The So Blue Marble (7 page)

    Three o’clock. Ann wouldn’t return until four. The babies would probably sleep that long on a park-less day. She had time to relax.

    

    

    Dinner in the Persian Room. Ann, lovely, correct, masseused, in Mainbocher because of Her Royal Highness, sherry satin with something white shocking it. Arthur, knife-pleated in tails. The twins, uniforms of tails. Missy in pale lemon chiffon, Alix of course, color of her hair. You wouldn’t think it was becoming but it was; everyone in the room looking at her. Griselda in black sheer, daring cut, startling, her own model.

    David said, “It’s strange how different three sisters can be, and how separately beautiful and distinguished.” He and Danny were any two young men about town, well bred, educated, monied. They had accepted introductions to Griselda.

    Ann asked, “What do you mean?” Her eyes challenged, languorous. She was between Danny and Arthur, Griselda on Arthur’s left between him and David. Missy, of course, between the twins.

    Missy spoke rather crossly, “David’s always being poetic. I want to dance.” She caught Danny’s hand and they danced as if they were sculptured together.

    Ann was eyeing David. Griselda said to him, I’d like to dance, too.” Ann didn’t like it when they moved together.

    She didn’t want to be close to him but she had to talk. “My cleaning woman found the superintendent’s lucky charm under the couch.”

    He was surprisingly angry. His face was dark as shadows. He was exclaiming but not to her. “Stupidity! That’s what comes of hurrying.
Stupide! Stupide!
He remembered her there in his arms. “And what did you say?”

    She recited.

    “That’s what comes of hurrying. He is always impatient Have you told him?”

    “Who? Danny?”

    The music had stopped. They walked so slowly back to the table. “Yes.”

    “I haven’t told anyone. I haven’t seen anyone. I only came here tonight to tell you about it. I didn’t want to come. I didn’t want to see any of you again. Murder-“

    He laughed gently. “You still think we killed him.”

    Then they were at the table, seated again.

    Ann laughed, not too kindly. She had been waiting for the moment: “Griselda, why did you pretend you didn’t know the boys? You surely have had more than the one meeting with them.”

    If Ann had been wise, she would have noticed how Danny, how Missy, how David, how Griselda all looked quickly at her. Maybe she did notice. Maybe even dull Arthur did. Her laugh was less real.

    “Griselda told us about you joining her the other evening. Such a priceless thing!”

    “Wasn’t it?” Danny laughed. He looked at Griselda without any expression.

    She was afraid. She wanted to make it definite what she had repeated. Her laugh was nervous. “Yes, I was telling about it at dinner last night.”

    Arthur came in from his fog. “What about this marble you were talking about? What was all that about?”

    Nobody said anything. It was only for a moment but it was stark. Griselda shivered when David spoke, spoke so easily, so sweetly.

    “You mean the very blue marble?” He leaned slightly across Griselda to Arthur and she could see his pulse beating in his throat.

    Arthur was hearty. “I suppose it was a blue one. I don’t remember. Griselda seemed to think it was important. Sounds silly to me.”

    Missy had lighted a cigarette, one with a small gold M. She said, “It is important.” Her mouth was something harsh and her eyes frightening, like the twins’, without expression. “If Griselda would but give us the marble we would go away.”

    Danny said under his breath, “Quiet,” and David, “Too late!”

    But Danny added aloud, “What Missy says is true.”

    Ann was troubled; she wasn’t that stupid. Arthur, always the host, laughed, “Then I hope she won’t give it to you. We’d hate to have you leave just when you’ve arrived. Wouldn’t we, Ann?” But he broke off, uncertain, seeing Ann’s face, looking now at the others.

    Ann whispered, “Why don’t you give it to them?”

    Griselda spoke to Danny’s face, “I don’t have it. And if I did I wouldn’t give it to you. You know why.” Then she remembered; she was safe, in the Persian Room, ordinary surroundings. She could be normal, herself. “What makes you think I have it? What makes you think I know anything about it?”

    David said, “It was in Con Satterlee’s hands. He’s had it-how long we do not know. But we have definitely traced it to him. We came at once but he was gone.”

    Griselda told him. It was as if no one else was at the table. “I was Con’s wife for three years. I have been divorced from him for four years. I haven’t seen him in four years. Why don’t you get it from Con?”

    David answered, “He doesn’t have it now. It isn’t with him on the border.”

    “How do you know?”

    “He has been searched.”

    She was cold. She spoke absurdly, eagerly, “Maybe he left it some place on the way.”

    “He didn’t stop on the way. He flew out.”

    “Maybe he gave it to the pilot-to someone…”

    “It is too important to give away.” His head bowed just a little as he spoke.

    Arthur was impatient. “Why is it so important? Marbles aren’t so important. What’s there about this particular one?”

    Danny and David and Missy looked at each other. Griselda watched them. Danny was spokesman. He was angling for words, words that would not say much.

    “The blue marble belongs to us. It was stolen from us five years ago. It isn’t really a marble, you see; it looks like one. It contains something important to us. That is why we want it.”

    Arthur was literal. “If it’s something belongs to you I don’t see why you don’t just ask Con for it instead of searching his things and that sort of stuff. Con wouldn’t keep something that didn’t belong to him. Would he, Griselda?”

    She said no, then she smiled half at David, half at Arthur. “Maybe it’s one of those Finders Keepers things. Maybe it did belong to the twins and now it belongs to Con.”

    David’s eyes were glittery. “Maybe,” he admitted. But Danny was angry, hiding it but angry. “You’re wrong, Griselda. We came by the marble honestly.”

    David laughed now. “Yes, we traded a cabin plane, two-seater, perfectly good except petrol-less and a broken wheel, for it.”

    They had Arthur on their side again. “Must be a pretty valuable curio to you.”

    “It is-to us.”

    Griselda baited, “To no one else?”

    David shrugged, “I do not know why it should be to anyone else.”

    She said, “Then Con wouldn’t want it. He probably doesn’t even know he has it.” Her eyes narrowed, “Why is it so valuable to you?”

    Missy broke in, “What does it matter? It isn’t yours. Why don’t you give it to us?”

    Griselda asked blandly, “How do you come into it, Missy?”

    The girl was furious. Dan put his fingers about her upper arm. David smiled, “Missy is our
petite amie.”
Danny said, “She is one-third of us.”

    Missy started to say something but she didn’t have a chance.

    Someone shrieked in a too British accent “Griselda, my dear! Griselda Satterlee!” She bent over Griselda, leaving her young man posing foolishly alone. It was Nesta Fahney, not on the screen, in person, but with the double length eyelashes, the crimson mouth, the porcelain teeth, the daring cream lace gown embroidered in real gardenias. “But, Griselda, this is too fortunate. I didn’t know where you were and you must dress me! I’m going to London next week and I must be dressed!”

    Griselda told her, “I’ve no one here to work for me.”

    “But darling, your taste! You must shop with me.”

    Griselda introduced, “My sister, Mrs. Stepney, Mr. Stepney, Miss Fahney.” She remembered Missy was a sister, too. “And my younger sister, Miss Cameron, Miss Fahney. The Messrs. Montefierrow.”

    She knew now. Nesta had come over to meet the twins, not to be dressed. But she would probably insist on that too. She turned in her chair, “Hello, Jasper.” She introduced the beautiful hero, “Jasper Coldwater.”

    Arthur was heavy with delight. “You must join us, Miss Fahney.” He gave up his chair, beckoned for more. Ann smiled her best at Jasper. The other three didn’t know the idols of the American screen. They didn’t care for the interruption but the twins were polite and Missy finally stared at Jasper. Nesta sat by Arthur but she batted eyelashes at the twins.

    ”You will shop with me, Griselda? I haven’t a stitch. And for London…”

    Danny was charming. “London isn’t particular in these times, Miss Fahney.” He didn’t pronounce her name just right. He stood, “This is my dance, Griselda.”

    She didn’t want to. She was sewed to her chair. But he came over, offered his arm and Nesta’s eyes sighed.

    They danced. He said, “Why did you tell those people of the marble? It would be better if they were out of it. Too many are in it now. What did you say of last night?”

    “Nothing,” she answered truthfully. “But I will tell you something. Mr. Grain, the man you murdered, always wore a lucky coin on his watch chain. My maid found it under my couch this morning.”

    He didn’t speak but she could feel his muscles twitch. She repeated all that she had told David.

    Finally he said, “You need not worry about this. If you keep quiet you will get in no trouble.”

    The music halted, began again. They danced silently. The number was over. He asked, standing in front of her there on the floor, “Why were you asking all the questions about the marble? You know about it. Don’t you?”

    She looked straight at him. “No, I don’t.”

    

    

    

    Bette didn’t come on Sundays. But at nine o’clock someone was pounding at the door, pounding hard. Griselda came out of sleep, belted her white robe about her, put her feet into the white cord slippers, and went to answer. She opened it on the chain. She saw the uniform, and another man not in uniform.

    The uniform said, “Sorry to disturb you, Miss. We’d like to ask a few questions if you don’t mind.”

    “One moment.” The door had to be shut to take off the chain. She could close her eyes for that space, try to think. She opened the door. “You’ll excuse how I look. I was asleep.” Then she asked, “What’s happened?”

    The policeman was Sergeant Moore; the plainclothes man, Inspector Tobin. They told her their names after Tobin had asked, “You’re Mrs. Satterlee?”

    “I use Miss.” Such a trivial correction. Then she repeated. “What’s happened? You’ve found him?”

    Tobin’s nostrils twitched. Moore stared at her.

    “Found whom?”

    “Mr. Grain, the superintendent.”

    The Inspector had eyes that could look sideways. His mouth was sideways, too. “What do you know about it?”

    She had spoken too quickly but she could make it right. “My maid told me.” She walked to a chair, motioned for them to be seated. She skirted the new rug but they walked right where he had been, not dead of heart failure.

    “Where is she?”

    They sat on the couch. The Sergeant’s knees were in his way. He took off his cap, awkwardly. The Inspector didn’t remove his brown fedora.

    “She doesn’t come on Sundays. She told me yesterday morning. Mrs. Grain was worried.” She repeated that pathetic little quirk. “He hadn’t been away from her at night for forty years.” She felt her nostrils sting as if tears were coming. Ridiculous, yet it was sad. She asked again, “You’ve found him?”

    “Yeah.” The Inspector answered out of his mouth.

    She leaned forward but she took a cigarette before speaking. She looked at the match and her voice sounded natural. “Where?”

    “The janitor found him.”

    “Janitor?” Her eyes widened.

    Sergeant Moore said, “Certainly knocked him for a loop.”

    She repeated. She had to know. “Where was he-when the janitor found him?”

    The Inspector asked, “D’ya mind, Miss?” He took a battered pack of Luckies from his pocket.

    She urged, “Forgive me, I forgot.” She handed her box across, insisted. She laughed a little. “I don’t know the manners of an investigation. I’ve never been in one.”

    He laughed too, not very much. “Don’t imagine you have. “You’re visiting, aren’t you?”

    “Yes.”

    “Your husband’s apartment?”

    “Yes, he offered it to me. He’s away. We are divorced, you know.”

    He seemed to know. He pushed his hat sideways. “Yeah. Sort of a funny setup, isn’t it?”

    Her eyes widened again, deliberately now. She didn’t know where he was heading. “You mean my using this place?” She shook her head, thinking it out. “No. No, it isn’t. I haven’t seen him in four years but it’s like him to offer. He read in the paper that I was coming, and wrote offering…”

    “You write letters to each other then?” The Sergeant asked this.”No. I don’t imagine we’ve written a half dozen in that time. Always for business reasons. But-if you knew my former husband, you’d understand.”

    Inspector Tobin turned his lip in. “I know him.”

    She was surprised but insisted, “You understand then. It’s like him. Generous, and matter-of-fact.” She didn’t know why it mattered to them.

    “Yeah.” He was fiddling with his hands now and she saw what was there, the copper coin.

    She nodded at it “Bette found it under this couch Saturday morning. She knew it was Mr. Grain’s, his lucky piece. That is how she came to tell me that he was missing.”

    The Inspector tossed it. “Yeah. You had a party here Friday night.”