Part 42 (1/2)

Thank you, sir. What I mean is, he wasn't the one to think it out a long way a'ead. I know 'im well. 'E was a crazy young bounder always up to somethink. But 'e wasn't one to 'ave no morbid thorts about doing 'isself in. Very well then, 'ow 'ad 'e got 'old of that poison?

It didn't occur to you, I suppose, that a man who had for years been smuggling large quant.i.ties of cocaine into the country would have facilities for obtaining a few grains of cyanide of pota.s.sium?

Oh yes it did, returned Beef. 'E'd 'ave 'ad the facilities all right. But wot would 'e 'ave wanted it for? 'E couldn't 'ave made no money out of bringing it in, because it's cheap enough over 'ere without that. And if e'd never 'ad no idea of suicide, why should 'e 'ave bothered to buy it abroad?

Since the murder was committed with a knife I don't quite see what you're driving at,

said Stute.

You will in a minute, returned Beef calmly. The next thing that made me think was that suit of overalls I told you about, wot was 'anging in young Rogers's room. 'Is Aunt said 'is uncle 'ad bought them for 'im, but they'd all 'ad a larf, because they was too small. I couldn't understand that. They was careful ole people, the Rogers, not skinflint, but careful 'ow they spent their money. 'Ow 'ad 'is uncle come to make that mistake in buying them overalls? 'E must 'ave known that young Rogers would want the big size. Whatever 'ad possessed 'im to do that?

I could give you half a dozen explanations. The a.s.sistant in the shop where he bought them could have wrapped up the wrong suit.

Admitted, said Beef grandiosely. Admitted. I'm not giving you evidence yet, sir. I'm just telling you wot put me on to it.

See, I've always been told that when there's something you can't understand in a case, you've got to go on figgering it out and figgering it out, till you do understand. And that's wot I did with those overalls as you shall 'ear when I get to it. Then there was another thing. Beef leaned forward. Wasn't it a bit funny that Mrs. Rogers should 'ave stayed the night with Mrs. Fairfax? I mean we know what those Fairfaxes' game was. It struck me as funny at the time.

Stute sighed, but said nothing.

And then there was that bit about young Rogers's coming in while 'is uncle was out for is walk, and going out again. I didn't much like the sound of that. It was a funny sort of a night for the old man to go for a walk on anyway. And then we know from that lady with them children that young Rogers come in on 'is bike between 'arf past six and seven. Old Rogers says 'e came in again in 'is mackintoshes about eight. Wot was 'e doing all that time with them 'eavy oilskins on? 'E wasn't in no pub or we should 'ave 'eard of it. Where was 'e and wot was 'e up to?

Last of all there was that nice young lady. Why didn't 'e meet 'er like 'e'd promised? 'E could 'ave. 'E got to 'is 'ome before seven, and it's not five minutes from the Cinema where 'e was meeting 'er. Wot made 'im not pop round?

Still Stute said nothing.

Those were the things that made me think, confessed Beef. An' I thort and thort.

Excellent, Stute said, and your conclusions?

You must excuse me, sir, said Beef. I don't 'ardly know 'ow to present the matter. I think I'll 'ave to start at the other end of the story. Now don't get impatient. I'll get on as fast as I can.

Stute nodded.

'Ave you ever thort, sir, where the cleverest criminals are found? They're not found in criminal meeting-places, nor yet living in luxury wot no one can understand 'ow they can afford. They're found, like Crippen and Seddon and them, living just ordinary and doing a everyday job as though nothink was going on. Well, that's the kind of criminal old Rogers was.

Old Rogers? I gasped.

You 'eard, said Beef. I ain't arf glad I got on to 'im. If ever there was a proper ole scoundrel it was 'im. 'E'd been bringing in drugs for years and years. When you come to go into it you'll find 'e's got a fortune tucked away somewhere. Even Fairfax, 'oo only worked for 'im, is rich enough to retire. But ole Rogers had the sense to keep on with 'is trade. Nice old bootmaker wot everyone thort the world of. But not me. Soon as ever I 'eard 'e was a teetotaller I 'ad my eye on 'im. I never trust 'em. Never.

I suppose that eventually we shall come to some evidence? queried Stute.

Proof, not evidence, promised Beef, and continued.

About seven years ago this respectable ole shopkeeper wot 'ated the very thort of beer, but didn't mind selling people drugs, was working in 'is shop in Bromley when in walks a young chap down and out. When 'e tells the ole chap 'is story Rogers isn't 'arf interested. 'E's been a steward on a boat going to South America. 'E's been in jug. And 'e 'asn't got nothink. 'E just fits ole Rogers's programme.

And now I come to one of the bright spots of the ole thing wot you won't 'ardly believe in. Rogers's wife never knew nothink of wot 'er 'usband was up to. Not a word. She's as nice an old lady as ever you can meet. I'm afraid all this is going to be a narsty shock for 'er. A narsty shock. But there you are. She really took to the young chap, and arfter a bit they decides to wot they call adopt 'im.

In the meantime 'e's got a job again, just as ole Rogers meant 'im to, on boats going to South America. And every trip he makes 'e brings ole Rogers a packet or two of wot 'e thinks are lottery tickets. Clever, that was. Ole Rogers could tell the young chap that 'e must keep 'em out of sight of the Customs, without 'is knowing wot 'e really was carrying in. So it went on. A nice comfortable business wot brought in a couple of 'undred pounds a trip clear and easy. And it was Fairfax's job to take the stuff from ole Rogers and get rid of it in London, or wherever he did get rid of it. That's why they pretends to 'ate one another. They was 'and in gloveFairfax coming down for the fis.h.i.+ng, whenever young Rogers was on leave. Easy, wasn't it?