Part 37 (1/2)

On the next day, the Wednesday, however, the Subcomisario with relentless determination returned to his duties, and saw the man Rogers emerge from the shop at which he lived. The time was approximately 10.30. The man was on a motor-bicycle. Again at 2.20 the Subcomisario, at his observation point near the most important drinking-house of the town, saw Rogers enter with a middle-aged man, and followed them into the bar. Such was their air of guilt, and so rapid was their exit when they saw him, that the Subcomisario is convinced that the elder man was involved in the traffic in noxious drugs. He followed the two of them, saw the older go towards the railway station, and Rogers take his motor-bicycle from the grounds of a private hotel nearby.

He did not again see the subject Alan Rogers until some time after eight o'clock that evening when he saw him making once again for the Mitre Hotel. The Subcomisario remained outside for some minutes and saw the blonde girl, whom he describes with a lyric ardour, approaching the hotel alone. He is surprised at this as his experiences have hitherto been limited to his own country where it would be highly unusual for a young lady to enter a bar, least of all unaccompanied. However, she had scarcely entered when a number of people began to emerge chattering excitedly. The Subcomisario had not a great enough command of your delightful if complex language to gather what was the cause of their emotion, however.

Soon the young lady herself emerged, a.s.sisted by an older and heavier woman, and evidently suffering from some considerable strain. The Subcomisario raised his hat and asked courteously the cause of the excitement, but was met by an angry retort. He had therefore no alternative but to remain in the vicinity of the hotel until the man he was watching should appear. In spite of the arrival and departure of a number of persons, all seeming under some stress, he saw no sign of Rogers until very late in the night, when to his astonishment he saw the man borne out by the publican and another elderly person of rather unintelligent aspect whom he reluctantly identified as the local Sergeant of Police. A further person was with them, but the Subcomisario was unable to decide on his ident.i.ty or connection with the matter.

He was able, however, to follow this cortege into the yard at the back of the hotel, and to see Rogers placed on a settee in a bare room. He concealed himself in the urinal while the bearers entered the house. He was under the impression that Rogers was inebriated but considered it his duty to confirm this belief. He waited therefore until the household was asleep, then entered by the window of the room in which Rogers lay, finding the catch of the window of a type which he describes as constructed for the benefit of intending burglars. He had just made the discovery that the subject Alan Rogers was dead when he was disturbed by 'the approach of someone from the room above, whose clumsy attempt to cross the floor unheard had been only too clear to him. He left the premises, slept for an hour or two in the bandstand afore-mentioned, and returned to London by an early train. He was then confined to his room with a severe attack of influenza due to exposure and under-nourishment. He congratulated himself that he did not contract pneumonia.

All these details, dear friend, I give you in the hope that they may a.s.sist your investigation, though I feel that by the time you receive this your researches will have terminated successfully.

Allow me to salute you,

Your friend and colleague,

JULIO MORENO MENDEZ..

Well, I remarked, not very intelligently perhaps, that about settles it. Everything complete except a murder. It all fits in like a jig saw. Fairfax, Smythe, Sawyer, the foreigner all accounted for. What now?

Stute slammed on his hat rather viciously. Only one thing for it, he said. I must go to the Yard and report.

PART III.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

WITH DETECTIVE-INSPECTOR Stute out of his territory, for the moment, anyway, Beef became suddenly conspiratorial.

Now's the time, he croaked to me, unconsciously a.s.suming the manner of the villain in a melodrama.

The time for what? I asked sceptically.

Whyfor seeing if I'm right, he said. I told you I was on to somethink.

I sighed. Well, why don't you go ahead, if you think you can succeed where Stute failed.

I don't say that, said Sergeant Beef, I don't say that at all. 'E was 'ot stuff, Stute was. I daresay in a really complicated case 'is methods would be wonderful. But this 'ere's not so complicated, if wot I think turns out right. It's as simple as ABC. The big mistake I made was ever to've thought it was tricky, and ]ad 'im down here at all. I could 'ave settled it on me own weeks ago. Still, there you are. I must get to work.

What are you going to do?

I'm going over to Claydon.

To Claydon? That's where Sawyer's brother lives, isn't it?

That's right.

But surely ...

Now look 'ere, Mr. Townsend. Up to now there 'asn't been nothink I've knowed wot I 'aven't told you. And I've got it all worked out. All I'm going for now is confirmation, see?

Oh, very well. Do you want me to come?

I don't 'ardly see 'ow you can, seeing as I'm going on the back of Galsworthy's motor bike.