Part 26 (1/2)
They hurried through the rest of the meal, then descended to the lobby of the club. While Cooper and Collins waited for their hats and coats, Fanwell darted into the telephone booth and called up Police Headquarters.
”I've got him roped,” he said. ”If Britz calls up tell him he's on the way to Julia Strong's apartment.”
The bracing night air did not dispel Collins's melancholy. He walked with head bent, a woe-begone expression engraved on his face. At the door of the apartment house in which Julia Strong had killed herself, he hesitated an instant. But, observing that his companions had already entered the vestibule, he overcame his hesitancy and followed them within.
The elevator boy eyed the three men curiously as he took them to the floor on which the apartment was situated. And he lingered inquisitively while Collins inserted the key in the lock and opened the door.
They entered with a vague feeling of gloom, as if about to step into a death chamber. Nor did they regain their spirits on perceiving the disordered condition of the place, with the many mementos of her who had killed herself in fear that she had betrayed Collins, scattered about.
”I wish she was here now,” said Collins, tenderly picking up a white glove that had been thrown to the floor. ”I might have married her at that!”
The others disposed themselves in chairs while Collins wandered aimlessly about the apartment. Grief-stricken though he was, he showed no appreciation of the significance of the tragedy for which he was in large measure responsible. For an hour he tired his companions with stories of Julia Strong's beauty, of her faithfulness and of her remorse when she realized the full import of her surrender to him.
”But I'm glad they made me stay at home,” he declared. ”I'd have broken down over her body.”
The thought of her cold, lifeless form, recalled to his rum-soaked brain the funeral arrangements that had been made for her.
”That man Luckstone is a great lawyer,” he said. ”He looked after it all. Had the body s.h.i.+pped home to her parents! They thought she was earning a living here--never knew I was supporting her. Wonderful man--Luckstone! Did it all so quietly, too!”
”Saved you a lot of trouble, didn't he?” Cooper encouraged him to proceed.
The word trouble jarred Collins's train of thought out of its remorseful channel.
”Trouble!” he echoed, raising his voice to a high pitch. ”I've certainly got trouble on my hands. But I'm glad she's not here to share it. She wanted luxuries--I gave 'em to her. We'd both be in a fine predicament now, wouldn't we? All my money gone--sunk in Ward's schemes! Oh, they're a fine combination--Ward and my wife!” he declared bitterly. ”She thought herself too good for me, too virtuous to remain my wife! You've read of Ward's failure--the papers must be full of it! Well, I'm the one that's. .h.i.t. All my money, every cent I've got is in his bank. Oh, just wait till I see him!”
He paused, turning an agonized countenance on his friends. The loss of the girl for whom he had provided the apartment had touched his sense of remorse; the loss of his money swept him with an anguish so keen that for the time it excluded all other emotions from his mind.
”We're all paupers!” he exclaimed. ”Made paupers by Ward. Ward--yes, d.a.m.n him! Ward--the thief! My respectable brother-in-law! Ward--the--”
Collins stopped short, amazement written across his features. He stood mute, lips pendent, his eyes bulging forward as if gazing at an apparition. Cooper and Fanwell, following his gaze, beheld the door standing ajar and revealing a man's form with one hand on the k.n.o.b, the other braced against the jamb. Evidently the newcomer had changed his mind after opening the door, and was about to close it softly, without revealing himself. On being discovered, however, he came forward boldly, shutting the door after him.
With his back against the portal he surveyed the three men in the room, but without a gleam of recognition in his eyes.
”Well--who are you?” brusquely demanded Collins.
”I am Detective-Lieutenant Britz,” the visitor said in even tones. ”Sit down, Collins!”
CHAPTER XVII
Collins obeyed. Not voluntarily, but because he was unable to resist the domination of the detective's will. Also, a terrible fear had gripped his heart, producing a terror that sobered him and gave him command of all his faculties.
”Who are these men?” inquired Britz, nodding toward Cooper and Fanwell.
”Friends of mine,” growled Collins.
”I wish to speak with you, Collins,” said the detective. ”Do you want them to remain?”
”I do.”