Part 31 (1/2)
The Professor's manner betrayed some excitement.
”Then will you tell me this?” he demanded. ”The young lady is confident that she locked Craig up in the coach-house and that the key was on the outside of the door, a fact which would prevent the lock being picked from inside, even if such a thing were possible. The window is small, and up almost in the roof. Will you tell me how Craig escaped from the coach-house in order to carry out this abduction--all within a few minutes, mind, of his having been left there? Will you tell me that, Mr.
Sanford Quest?” the Professor concluded, with a note of triumph in his tone.
”That's one of the troubles we are up against,” Quest admitted. ”We have to remember this, though. The brain that planned the two murders here, that stole and restored Mrs. Rheinholdt's jewels, that sends us those little billets-doux from time to time, is quite capable of finding a way out of a jerry-built garage.”
The Professor sniffed. He turned once more to Lenora.
”Young lady,” he said, ”I will ask you this. I do not wish to seem obstinate in my refusal to accept Craig's guilt as proved, but I would like to put this simple question to you. Did Craig's demeanour during your conversation seem to you to indicate the master criminal? Did he seem to you to be possessed of supreme courage, of marvellous intelligence?”
Lenora smiled very faintly.
”I am afraid,” she replied, ”that this time I'll have to satisfy the Professor. He was white and trembling all the time. I thought him an arrant coward.”
The Professor smiled beatifically as he glanced around. He had the air of one propounding an unanswerable problem.
”You hear what Miss Lenora says? I ask you whether a man who even knew the meaning of the word fear could have carried out these ghastly crimes?”
”I have known cases,” Quest observed, ”where the most cold-blooded criminals in the world have been stricken with the most deadly fear when it has come to a question of any personal danger. However,” he added, ”here comes our friend French. I have an idea that he has something to tell us.”
They glanced expectantly towards the door as French entered. The Inspector, who was looking very spruce and well-brushed, wished them a general good-morning. His eyes rested last and longest upon Laura, who seemed, however, unconscious of his presence.
”Now, then, French,” Quest began, as he returned his greeting, ”take a cigar, make yourself comfortable in that chair and let us have your news.
As you see, we have obeyed orders. We are all ready to follow you anywhere you say.”
”It won't be to the end of the world, anyway,” the Inspector remarked, as he lit his cigar. ”I am going to propose a little excursion down Gayson Avenue way.”
”Back to that house?” Lenora exclaimed, with a grimace.
The Inspector nodded.
”We have had those boys at the station,” he went on, ”and we have questioned them carefully. It seems that after they had picked up the ball, a man came out of the side entrance of the house, saw them reading Miss Lenora's message, and shouted after them. The boys had sense enough to scoot. The man ran after them, but had to give it up. Here is their description of him.”
The Inspector took a piece of paper from his pocket. They all waited breathlessly.
”Had to drag this out of the boys, bit by bit,” the Inspector proceeded, ”but boiled down and put into reasonable language, this is what it comes to. The man was of medium height, rather thin, pale, and dressed in black clothes. He had what they call anxious eyes, and after running a short distance he put his hand to his heart, as though out of breath. One of the boys thought his nose was a little hooked, and they both remarked upon the fact that although he shouted after them, he used no swear words, but simply tried to induce them to stop. This description suggest anything to you, gentlemen?”
”Craig,” Lenora said firmly.
”It is a very accurate description of Craig,” Sanford Quest agreed.
The Professor looked troubled, also a little perplexed. He said nothing, however.
”Under these circ.u.mstances,” the Inspector continued, ”I have had the house watched, and I propose that we now search it systematically. It is very possible that something may transpire to help us. Of course, my men went through it roughly when we brought Miss Lenora away, but that wasn't anything of a search to count, if the place really has become a haunt of criminals.”
”What about the owners.h.i.+p of the house?” Quest asked, as he took up his hat.
The Inspector nodded approvingly.
”I am making a few enquiries in that direction,” he announced. ”I expect to have something to report very shortly.”