Part 14 (1/2)
They took another silent turn.
”Did your last job work out?”
”Yes. It took a long time, but I got back into touch with things I had begun to forget, and it was interesting. Shall we go back into the house?”
”Come in here,” said Hartley, taking his way into the sitting-room. ”I have some notes in my safe that I want you to look at. The truth is, Coryndon, I'm tackling rather a nasty business, and if you can help me, I'll be eternally grateful to you. It has got on my nerves.”
Coryndon bowed his head silently and drew up a chair near the table. All the time that Hartley talked to him, he listened with close attention.
The Head of the Police went into the whole subject at length, telling the story as it had happened, and leaving out, so far as he knew, no point that bore upon the question. First he told of the disappearance of the boy Absalom, the grief and frantic despair of Mhtoon Pah, and his visit to Hartley in the very room where they sat.
”He was away from the curio shop that night, you say?”
”Yes, at the PaG.o.da. He is building a shrine there. His statement to me was that he went away just after dark, and the boy had already left an hour before.”
Coryndon said nothing, but waited for the rest of the story, and, bit by bit, Hartley set it before him.
”Heath saw Absalom, and admitted it to me,” he said, pulling at his short, red moustache. ”Even then he showed a very curious amount of irritation, and refused to say anything further. Then he lied to me when I went to the house, and there is Atkins' testimony to the fact that he is paying a man to keep quiet.”
”Has the man reappeared since?”
”Not since I had the house watched.”
Coryndon's eyes narrowed and he moved his hands slightly.
”Next there is the very trifling evidence of Mrs. Wilder. It doesn't count for much, but it goes to prove that she knows something of Heath which she won't give away. She knows something, or she wouldn't screen him. That is simple deduction.”
”Quite simple.”
”Now, with reference to Joicey,” went on Hartley, with a frown. ”I don't personally think that Joicey knows or remembers whether he did see Heath. My Superintendent swears that he did go down Paradise Street on the night of the twenty-ninth, but Joicey is ill, and he said he wasn't in Mangadone then. He has been seedy for some time and may have mixed up dates.”
”You attach no importance to him?”
”Practically none.” Hartley leaned back in his chair and lighted a cheroot.
Coryndon touched the piece of silk rag with his hand.
”This rag business is out of place, taken in connection with Heath.”
”I don't accuse Heath, Coryndon, but I believe that he _knows_ where the boy went. The last thing that was told me by Mhtoon Pah was that the gold lacquer bowl that was ordered by Mrs. Wilder was found on the steps of the shop. Though what that means, the devil only knows. Mhtoon Pah considers it likely that the Chinaman, Leh s.h.i.+n, put it there, but I have absolutely nothing to connect Leh s.h.i.+n with the disappearance, and I have withdrawn the men who were watching the shop.”
”Interesting,” said Coryndon slowly.
”Can you give me any opinion? I'm badly in need of help.”
Coryndon shook his head, his hand still touching the stained rag idly.
”I could give you none at all, on these facts.”
Hartley looked at him with a fixed and imploring stare.