Part 22 (1/2)
”I don't think I've seen the yard. Is it overlooked?”
”Yes, by the windows in the back of the house. But I ran the car under a lean-to shelter running down one side of the wall. I don't think anyone tinkering with the car under that roof would be seen from any of the upper windows, and the ground-floor ones are frosted.”
”I'll go and take a look round,” said Hannasyde. ”Did you meet anyone in the yard?”
”No, not a soul.”
”Were you expected at the office?”
”Yes, Mr. Mansell asked me to call for the purpose of talking over the general situation.”
”Does that mean the question of the Australian project?”
”Largely, yes.”
”Forgive what may seem to be a somewhat intrusive question; but are you going to adopt that scheme?”
”I'm not sure. I'm not in love with it, and I'm not over-fond of being jockeyed into things.”
”Does it seem to you that the Mansells are pressing you unduly?”
Jim thought it over. ”Difficult to say. I suppose, since they're so keen on it, it's not surprising they should want to hustle me a bit. I found Joe Mansell a trifle too persuasive for my taste. I don't think there's much doubt he'd like either to get me out of the business or to make me into a sort of sleeping partner. You can't altogether blame him. It must be darned annoying for a man of his age and experience to have me foisted onto him as head of the firm.”
”I take it you don't mean to become a sleeping partner?”
”No, I don't think so. It was originally a Kane show, and somehow I don't fancy leaving it in the Mansells' hands.”
”Have you said as much to them?”
”Well, hardly! I've made it pretty clear that I'm not going to be shelved.”
”Have you given them any indication of what your views on the Australian scheme are?”
Jim reflected. ”I haven't committed myself in any way. I did tell Paul Mansell that I knew neither my Cousin Silas nor Clement liked it. They've probably gathered that I'm not smitten with it.”
”If the scheme were adopted, would you have to put up the necessary capital?”
”That seems to be the general idea. Sort of loan, to the time of about twenty thousand pounds.”
”I see. Was Mr. Paul Mansell present at your interview this morning?”
”No, I didn't see him at all. I imagine he was in the building, as his car was parked in the yard, but he didn't show up.”
”You had an interview with Paul Mansell at Cliff House not so many days ago, didn't you, as a result of which Mr. Oscar Roberts also called upon you for the purpose of warning you that you might be in danger?”
”Yes.”
”Did you set any store by that warning? Had you any reason to think that there might be a risk in visiting the offices of Kane and Mansell?”
”Far from it. I thought I couldn't be in a safer place, even supposing they were trying to b.u.mp me off. The idea of anyone doctoring my car didn't occur to me. I don't think it occurred to Roberts either. He seemed to think I was more likely to get knocked on the head, or something equally absurd.”
Hannasyde frowned. ”Did he tell you so?”
”No, but he walked in in the middle of my interview with Mr. Mansell, quite obviously as a protective measure. I was rather fed up with him at the time, but, by Jove, I believe he was right!”
”Mr. Kane, from your knowledge of the Mansells, does it seem probable to you that they would murder two, if not three, people for the sake of putting through a business deal?”
”Not a bit,” replied Jim promptly. ”On the other hand, they undoubtedly think there's big money to be made out of the Australian deal, and you can't get away from the fact that an attempt-probably two attempts-have been made on my life. I admit it sounds pretty steep on the face of it, but you must remember that, if I'd gone down in the Seamew, or been smashed up in my car today, you'd have found it very hard to prove that I'd been murdered. As far as the Seamew's concerned, I doubt whether you'd find any evidence, even if you went to the expense of salvaging her. If a hole was really cut in her, the force of the water must have torn the bottom off her. And if I hadn't had Miss Allison with me this morning, I should have smashed my car up so good and proper that you'd have been hard put to it to find out what caused the crash.”
”I quite appreciate that, Mr. Kane. You are quite sure no one else could have access to your car?”
”No, of course I'm not. While it stood in the yard anyone could have walked in and tinkered with it. But who'd want to?”
”And at Cliff House?”
”Well, yes; but again, who'd want to?” Jim said impatiently. ”Besides, the chauffeur was was.h.i.+ng my great-aunt's car first thing this morning and didn't leave the garage until eleven. I had the car out late last night and locked the garage when I brought her in, so it can't have been done yesterday. I went down to the garage myself just after eleven this morning and found my stepfather there, so I should think that at the most the garage was empty for five minutes.”
There was the slightest of pauses. ”What was your stepfather doing in the garage, Mr. Kane?”
”Filling his cigarette lighter. Look here, what the devil are you getting at?” demanded Jim, half starting from his chair.
”Merely checking up on everyone who was seen near your car,” replied Hannasyde mildly.
”Well, please don't check up on my stepfather!” said Jim. ”The idea's quite absurd. I'm on the best of terms with him and always have been. You might as well suspect my young stepbrother.”
”I don't think I suspect anyone, Mr. Kane. On the other hand, you must see that I cannot exonerate anyone on your bare word. If I am to go into this attempt on your life, which I understand you wish me to do, you must allow me to make what inquiries I think necessary. You say Sir Adrian was filling his lighter, which strikes me immediately as being a somewhat unusual thing to do.
Lighters are generally filled at a tobacconist's shop.”
Jim smiled. ”When you know my stepfather a little better, Superintendent, you won't see anything unusual in that. It's entirely typical of him.”
Hannasyde inclined his head slightly, as though accepting this statement. ”And he was the only person you observed anywhere in the vicinity of the garage?”
”Yes-at least, no; my stepbrother blew in while I was there; but as he was very keen to go with me, I don't somehow think we need consider him as a possible suspect.”
Hannasyde paid no heed to this rather sarcastic speech. ”He was keen to go with you? You didn't take him, did you?”
”No, my stepfather told him--” Jim broke off, his eyes going swiftly to Hannasyde's face.
Then he burst out laughing. ”Oh, this is too farcical!”
”What did your stepfather tell him, Mr. Kane?”
”That I didn't want to be bothered by him. Which was perfectly true. Seriously, Superintendent, you must leave my stepfather out of this. Incidentally, I fail to see what his motive could possibly be.”
”I take it you have never had any reason to suspect that he might be jealous of your mother's affection for you?”
”Not the slightest,” said Jim emphatically.
”Very well,” said Hannasyde. ”I promise you I'll go into it carefully, Mr. Kane. And, if possible, refrain from insulting Sir Adrian,” he added, with the glimmer of a smile.