Page 96 of Fire Must Burn

‘Did you want to go first?’ she asked sweetly.

Pam rolled off the table and grabbed a long knife from a rack. Iris held up her hand.

‘No, dear,’ she said. ‘You don’t want to be hauled in for murdering the guests. It might be a deterrent to repeat business. I’ll handle this. Now, sir, as to you. You may either stand down or make the first move. But if it’s the latter, I guarantee I’ll be making the last one.’

‘Come on, Norris, there’s two of us,’ urged Elster.

‘And two of us,’ said Gwen, slipping into the room behind Iris.

‘You must be the muscle,’ sneered Norris as he sized her up.

‘Actually, she is,’ said Gwen. ‘She really doesn’t need my help. But I’ve been practising, and I’m improving.’

‘What is the meaning of this?’ came Mrs Dorter’s voice from behind them.

‘Oh, good,’ said Iris, stepping aside to let her in. ‘I was hoping you’d show up.’

‘Mrs Dorter, these two drunken harridans have been making some absurd threats and accusations,’ said Norris smoothly.

‘Have they?’ said Mrs Dorter, coming forwards into the room. ‘Of what nature? And what are you doing in my kitchen?’

‘We came to look for Pam,’ he said. ‘She had left her station for a long period of time, and we were concerned that something had happened to her.’

‘What had happened to her was the two of them,’ said Iris. ‘We found them trying to force themselves on her.’

‘That is a vile slander!’ shouted Norris. ‘I demand that you—’

‘Pamela, speak,’ said Mrs Dorter, looking at the girl, who still held the knife.

‘They attacked me,’ she whispered. ‘Here. They had me pinned on the table, and that one had his hand over my mouth. I don’t know what would have happened if Miss McTague and Mrs Bainbridge hadn’t come in.’

‘I do,’ said Iris.

Mrs Dorter looked at each of them in turn, then fixed her gaze on Norris.

‘Pamela,’ she said, her eyes never leaving him, ‘go wake your brother. Tell him to fetch the shotgun. Rock salt only.’

‘Yes, Mrs Dorter,’ said Pam, edging past Elster, then scampering out of the room.

‘The two of you should know better,’ she said to Norris. ‘Whoever you want to bring here, whatever arrangements you make with the other guests, that’s up to you. But my staff are off limits.’

‘This is nothing but a pack of lies!’ sputtered Norris.

‘You are to vacate your rooms immediately and leave the premises,’ continued Mrs Dorter. ‘Timothy will escort you toyour autos and make certain that you do. If there is any sign of you twenty minutes from now, he has permission to switch to birdshot.’

‘Do you know who we are?’ shouted Norris.

‘I know exactly who you are,’ replied Mrs Dorter. ‘As well as who the ladies are who you brought here. I will be happy to make that information known far and wide should any further trouble come from either of you. The twenty minutes began one minute ago, so I suggest you not waste any more time and get packing.’

The two men glanced at each other. Then Timothy appeared at the door, holding a double-barrelled shotgun pointing down.

‘Goodbye, gentlemen,’ said Mrs Dorter. ‘There will be no refunds.’

They hesitated. Then Timothy stepped forwards, raising the weapon.

‘Rock salt still hurts,’ he said.

‘We’re going,’ said Norris.