The Soft Centre

Angel, her blue eyes growing round, stared at him with morbid interest.?‘Pheeeew! You were quick!’ she exclaimed.?‘Quick about what?’ Beigler snarled, his face purple with rage.?‘Don’t expect me to discuss that sort of thing,’ Angel said primly. ‘I have been nicely brought up.’

Beigler seemed to have trouble with his breathing. He looked around desperately as if in search of a weapon.

‘I don’t think I want to help you now,’ the child said to Terrell. ‘I see no reason why I should… Goodbye.’ and she walked with beautiful grace down the steps of the cabin and across to her own cabin.

‘If she were my daughter. I’d take the skin off her bottom!’ Beigler exploded. ‘Kids! Who wants kids these days! They…’

‘Relax,’ Terrell said quietly. ‘She could have seen something. She lives right opposite. I’ll go over and talk to her.’

Beigler drew in a long, deep breath.?‘I’ll see how Hess is making out.’ he said and walked stiffly away towards where the three police cars were parked.

Terrell grinned to himself, then knocking out his pipe. he walked over to the opposite cabin. He tapped on the door which was opened by a youngish, shabbily dressed woman with a harassed expression and who brushed back a lank strand of hair as she looked inquiringly at Terrell.

‘Yes?’?‘I’m Chief of Police Terrell,’ Terrell said. ‘I was talking to your daughter a moment ago. I would like to continue our conversation. Do you mind?’

‘You’ve been talking to Angel?’ The woman looked even more harassed. ‘But why?’?‘She talked to me first,’ Terrell said. ‘I think she might be able to help mc.’?‘Oh, no! You don’t know Angel! She is always romancing! ft’s about this murder, isn’t it?’ ‘That’s right.’?‘I’m sorry… I don’t want Angel mixed up in that. She knows nothing. She’s always romancing… really.’

Angel joined her mother.?‘Mummy, don’t be a square.’ she said. ‘I know all about it. I saw them last night.’

Mrs. Prescott looked helplessly at her daughter who regarded her with kindly contempt. ‘Baby-girl, you know you didn’t. You mustn’t waste this gentleman’s time. Now go in and do your painting.’

Angel looked at Terrell.?‘Mummy has always been stupid about me. She never believes anything I say. I saw them last night.’

‘Angel!’ Mrs. Prescott exclaimed with feeble anger. Do what I say! Go in and do your painting!’

The child lifted her beautiful little hands in a gesture of impatience.?‘That’s all she thinks about… she imagines I’m going to be a famous artist. I have less talent than a cow.’

‘She’s really very talented,’ Mrs. Prescott said to Terrell ‘You have no idea. She just says…’

‘Would you let me talk to her?’ Terrell asked gently. ‘May I come in?’

Mrs. Prescott again pushed her hair off her forehead. She looked distracted.?‘Mummy! For goodness sake! Don’t be so corny!’ Angel said sharply. ‘You know you’re dying for me to get some publicity.’

Giving her mother a little shove, she smiled at Terrell. ‘Come on in,’ and she turned and walked into the shabby sitting room.

‘Well, I suppose you’d better,’ Mrs. Prescott said helplessly. ‘She’s really quite unusual for her age. I’m sure she can’t tell you anything, but if you don’t mind…’

‘I don’t mind,’ Terrell said and entered the room where Angel was already sitting, her hands clasped around her sun tanned knees.

‘Mummy, would you go away,’ Angel said. ‘I can’t talk to him with you fluttering around like a moth.’

‘You see?’ Mrs. Prescott said with pride. ‘She isn’t like an ordinary child. She …’ ‘Mummy! Please…!’

Mrs. Prescott hesitated fluttered then said as she was leaving the room. ‘She really doesn’t know anything. She’s always romancing.’

There was a pause until the door shut, then Terrell took out his pipe and began to fill it. ‘Tel] me about it, Angel,’ he said. ‘What did you see last night?’?‘Do you know what I want more than anything else in this world?’ the child asked, staring intently at Terrell.

Terrell was startled.?‘That’s not answering my question. Listen, Angel, it is very important that I should find who killed Mr. Henekey. If you can help me, it’s your duty to do so.’

Angel scratched her left leg.?‘I want a Teddy Bear as big as myself and that growls,’ she said. ‘That’s what I want more than anything else in the world.’

Terrell shifted. He paused to light his pipe.

‘If you ask your mother nicely, she’ll probably give it to you.’ he said. ‘Now who did you see last night?’

‘Mummy never gives me anything. She hasn’t any money. I’ll never get a Teddy Bear as big as myself and that growls from her.’

‘Let’s forget about the Teddy Bear,’ Terrell said firmly. ‘Who did you see last night? Was it someone going into Mr. Henekey’s cabin?’

Angel scratched her right leg while she stared at Terrell, her blue eyes innocent and wide. ‘Yes, that’s right. There were two of them.’?‘Do you remember the time when you saw them?’?‘It was five minutes to one. I have a dock by my bed. I woke up suddenly and the first thing I did was to put my torch on and look at my clock.’

‘Then what did you do?’