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"If inspired idiocy can help the law," shouted Kerry, "the man who did this job is as good as dead!" He turned his fierce gaze in Gray's direction. "Thank you, sir. I need trouble you no further." "Do you wish me to remain?" "No. Inspector Whiteleaf, see these two gentlemen past the Sergeant on duty."
"More like, say, a box or a piece of furniture." "And you did what?" "I went up to the top landing and listened." "What did you hear?" "Nothing at all." Chief Inspector Kerry chewed audibly. "All quiet?" he snapped. "Absolutely. But I'm certain I heard something all the same." "How long had Inspector Whiteleaf and this dark horse in the fur coat been gone at the time you heard the noise?"
Just inside the second door were Brisley and Gunn, both palpably ill at ease, and glancing at Inspector Whiteleaf, who had been interrogating them. Kerry chewed silently for a moment, bestowing a fierce stare upon each face in turn, then: "Who's in charge?" he snapped. "I am," replied Whiteleaf. "Why is the lower door open?" "I thought " "Don't think. Shut the door. Post your Sergeant inside.
No one is to go out. Grab anybody who comes in. Where's the body?" "This way," said Inspector Whiteleaf hurriedly; then, over his shoulder: "Go down to the door, Burton." He led Kerry towards the inner room, Coombes at his heels. Brisley and Gunn stood aside to give them passage; Gray and Monte Irvin prepared to follow. At the doorway Kerry turned.
"Not so far, sir," replied Kerry, enunciating the words with characteristic swift precision, each syllable distinct as the rap of a typewriter. "Inspector Whiteleaf, of Vine Street, has questioned all constables in the Piccadilly area, and we have seen members of the staffs of many shops and offices in the neighborhood, but no one is familiar with the appearance of the missing man."
Behind the chair, and dividing the second room into yet a third section, extended another wooden partition in one end of which was an ordinary office door; and immediately at the back of the chair appeared a little opening or window, some three feet up from the floor. The sound of a groan, followed by that of a dull thud, came from the outer room. "Hullo!" cried Inspector Whiteleaf. "Mr.
He came with Inspector Whiteleaf, and was inside for nearly an hour." "Inspector Whiteleaf is off duty. What time was this?" "Twelve-thirty, sir." Kerry chewed reflectively ere nodding to the man and passing on. "Another gentleman!" he muttered, entering the hallway. "Why didn't Inspector Warley report this?
Monte Irvin turned, a pathetic figure, to the Inspector who stood beside him. "We may as well proceed, Inspector Whiteleaf," he said. "Mr. Gray's evidence throws no light on the matter at all." "Very well, sir," was the reply; "we have the warrant, and have given the usual notice to whoever may be hiding inside. Burton!"
I stayed in the kitchen, and the man from the Home office was in here alone for about half an hour." "Alone?" "Inspector Whiteleaf stayed in the dining-room." "Had he been 'instructed' too?" "I expect so. I think he just came along as a sort of guide." "Ah!" muttered Kerry savagely, "a sort of guide! Any idea what the bogey man did in here?" "He opened the window. I heard him." "That's funny.
Wore a fur-collared overcoat, collar turned up. He was accompanied by Inspector Whiteleaf." "H'm. Anything else?" "Yes. About an hour ago I heard a noise on the next floor " "Eh!" snapped Kerry, and shone the light suddenly into the man's face so that he blinked furiously. "Eh? What kind of noise?" "Very slight. Like something moving." "Like something! Like what thing? A cat or an elephant?"
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