Collected works of j s f.., p.585
Collected Works of J S Fletcher, page 585
“That’s an unimportant detail,” said Hetherwick. “The important thing, surely, is — that! How did that man come by his death?”
“Well, but I don’t think that is very important — just now,” replied Robmore. “After all, he is dead, and whether he died as the result of a sudden seizure, or whether Baseverie cleverly poisoned him before he left, is a question we’ll have to settle later. But I’ll tell you what, Mr. Hetherwick — I’ll lay anything he didn’t poison himself! Look round — there isn’t a sign of anything he’s been drinking out of. No, sir — the other man’s done this. And if Matherfield has the luck to lay hands on him to-night — ah! But now, what was this your clerk, Mapperley, told us as we came along about the Little Smith Street landlady coming here this afternoon?”
“She was followed here by Goldmark,” replied Hetherwick. “Goldmark saw her admit herself by a key which she took from her pocket. She stayed inside a few minutes, came out looking much upset, and hurried away to her own house.”
“And now you and I’ll just hurry after her,” said Robmore. “After all, she’s living, and we’ll make her find her tongue. Of course, she came in here expecting to find this man, and to tell him somebody was on the look-out. And — she found him dead! Come round there with me, Mr. Hetherwick, at once.”
He turned to the other detective and the constable, and after giving them some whispered instructions, left the room, Hetherwick, after a word or two with Mapperley, following him. But before they had reached the outer door, they heard steps in the yard, and suddenly two men appeared in the doorway.
If Hetherwick and his companion looked questioningly at these two men, they, on their part, looked questioningly at Robmore and Hetherwick. They were youngish men — Hetherwick set them down as respectably-dressed artisans. That they were surprised to find anyone confronting them at the door whereat all four now stood, was evident; their surprise, indeed, was so great that they came to a sudden halt, staring silently. But Robmore spoke. “Wanting somebody?” he asked sharply.
The two strangers exchanged a glance, and the apparently elder one replied:
“Well, no!” he said. “Not that we know of. But might we ask if you are? And how you got in here? Because this place happens to be ours!”
“Yours!” exclaimed Robmore. “Your property?
“Well, if buying it, paying for it, and taking a receipt and papers makes it so!” answered the man. “Bought it this morning — and settled up for it, too, anyway.”
Robmore produced and handed over a professional card, and the faces of the two men fell as they read it. The elder looked up quickly.
“I hope there’s nothing wrong?” he said anxiously. “Detectives, eh? We’ve laid out a nice bit on this — savings, too, and — —”
“I don’t suppose there’s anything wrong that way,” replied Robmore reassuringly. “But there’s something uncommonly wrong in other ways. Now look here, who are you two, and from whom did you buy this place?”
“My name’s Marshall, his is Wilkinson,” answered the leader. “We’re just starting business for ourselves as electrical engineers. We advertised for a likely place hereabouts, and Mr. Andrews came to us about this — said he and his partner, Mr. Basing, were leaving, and wanted to sell it, just as it stood. We came to look at it, and as it’s just the place we need to start with, we agreed to buy it. They said it was their own property, and to save law expenses we carried out the purchase between ourselves. And we paid over the purchase money this morning, and got the papers and the key.”
“What time was that?” asked Robmore.
“Ten o’clock or thereabouts,” replied Marshall. “By appointment, here.”
“Did ye see both men — Basing and Andrews?”
“Both! In that little room to the right. We settled the business — paid them in cash — and settled all up. It was soon done, then they stood us a drink and a cigar, and we went.”
“Stood you a drink, eh?” said Robmore suddenly. “Where?”
“Here! Basing, he pulled out a big bottle of champagne and a cigar-box, and said we’d wet the bargain. We’d a glass apiece, Wilkinson and me, then we left ’em to finish the bottle: we were in a hurry. But — is anything wrong?”
“What is wrong, my lad, is that the man you know as Andrews is lying dead upstairs!” replied Robmore. “Poisoned, most likely, by his partner. But, as I said just now, I don’t suppose there’s anything wrong about your buying the property, providing you can show a title to it; you say you’ve got the necessary papers?”
Marshall clapped a hand on the pocket of his coat.
“Got ’em all here, now,” he said. “But — did you say Andrews was dead — poisoned? Why, he was as alive as I am when we left the two of ’em together. They were finishing the bottle — —”
“Look here,” interrupted Robmore. “Wait awhile until we come back — we’ve some important work close by. There are people of ours upstairs — tell them I said you were to wait a bit. Now, Mr. Hetherwick.”
Outside the yard and in the crowded street, Robmore turned to his companion with a cynical laugh.
“Champagne — to wet the bargain!” he said. “Left them to finish it, eh? And no doubt what finished Ambrose was in that champagne — slipped in by Baseverie when his back was turned. I’ll tell you what it is, Mr. Hetherwick, that chap’s a thorough-paced ‘un — he goes the whole hog! I only hope he won’t be too deep for Matherfield at Southampton! I shall be anxious till I hear.”
“Is it possible for him to escape Matherfield?” exclaimed Hetherwick. “How can he? I look on him as being as good as in custody already! He’s bound to call at the post office for that box.”
“Is he, though?” interrupted the detective, with another incredulous laugh. “I’m not so sure about that, Mr. Hetherwick. Baseverie is evidently an accomplished scoundrel, and full of all sorts of tricks! I’ll tell ye what I’m wondering — will that parcel ever get to Southampton post office, where it’s to be called for?”
“Whatever do you mean?” demanded Hetherwick. “It’s in the post! Posted this morning.”
“No doubt,” agreed Robmore dryly. “By special delivery, eh? And when it gets to Southampton Station, it’s got to be taken to the head post office, hasn’t it?”
“Well?” asked Hetherwick.
“There’s many a slip twixt cup and lip — so the old saying goes,” replied Robmore. “That parcel may slip. But isn’t this the number your clerk mentioned?”
The door of Mrs. Mallett’s house looked more closely barred than ever — if possible. And no answer came to several summonses by bell and knocker. But presently Robmore tried the handle — the door opened at his touch.
“Hallo!” he exclaimed. “Open! Um! That seems a bit queer. Well — inside!”
For the second time that afternoon, Hetherwick walked into a place that seemed to be wholly deserted.
CHAPTER XXVI
WATERLOO
THE DETECTIVE, WALKING a little in advance of his companion, stepped forward to a hall-table and knocked loudly on its polished surface. No answer came. He went further along, to the head of a railed stair which evidently communicated with a cellar kitchen; again he knocked, more loudly than before, on an adjacent panel, and again got no reply. And at that, turning back along the hall, he opened the door of the room which faced upon the street, and he and Hetherwick looked in. A musty-smelling, close-curtained room that, a sort of Sunday parlour, little used, cold and comfortless in its formality. But the room behind it, to which Robmore turned next, showed signs of recent occupancy and life. There was a fire in the grate, with an easy chair drawn near to it; on the table close by lay women’s gear — a heap of linen, with needle and thread thrust in, a work-basket, scissors, thimble; it required no more than a glance to see that the owner of these innocent matters had laid them down suddenly, suddenly interrupted in her task.
“I’ll tell you what it is, Mr. Hetherwick!” exclaimed Robmore abruptly. “This house is empty! Empty of people, anyway.”
“Silent enough, to be sure,” agreed Hetherwick. “The woman — —”
“You’ve frightened her by calling here,” said Robmore. “Then she slipped round to Pencove Street. And there she found Ambrose dead! She’s some connection with him and Baseverie, because she possesses a key that admits to that yard. And finding Ambrose dead, she came back here, got her things and cleared out. There isn’t a soul in this house. I’ll lay anything on that!”
“It struck me that this might be the place where the two ladies were detained,” remarked Hetherwick.
“We’ll soon see about that,” declared Robmore. “Come upstairs — we’ll search the place from top to bottom. But stop, downstairs first.”
He ran down the stair to the cellar kitchen, with Hetherwick at his heels. And at the door he laughed, pointing within.
“Look there!” he exclaimed. “I told you you’d interrupted things. See! there’s one tea-tray, laid out all ready for two — cups and saucers, teapot, bread and butter cut, cake. There’s another for one. And there’s the kettle, singing away like a bird on a bough. What’s that mean? The woman was going to carry up tea for two, somewhere; t’other tray was for herself. Well, you nipped that in the bud; she’ll have to get her tea somewhere. But — the others? Come upstairs.”
Going back to the hall, he led the way up the main staircase. There were two stories above the ground floor; on the first were rooms the doors of which, being opened, or being found open, revealed nothing but ordinary things: of these rooms there were three, opening off a main landing. But on the next floor there were only two rooms; one was unfurnished: at the door of the other, a few inches ajar, the detective immediately paused.
“Look you there, now, Mr. Hetherwick!” he said, pointing here and there. “Here’s recent work! Do you see that a strong bolt, more like a bar, has been fitted on the outside of this door, and the door itself fitted with a new patent lock, key outside? And, good Lord! a chain as well. Might be in a gaol! But what’s inside?”
He pushed the door open and revealed a large room, fitted with two small beds, easy chairs, a table on which books, magazines, newspapers lay; on the table, too, was fancy-work which, it was evident, had been as hastily laid aside as the sewing downstairs. Hetherwick bent over the things, but Robmore went to the one window.
“Gaol, did I say?” he exclaimed. “Why, this is a gaol! Look here, Mr. Hetherwick! — window morticed inside and fitted with iron bars outside. Even if whoever’s been in here could have opened the window, and if there’d been no bars there, they couldn’t have done anything though, for there’s nothing but a high blank wall opposite — back of some factory or other, apparently. But what’s this?” he added, opening a door that stood in a corner. “Um! small bathroom. And this,” he continued, going to a square hatch set in the wall next to the staircase. “Ah! trap big enough to hand things like small trays through, but not big enough for a grown person to squeeze through. Well, I shouldn’t wonder if you’re right, Mr. Hetherwick — this, probably, is where these ladies were locked up. But — they’re gone!”
Hetherwick was looking round. Suddenly his eyes lighted on a familiar object. He stepped forward, and from a chair near one of the beds, picked up a handbag of green silk. He knew it well enough.
“That settles it!” he exclaimed. “They have been here! This is Miss Han — I mean Miss Featherstone’s bag — I’ve seen her carry it often. These are her things in it — purse, card-case, so on. She’s left it behind her.”
“Aye, just so!” agreed Robmore. “As I say, they all left in a hurry. I figure it out like this: the woman, who, of course, acted as sort of gaoler to these two unfortunate ladies, when she made that discovery round yonder, came back here, got her outdoor things, and cleared off. But before she went, she’d the decency to slip up here, undo that chain, slip the bolt back, and turn the key! Then, no doubt, she made tracks at express speed, leaving the ladies to do what they liked. And they, Mr. Hetherwick, having a bit o’ common sense about ’em, did what I should ha’ done — they hooked it as quick as possible. That’s that, sir!”
Hetherwick thrust Rhona’s handbag into his pocket and made for the door.
“Then I’m off, Robmore,” he said. “I must try to find out where they’ve gone. I’ve an idea probably they’d go to Penteney’s office. I’ll go there. But — you?”
“Oh, I’m going back to Pencove Street,” answered Robmore. “Plenty to do there. But off you go after the ladies, Mr. Hetherwick, there’s nothing you can do round here now. I’ll keep that clerk of yours a bit, and the Jew chap — they might come in. We shall have some nice revelations in the papers to-morrow, I’m thinking, especially if Matherfield has the luck he expects.”
“What are you going to do about this house?” asked Hetherwick as they went downstairs. “Do you think the woman will come back?”
“Bet your life she won’t!” answered Robmore. “Not she! I should think she’s half-way across London — north, south, east or west, by this. House? Why, I shall just lock the front door and put the key in my pocket. We shall want to search this house narrowly.”
Hetherwick bade him good-day for the time being, and hurried off to Victoria Street, to fling himself into the first disengaged taxi-cab he encountered, and to bid its driver go as speedily as possible to Lincoln’s Inn Fields. He was anxious about Rhona — and yet he felt that she was safe. And he was inquisitive, too; he wanted to hear her story, to find out what had happened behind the scenes. He felt sure of finding her at Penteney’s office; she and Madame Listorelle, once released from their prison, would naturally go there.
But the clerk whom he encountered as soon as he rushed into the outer office, damped his spirits at once by shaking his head.
“Mr. Penteney’s not in, sir,” he answered. “He was in until not so long ago, but he got a telephone call and went out immediately afterwards. No, I don’t know who it was that rang him up, Mr. Hetherwick, nor where he went; seemed a bit excited when he went out, and was in a fearful hurry.”
Hetherwick concluded that Madame Listorelle had summoned Penteney, and that he had gone to meet her and Rhona. He went away, somewhat at a loss — then, remembering that Matherfield had promised to wire from Southampton, he turned towards his chambers. At the foot of the stairs he met his caretaker.
“Been a young lady here inquiring for you, Mr. Hetherwick,” said the man. “Been here twice. I said I didn’t know when you’d be in — any time or no time. She said — but there is the young lady, sir — coming back!”
Hetherwick turned sharply and saw Rhona coming across the square. Hurrying to meet her and disregarding whatever eyes might be watching them, he took both her hands in his in a fashion that brought the colour to her cheeks.
“You’re all right — safe?” he asked quickly.
“Sure?”
“I’m all right and quite safe, thank you,” she answered. “I — I’ve been here twice before, but you were out. I came to borrow some money. I left my bag and purse in — the place where we were locked up, and — —”
Hetherwick pulled out the handbag and silently gave it to her. She stared at him.
“You’ve been — there!” she exclaimed. “How — —”
“Got in this afternoon, an hour ago,” he answered. “Here, come up to my rooms! We can’t stand talking here. Madame Listorelle — where’s she?”
“I left her at Victoria, telephoning to Major Penteney,” replied Rhona. “She, too, had no money. She wanted me to wait until Major Penteney arrived, but I wouldn’t. I walked here. I — I thought you’d want to know that we’d got out — at last.”
Hetherwick said nothing until they had entered his sitting-room. Then, staring silently at her, he put his hands on Rhona’s shoulders, and after a long look at her, suddenly and impulsively bent and kissed her.
“By gad!” he said in a low voice. “I didn’t know how anxious I was about you until I saw you just now! But — now I know!”
Then, just as suddenly, he turned away from her, and in a matter-of-fact manner lighted his stove, put on a kettle of water, and began preparations which indicated his intention of making tea. Rhona, from an easy chair into which he had unceremoniously thrust her, watched him.
“Liberty!” she said suddenly. “We’re both discovering something. When you’ve been locked up, day and night, for a while — —”
“How was it?” he asked, turning on her. “Of course, we know all about the kidnapping — but the rest, until to-day? Baseverie, of course?”
“Baseverie and another man,” she answered. “A tall, clean-shaven man, whose name we never heard. But Baseverie was the chief villain. As to how it was, they met us at the sunk road at Riversreade, forced us at the point of revolvers into a car, and drove us off to London — to Westminster — and into a house there, the house you’ve been in. There — —”
“A moment,” said Hetherwick, who was finding cups and saucers. “The driver of that car? He must have been an accomplice.”
“No doubt, but we never saw him again. We only saw those two and a woman who acted as gaoler and brought our meals. We were fed all right, and they gave us books and papers, and actually provided us with fancy work. But they were inexorable about madame and her jewels. They must have known all about them, because they got her own notepaper — —”
“I know all about that,” said Hetherwick. “I’ll tell you my side of it when you’ve had some tea. Forced her, I suppose, to write the letters?”
“They forced her to do that just as they forced us into the car,” said Rhona, “with revolvers! And — they meant it. I suppose they’ve got the jewels now?”
“Remains to be seen,” replied Hetherwick. “Did Madame Listorelle happen to tell you what those jewels were worth?”
“She talked about little else. Between eighty and ninety thousand pounds. She’s in an awful state about them. But it was literally a question of her life or her jewels. I don’t know what they’d have done with me. But now — I’m all right!”
