was all over the agents and my picture was in 'Starlight'... I know Mr Barton saw it from the magazine. He got in touch with me and explained to me what he wanted me to do thing." "What's up?" "He told me that he was going to have a banquet at the Luxembourg restaurant and he wanted to surprise his guests. He gave me a photo and told me that he wanted me to dress up like the person in the photo. The hair color is very similar, he said." An image flashed through Kemp's mind, the picture of Rosemary he had seen on the desk in George's room.She was the woman the lady reminded him of, and she did resemble Rosemary Barton—not surprisingly, perhaps, but roughly the same size and features.

"He also brought a dress for me to wear, which I brought. A gray-green silk gown. My hair was going to be done like a photo (it was a color photo) and I was going to use make-up. To make up for not being quite like the picture. Then I'll go to the Luxembourg restaurant, go in during the first sideshow, and sit at the table Mr. Barton has reserved, and there will be a vacant place for me .He took me there for lunch and told me where his table would be." "Then why didn't you come to the appointment, Miss West?" "Because about eight o'clock that night - someone - Mr. Barton - called me and said it was postponed. He said he would tell me the next day when it was postponed. Then, the next morning, I was at The papers read of his death."

"And you came to us very alertly," said Kemp kindly, "well, thank you very much, Miss West.You cleared up a mystery - and that is the mystery of the empty chair.By the way, you just said first - 'someone' - and then 'Mr. Barton', why? " "Because at first I didn't think it was Mr Barton, his voice sounded different." "Is it a man's voice?" "Oh, yes, I think--at least--sounds a little hoarse, as if he had a cold." "Also, that's all he said?" "Just that." Kemp asked her only a few questions, but nothing more.

After she was gone, he said to the officer: "Turns out that was George Patton's famous 'plan'. I understand now. Why they all say he stared at the empty chair after the sideshow with a weird, absent-minded look. His pre-plan was set .” "You don't think he told her to postpone it himself?" "Not at all. And I'm not sure if it's a man's voice at all. Talking on the phone, a hoarse voice is a good disguise. Ah, well, we're making progress. Please come here Mr. Farreddy, if If he has come."