Read Brass Rainbow for Free Online Page B

knowing,” I said.
    A man’s voice answered me: “That is a cynical statement, Mr. Fortune, and stubborn. You’re more competent than you look.”
    George Ames stood over me. He wore evening clothes now—white tie and tails. He looked good.
    â€œThe police talked to me,” I said. “They’ll let me hang myself. Maybe we could talk about Jonathan’s enemies now?”
    â€œInfluence didn’t get rid of you, perhaps answers will,” Ames said. He took a black cigarette case from his inner pocket and selected an elegant cigarette with gold trim. “Every man makes enemies in sixty years, but there was no one recent or special. Murder is drastic, Fortune. It takes a powerful reason, don’t you think? There was no enemy of that magnitude.”
    â€œBusiness?”
    Ames smoked, smiled. “Jonathan was chairman of Radford Industries. It’s actually a financial holding company: impersonal, collective, almost anonymous. Jonathan’s death will change nothing for anyone.”
    â€œWho gets the business now? Who gets his money?”
    Mrs. Radford answered that. “Jonathan’s personal money goes all over the family. He made no secret of that. He was a bachelor, and at least fifty people will share in his will.”
    â€œHis real wealth,” Ames added, “was his holdings in Radford Industries. Everyone in the family has some shares. I have a few thousand myself, but Jonathan held fifteen percent. That chunk gives control of the company; he would never break it up. I assume it will go intact to Walter as the only young Radford.”
    â€œIt will,” Mrs. Radford said, “together with the five percent my husband had and Jonathan controlled since my husband died.”
    â€œSo Walter gets the business?” I said.
    Ames laughed. It was a loud laugh. Almost too loud. “The stock doesn’t mean the power if I knew Jonathan. He’d just about given up on Walter as a businessman.”
    â€œDon’t be insulting, George,” Mrs. Radford said coldly.
    â€œCome now, Gertrude,” Ames said. “Walter hates the idea of running the company, and you know it. Jonathan knew it, too, and he’ll certainly have arranged it so that management will run the company at least for now. I hope so, anyway. I have a stake.”
    â€œWalter will prove he can run the company,” Mrs. Radford said. “He’ll take hold now. Deirdre will help once they are married.”
    â€œPerhaps she will at that,” Ames said.
    I said, “Miss Fallon and Walter are being married soon?”
    â€œThe announcement will be made after the funeral.”
    When I had first talked to George Ames, he had called Deirdre Fallon a “lady friend.” Ames was a man I would have expected to be formal, and a fiancée is not a lady friend.
    â€œA sudden decision?” I asked.
    â€œNo,” Mrs. Radford said, “it was actually to be announced yesterday. That was what Deirdre discussed with Jonathan at lunch on Monday. Walter and Deirdre think we should wait longer, but I see no useful reason. We must balance death with life.”
    It was a nice speech that proved nothing. Had the late Jonathan maybe really opposed the marriage? It was a thought, but I wasn’t going to find out here.
    â€œDid Jonathan have a personal, private problem?” I asked.
    â€œGood gracious no,” Gertrude Radford said.
    â€œDamn it, Fortune,” George Ames said, “this Weiss came to collect money, Jonathan refused, and Weiss killed him. Those are the plain facts. You can’t evade them.”
    â€œWhy go to Jonathan?” I said. “Why not go to Walter?”
    â€œBecause Walter couldn’t pay,” Ames said testily. “Jonathan had control of his brother’s estate until Walter was thirty.”
    Mrs. Radford said, “My husband did not believe that a woman could, or should, handle money. Except for a