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Back The Old Success Save as PDF
Chapters (53)
  1. Cover
  2. Also by Martha Grimes
  3. MARTHA GRIMES
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. PART I
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. PART II
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. PART III
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. PART IV
  39. 30
  40. 31
  41. PART V
  42. 32
  43. 33
  44. 34
  45. 35
  46. PART VI
  47. 36
  48. 37
  49. 38
  50. 39
  51. PART VII
  52. 40
  53. Back Cover

“Still,” said Trueblood, “the drugging could happen without the owner knowing, couldn’t it?”

George looked at Trueblood as if he were either crazy or five years old. “But why would it?”

“Then someone must have suspected.”

“Not necessarily. Look, I’m not claiming the horse was drugged. I’m only saying that Summerston would have known if the horse had been. It would have been a hell of a scandal if it got out.”

“Could it still be?”

Puzzled, they all looked at him. “What?”

“A scandal? Have you ever seen that gossip column in one of the tabloid rags called Comeback? It’s not about some entertainer’s fresh success, it’s old gossip—old stuff the columnist brings back from months or even years ago. Bits of things that were never resolved. A few days ago there was something about Summerston’s war record: he got the something-for-gallantry award. Well, someone claimed that he hadn’t really done the thing that earned it, something about grabbing up a machine gun and keeping a North Korean unit from shooting his men. This chap who’s disputing Summerston’s part says it was his own father who’d saved the men. He wants the Queen to revoke the award and give it to his father.”

“Can that be done? Would it be done?” said Vivian.

“Why not?” said Trueblood. “Awards have been rescinded all over the place. For all kinds of reasons: criminal conviction; unworthy conduct; men stripped of titles for scandals involving money, sex, et cetera. Certainly for misrepresentation of bravery in the service.”

“That’d play hell with a man’s reputation if it got out,” said Melrose, recalling Jury’s comment about Summerston needing a fixer.

PART VI

Black Swan

36

Macalvie had sent a car for them to Exeter Airport, and Jury and Plant were now walking into his office. Or rather pushing their way in, as Gilly Thwaite was rushing out of it, looking not at all pleased.

Tom Brownell was sitting in one of the chairs across from Macalvie’s desk. Macalvie was marking up pages in a folder that he tossed aside when Jury and Plant came in. Beside his desk sat a large stuffed giraffe.

“Who’s that?”

Macalvie looked at the giraffe as if he weren’t sure. “Oh, him? That’s Jerome. He’s the new head of SOCO. Gilly Thwaite just quit. As you might have noticed, she’s displeased with the replacement.”

“Hello, Tom,” said Melrose.

Tom nodded. “You’re going to Bryher? He’s yours to take along.”

“Why do I not feel in need of a giraffe?”

“Don’t know. But you’ll reduce the threat of police presence with it.”

“And why am I always to be some sort of corrective for ‘police presence’? Rather than merely being a distraction, it would be nice to be known for making a contribution.”