"The Monday Night Murder"

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 229, 27 September 1930, Page 12 (Supplement)

"The Monday Night Murder"

SH u= | By J. R. WILMOT. I |

; CHAPTER XIII. > A Surprise for Willard. There was no more relieved man in the whole lof Beachaven than the manager of the! Hydro on the Friday morning following the regrettable incident of the previous Monday night. For Nearly a week his impeccable establishment had been under a cloud. An ugly blot had stained its history of eminent respectability. A man had been murdered in one of its bedrooms. Nevertheless Mr. Kemp was feeling infinitely more pleased with himself. On Thursday the members of Sir Gilber+'s week-end party had taken their departure, and now Inspector Willard had intimated his intention of going "back tp London, accompanied by Dr. Blayne. There was ono thing about Mr. Kemp; he wag always singularly thorough in his conclusions. He felt that Inspector Willard had missed a great chance when he had carelessly allowed Carl. Kleiner to get away. Had not Kleiner endeavoured io bluff his way out on the very clay Inspector Willard arrived down from Scotland Yard and within a few hours of the discovery of Sir Gilbert's body ? " Mr. '-Kemp felt that lie would have much to ponder over for the remainder of the In any case there would always] be Miss Trimm. Miss Trimm was thfc only one of Sir Gilbert's party who had not departed when Willard had gifen his permission. Miss Trimm was not, Mr. Kemp knew, the type of woman' who would follow the crowd. Besides', she was one of the old 'regulars' to Beajchaven. She would probably dc slaying down for a month or more yet. "Well," murmured Mr. Kemp, as he turned) over the pages of his bulky ledger in; his little office, "let's hope tup season• will end better than it has begun.'* Inspector Willard decided to go back by tram. He wasn't-in such a hurry to get back to headquarters as he had been to get .'down to Beachaven from London. It was? an unpleasant business—this going Back. He was ' going back empty-handed, and was of ono tiling: Sir Petrie Sanders way would be almost sure to have one of'his bouts of inquisitiveness. He would "want to know everything, and Willard knew that he, could not be tcld all that, because he (Willard) was_ not possessed of the information himself. He hiul had some misgiving when the members of Sir .Gilbert Dyall's .little week-erjd party had left the Beachaven Hydro to go their respective ways.. He had informed them, be it mentioned, that though they were departing from BeachaVen they must not assume that Scotland Yard had lost complete interest in theni. He had requested each one to provide him with an address at which they could b© found should they be required.'. This they had tlone willingly enoughj and Willard had surveyed them critically.' Elsa i Pleydell still looked white and shaken.' Willard felt that perhaps she had reason to fear him. Her husband looked brighter than he had done when Willard had questioned him the day before. The Inspector had given him a £nal opportunity to answer that one fatal question: Was Sir Gilbert Dyalll alive or dead when Pleydell went to his bedroom on Monday night 1 Eogej Playdell. had fenced again. He was not to admit that he had even been to the murdered man's room. He was going to say . nothing further until he had cbnsulted' his solicitors. So Inspector Willard; had, regretfully, to be content to leave it at that.

He considered Koger Playdell to be a stubborn fool, and Willard had gone so far eveh to Lint at his own thoughts; Berniee Dyall had a look of intense' relief on her sad face. There were ilew roses beginning to bloom in her J cheeks. Willard was still undecided(about her. lie clung tenaciously to his ? initial coiiviction that Bern ice DyallMfrom that strongest of all aspects, tnotive —was infinitely better off with her uncle dead than she would have been had lie been alive. Her story oi the mifesing violets sounded plausible enough, s he had to admit, but what could there Ivave been more thoroughly and convincingly disarming .to the murdered man thkn to find his niece outside his door with an offering of violets. Might it not have been a pretty gesture to close a quarrel that might have occurred during 'the week-end —a quarrel, about j Tony Page ? Tony* Page had seemed happier, too. Tony had his business ties, in the pity. Already, Willard remembered, the young man's enforced stay at Bcachaven had causcd Jiim no end of inconvenience, "lie detective had appreciated that! from the nature iof the telegrams that were dinpatched, and also of .those which arrived at the Hydro. • • - _ The, least thankful, perhaps, Willard reflected, as the train bowled along,- had been Miss Adela.TriiEm who had confided to the inspector that she liked Beachayen so much that she wanted to stay a -few days longer. Unfortunately there was a little matter of business that required her urgent attentidn; "investments, you know, inspector. Such aggravating things what; with the market up and down and then down and up." But she would come back, Oh, yes, she would come back. Miss Trimin always did. It i was much more pleasant mixing with pe&ple than living on one's own. i Two 'hours later the train decanted . the pair on to the platform at Waterloo. ■ Willard had a police- car awaiting him 3 and drove straight to the Embankment.. ; Blayne promised to call in during the • evening. In the meantime he was going to his bachelor flat in Chadburn Street, Kensington. He had been away nearly , five days and it was nothing short of miraculous how much work could accumulate in five days, to say nothing oi the appointments for next, week and the consultations at hospital, for Peter 1 Blavne,; being a recognised specialist in the department of neuroses—lie had done a great deal of very valuable work during ; the war—was frequently in demand-at the hospital when a case was discovered that appeared to trouble the house physician or the consulting medical men. Willard arrived at Scotland Yard and immediately was closeted with his superior, Superintendent Garnett. "I'm not saying a word against you, Willard/' began the superintendent, and Willard'knew instinctively what Garnett meant when he started off like that. Tt was by ; no means a happy augury for him- 'IJ 1 meant that his superiors had , ' rc viewing his case in camera, and +T t thev had arrived at a certain coupon 'and one which was not going to V ino much credit on the detective-. pector in charge ox the case. "I

realise how difficult the murder case is becoming. Education, Willard, that's what it is. We're fighting a Government department. Murderers are taught how to use their brains —sometimes I think they are the only class of the community that does. In the old days when murder was done, there was nothing elaborate about it. Whoever wanted to do it got on with the job and, thanks to the fact that there fewer schools and no tinpot writers turning out so-called mystery fiction, it didn't need a policeman to pick up the trail. "But I'm getting away from the point, Willard" (another stock phrase of Garnctt's, the inspector thought). "What I want to know is, are you quite definite that it was not someone extraneous to Sir Gilbert Dyall's little party at Beachaven who was responsible—someone, Willard, who had plenty of time-to get away before the crime was discovered'.'' "I made quite sure of that," Willard retorted, with a calm he did not feel. He hated Garnett, hated the smug, self-satis-lied way he went about his work, hated the way he tried to parade an alleged superior intelligence which was mainly devoted to making his subordinates "look small." "I went through the register carefully; I checked up the guests. That, was the first thing I did. I found that none had gone between 3.30 p.m. on Monday night when it was definitely established that Sir Gilbert Dyall was alive and well and the time of my arrival before noon on Tuesday. "As.you ha\e, no doubt, already seen by my report, I cross-examined everyone in the establishment. In most cases the alibis were established and unshakable."

"Why do you say 'in most cases'?" inquired the superintendent, who was a large man with a cream-coloured face and pouches under his eyes. "Is there some "doubt in your own mind, Willard, about the validity of some of the guests?" "There is a doubt, , sir—a very grave doubt, but if you would permit mc, I would rather not discuss that just at the moment. I am engaged on a line of inquiry at the moment which may prove fruitful. I think it would be unwise to. burden you with any suggestion from in© which might only complicate your own findings." Willard was enjoying himself now. He would not have omitted that little tit-bit for anything. He knew there was nothing infuriated Garnett moi'e than to think that his subordinates were concealing something which might—or 'might not—prove of material value to the case. under consideration. . / t Unfortunately for Garnett it was one of the rules of the chief constable that members of the special branch ,engaged in delicate and frequently difficult inquiries were under no obligation to disclose their findings if they considered that to do so might create an erroneous 1 impression and complicate the issue. "Just as you wish, Willard," smiled Garnett, in that • aggravating, satisfied way that rather took the ed<re from Willard's triumph,. "but you did make an error in allowing that man "Kleiner to escape. You had the man there. You knew what manner of man he was despite the fact that lie was,.travelling, so to speak, incognito, and yet you alio,wed him to go. It was most unfortunate, Willard, most unfortunate." Inspector Willard knew now why Garnett had hauled him in. It was to complain about Kleiner. . _ •' None knew better than Willard himself that he had been insufferably slack in giving Kleiner even the -remotest chance of making a getaway." He realised that, knowing the character of the man with whom he was dealing, he . should have sent down for a plain clothes man to keep Kleiner under surveillance all the time. Yet Willard was convinced that Kleiner was not a murderer —at least not in the present case. And he decided that it would be appropriate to tell Garnett what lie thought. Superintendent Garnett listened with a pose of patience and a slight, sardonic smile on his rather lips. He smoked a cigar. It was a large and expensive cigar. Garnett- always had had expensive tastes. Nothing but the best for Garnett. He had made a motto of it.

Willard felt queerly cold and uncomfortable as he explained why he did' not consider that Kleiner was mixed up in the murder even though things, commercially, looked rather cloudy against him. He was aware that Garnet.t was smiling as ihe smoked his' cigar. To the average person it would have been difficult to have decided whether the superintendent was smiling with, satisfaction at the. cigar he was smoking' or at the story which his subordinate was relating. But Willard knew. He knew that Garnett was laughing at him. But one of these days he'd show Garnett who was the. cleverer. "You know how I hate disappointing people" smiled Garnett, "but obviously, Willard, you're wrong. I can see that you are prepared to doubt my word. Well, read this ;M)d then, perhaps, you can advise mc whether it is worth going on further with the case yourself or releasing you for something more in keeping Avitii your qualifications." That rankled with Willard. How he hated this man Garnett! Some day he would—but animosity fled from Inspector Willard's' mind as he looked down at the report sheet that Garnett passed to him across the top of the desk. It read: "Man answering to the description of Carr Kleinpr arrested here this morning, about to board s.s. .Kidderminster, outward bound for Rotterdam. Search was made of his luggage and miniature calibre rovolver discovered hidden away. Awaiting instructions." ' 1 The report was from Hull, and timed 12.37 p.m. It w.as; now; nearly four o'clock. Willard looked at his watch. "I've got an idea tliat : ' that's the gun that did Sir Gilbert Dyall in," breathed Willard, dumbfounded, "though how it got there I can't think. I Avcnt through that luggage myself to make sure." But Garnett only smiled.

CHAPTER XIV. A Denial and a Puzzle

Superintendent Garnett was quietly amused as he watched Willard's face when the latter laid down the conimiriication from the Hull police. Garnett was a man who liked to surprise liis subordinates even though he, himself, was not responsible for the surprise itself. . J n liis heart, however, he liad a secret /cgard for Inspector Willard. In the early days they had been contemporaries and it was more- as a result of good fortune than any claim to greater ability that Garnett liad been promoted to the rank he now occupied,, leaving Willard in the lower circle. Yet he could never

wholly eradicate liis weakness for staging effects, and had lie not preferred to be a policeman lie would probably have made quite a competent theatrical producer. The Superintendent, of course, was answerable to the higher powers of Scotland Yard, and he had been not a little piqued at Willard's lack of success over the present important case. Things were slack at the Yard just now and the murder of Sir Gilbert Dyall enabled the presiding powers to think of little else. For two whole days Garnett had been badgered about by his superiors. Almost every hour his desk telephony rang to summon him before the Chief Constable or the Assistant Commissioner both of whom were growing apprehensive at Willard's non-success. Yet Garnett would not hear a Avrong word uttered against his subordinate. He was quite sure that Inspector Willard knew his job; that, if it was humanly possible Willard was the man to bring the murderer of Sir Gilbert Dyall to justice. And Garnett told his superiors just that. It was only when he heard that Carr Kleiner had made his get-away from Beachaven that he too, began to feel just a little apprenhcnsivc. He told himself that it was utterly unlike Willard to be so careless and yet, • with the resources available at Scotland Yard and the perfection of the means of radio, communication, it would be, he felt, only a matter of hours before Kleiner was safe under lock and key. Garnett knew all about Kleiner. His dossier had been brought out immediately Willard had telephoned from Beachaven and Garnett was quietly confident that Kleiner knew more about the crime than he had, quite naturally, cared to admit to Inspector YVillaru. he knew to be a slimy gentleman with easy access to the criminal burrows of a score of cities all over the world. If Kleiner had managed to get away from England, none knew better than Garnett that the hunt for him would take on quite a different complexion. But now Kleiner was safe —Kleiner and the gun from which it was to be presumed the bullet was lired which killed Sir Gilbert.

inspector Willard, having laid tiio interesting docunicnt down again oil Garnett's desk, rose from his cnuir, liis lips grim. "Where are you going, Willard?" asked Garnett, as he saw the inspoctoi turn. "To Hull, of course," snapped YVillard. Tlie Superintendent smiled. "You caji spare yourself a tiresome journey. 1 expect Kleiner to be here 111 a few minutes, if ho hasn't already arrived. We can talk to him better here than in Hull," he added, sij>i;ilicantly. "You mean .1 can talk to him," Willard corrected. "He's my bird, don't forget. I particularly want to have a few words in private with that slippery swine, lie's put it over 1110 already this week and lie's not going to have a sceond chance." The Superintendent" was annoyed, but lie was too well trained to betray it. "Just as you- please, of course, Willard, but we can't hold him you know without preferring a charge, and if his passport's in order we're as helpless as babes." "I know that, but there arc ways and means of making quite sure that passports arc not in order. You can leave me to fix that and even if we have to let him go he won't be able to move a yard without my knowing just where I can lay my hands on him if lie's wanted." An hour later Dr. Peter Blayne arrived at Scotland Yard and went immediately to the little sanctum where Willard was puzzling over the details of the mo>t perplexing case of liis career. He had docketed it "The Beachavcn Murder" for inspector Willard had quite a /lair for titles. "Sorry I wasn't at home when you rang me," apologised Blayne, "but my man gave me your message. 1 asked him whether you sounded excited. He told mc you seemed rather bored." "Well I'm far from being that, Peter,'' smiled Willard, genially. "You might just tell mc what you think of that'r" and Willard handed Blayne a small revolver hardly three inches in length. Blayne took the weapon from tlit inspector's outstretched hand and frowned as he gazed at it, turning 11 slowly over and over. "Loaded?" queried the doctor. Willard nodded. "it has two chambers. One is empty." "You think this is the little devil that did the trick with old Dyall," murraincd Peter Blayne, reflectively. "I'm certain," Willard told him. "Where did you find it?" asked Blayne, not without a trace of eagerness in his voice. "I didn't," smiled W 7 illai;d, purposely provocative, "i t was handed to me." Blayne accepted the raillery in good part. "Y r ou'll make a comedian yet, in spite of yourself." "Seriously, though, Peter, what do you make of it?" Willard had dropped liis mask of amusement . with a singular completeness. "When once you tell me where you got this, perhaps Til know."' "It was. found in Kleiner's suit case," Willard intimated, with an absence of that dramatic flourish that would have characterised a similar utterance lioin the lips-of Garnett. Peter T3laync whistled softly. "So you've got Kleiner? Where was it?" Willard gave him the details. "He's here, then, oh?" "Kleiner's at the end of this bell-push/' smiled Willard, grimly, indicating tlie little white button on his desk. "I haven't seen him, yet. I wanted to have a word with you, first. Now what nave you got to say about that little thing?" Blayne unloaded tlie weapon with due caution, loaded it again, and handed it back to the inspector. "It's unusual, but quite—deadly. ' should say i£'s as effective as a Wesscr, but easier to carry about. It could, for instance, be concealed in a bunch t>f violets." '"Just what I thought," Wiliani agreed. : "The point is, Kleiner has placed himself in a .deuced awkward position. 91 thought he d have been cleverer than to go about with tint tiling in his luggage. Why didn't lie pitch the thing from the top of the clif.s? He had plenty 'of opportunity, I should think." . . "What about finger-prints?" asked Blayne, ignoring much of what W T illard had said. , "I've had the report. ' It's not at all as it should be. The only finger prints that give any register at all are those,of the Hull police sergeant who searched Kleiner's luggage and found the revolyer, and the man who extracted it down here. There are no signs of Kleiner's at all.' Willard looked at Blayne with app?aJing eyes. When Superintendent Garnet* - , had announced that Kleiner had been caught and that the weapon which was presumed to be the one with which Sir Gilbert Dyall had been killed had been found. Willard felt that he was neating the end of the trail. But the fingerprint experts could provide him with no evidence —not a shred. "I must think it over," announced Blayne, slowly. "There may be more in this than we can appreciate just now. You get ahead with Kleiner. Hold iiirn, I if you can, and see what he has to say about it."

"I'll hold him all right," returned Willard, as Blayne left him alone. A few moments later a sergeant in plain clothes ushered in Carr Kleiner. Kleiner was sprucely dressed, his sleek hair brushed well back from his forehead. He wore a dark brown lounge suit and brown shoes. Willard motioned Kleiner to a chair and bade the sergeant to retire. Kleiner accepted the proferred seat with a nod of deferential acknowledgment. He did not strike Willard as being at all annoyed at this sudden interruption of his plans. His poise was perfect. • "Well, Kleiner," began Willard, "we meet again. Funny we should always be running up against one another, eh?" "Kind of soul mates, inspector," retorted Kleiner, good-humouredly. "Quite," murmured Willard, absently. "Why did you leave Beachaven without my sanction?" "I felt myself a free agent," confessed the man. "I was only staying on out of the goodness of my heart. You liao no right to detain me against my will, inspector." Willard did not reply to this sally. He felt he could afford to ignore it. "Why were you trying to leave the country ?"

"Because I didn't wish particularly to remain in it," answered Kleiner, blandly. "Surely, Inspector, there have been times when you have wanted to leave England behind. Well, I had a bit of business to attend to at Amsterdam. Private business." The interview was not going quite the way Willard had intended it, but he kept an even temper. It was little use ruffling the man. "Where did you get this!" asked Willard, with startling abruptness, at the same time holding out the little weapon which had been discovered in Kleiner's suit case. Carr Kleiner's brow furrowed as his eyes gazed at the tiny revolver lying in the palm of Willard's large hand. "What is it?" asked Kleiner, innocently. "It's a gun," Willard told him, "The gun that killed your dear friend, Sir Gilbert Dyall." (To be continued daily.)