CHAPTER XXX
THE SAFE WITH THE TIME-LOCK
The Superintendent had not been wrong in saying that Brian Desmond wasdriven fairly frantic by his cousin's murder, for the agony of the nightand day was still visible on his face when he met the detectives in hisown motor-car at the station.
"Thank God you've come at last, Mr. Narkom!" he said as they drove off."And if only the Yard had acted more quickly I believe this horridtragedy might have been averted. I don't care what it costs me--everycoin I have in the world, if necessary--but this appalling mystery mustbe cleared up. I want the murderer of my cousin brought to justice.Justice? Yes, but vengeance, too. Let me but get my hands on the brute,and I'll save the law any further trouble."
"I quite understand your feelings, my dear Mr. Desmond," said Cleek,quietly, "but suppose you give the law a chance first. I have had only asketchy outline of the case from Mr. Narkom. We had no time for more,so, if you will give me full details, it will perhaps facilitatematters. Tell me just when, where, and under what circumstances, themurder took place."
"I can only tell you the story just as Lady Beryl, my wife, and Estelletold it to me, Mr. Headland. I was not in the house at the time, more'sthe pity."
"That is just what I want. But, before you start, who is Estelle?"
"Estelle Jardine, an orphan protegee and companion to my wife, a dearlittle girl whom my wife found being worked to death in some sweatshopjust before we were married. She sent her away till her health was fullyrestored, and she has lived with us ever since."
"A kindly act few women would perform," commented Cleek. "Lady Berylmust be a good woman."
"She is. She is an angel, and as clever as she is good," said herhusband, his whole tragic face lighting up with tenderness. "Just nowEstelle seems more upset than Beryl, as a matter of fact. Still, thatisn't to be wondered at, is it, considering that it was she who found mypoor cousin. The shock has nearly turned her brain. It seems, as far asI can make out, that Elton retired to the library after lunch, as usual,to go through my correspondence, or any of Beryl's that needed hisattention. The safe in the library was set for five o'clock, when I amusually home myself, and when, too, I lock away any surplus money I havebrought home with me, in case my wife needs it at bridge. You see, oneof her fads--if you like to call it so--is to pay her scores with readymoney. There are no checks or I.O.U.'s flying around at her parties."
"A good plan, too," put in Mr. Narkom.
"Well, anyway, Elton retired into the library, and Beryl went up to herroom for an hour's rest. She had a headache, she says."
"And Miss Jardine?" asked Cleek. "What became of her?"
"She remained with my wife, and sat at her side, reading, until Berylwent to sleep. She was still there, but asleep herself, poor youngster,when Beryl woke. About four o'clock, as near as I can make out."
"Rather a nice nap," said Cleek, thoughtfully. "Ought to have made herfeel refreshed."
"Yes, but, strangely enough, it didn't. As a matter of fact, shecomplained that her head was worse than when she lay down. Still, asEstelle also complained of a headache, we attributed it to the stormwhich broke, pretty heavily, as you know, all over this part of thecountry last night."
"Quite so, quite so; it might well have been that. Is your wife a lightsleeper?" asked Cleek.
Mr. Desmond shot a surprised look into his face.
"Very light, indeed," he said. "A breath of wind will disturb her." Hegave a short little laugh. "I say! You're not supposing that Estelle gotup and went down and drugged with chloroform a big strong man likeElton, are you? Without a struggle, and a man with whom she was deeplyin love, at that?"
Cleek smiled and shook his head.
"In love, eh?" said he, twisting in his seat and facing Mr. Desmond."That brings another element into the case."
"Oh, well, I shouldn't go so far as to call it love," said Mr. Desmondwith an answering smile. "It was really more like hero-worship. Eltonwas one of those men who spend their lives always trying to be pleasantto people, and he petted Estelle, though she is on the top side oftwenty. Not that she looks it; she'd pass for sweet seventeen. Anyhow,at five o'clock I phoned through from the bank that I might be a littlelate, as I was staying for a meeting of provincial directors, and I senta special message for my cousin."
"What was the message, and who took it?"
"I wish in one sense it had been the fool of a butler, who ought to havebeen in the hall, and wasn't, of course. But it was Estelle herself whohad just come downstairs that answered, so I asked her to tell Elton tobe sure and lock up the Eugenie pearl in the safe with my wife's otherjewels, directly it opened, and not leave it in its case in my wife'sboudoir. It had suddenly struck me that it wasn't right to have such atemptation put in the way of any one in or about the house. There is agreat fascination about that particular jewel. Estelle said she wouldtell him, and she must have gone straight to the library and found Eltonstretched out in front of the safe with the empty jewel-case of thepearl beside him--dead. It seems as if it were from some agonizingpoison, though the doctor says only chloroform had been used. But I haveno confidence in him."
"And the safe?" put in Cleek. "Was anything missing from that?"
Desmond nodded grimly.
"Yes; my wife, bless her for the only one of us who kept her head on hershoulders, not only sent for the police and for me, but opened the safeat the hour the time-lock allowed, only to find that that, too, wasempty. Of course, she had thought at first that Elton had put in thejewel, re-set the safe, and then been attacked, but this was impossible,because I had set the safe the preceding night for five o'clock the nextday. You see, Mr. Headland, I only use the time-lock when I have moneyor any special papers in the safe. Otherwise I just lock it ordinarily.And it has always been the day after the safe has been ordinarilylocked, and on the nights when it has money in it and the time-lock hasbeen set that the robberies have taken place. But this time----Well, thegreatest mystery of all is that the bag of gold I left there in themorning was missing together with a lot of other jewels of my wife'swhich were there. And then, too, the pearl was gone from her room, andits case was beside the safe."
Cleek pursed up his lips and tapped his foot softly upon the carpetedflooring of the car. But he made no remark, and finally Desmond went on:
"Well, you can imagine my horror. As soon as I gathered from Bennett,the butler, what had happened, I came tearing over, to find my wifealmost sick with horror, and the man I loved best in the world, thetruest, the firmest friend that ever walked God's earth, foully murderedon my own hearth." He threw out his hands suddenly and gave a sound likea sob. "My God! but it's almost unbelievable even now that I shan't findhim on the steps waiting for me!"
Cleek stretched out his hand to place it gently on his shoulder.
"What will be, will be," he said, softly, but with a deep sympathy inhis low tones. "We cannot quarrel with the Almighty, Mr. Desmond, thoughsometimes, I'll admit, we are greatly tempted to do so. This is thehouse, isn't it?" as the car turned in at a great gateway and swungslowly up the path toward a huge building alight with the glow ofelectricity. "Fine place you have here, I must say. After you, Mr.Desmond, after you."
Leaving the car in the hands of a chauffeur, who had evidently been onthe watch for them, Cleek and Mr. Narkom followed their host into thegreat hall. Here Desmond turned to them.
"If you will excuse me, gentlemen, I will go and find my wife," said he,beckoning to a manservant to relieve them of their coats and hats.
"Certainly, Mr. Desmond," said Cleek, and their host vanished swiftly upthe broad staircase.
"Any ideas, old chap?" asked the Superintendent, eagerly, as he saw hisfamous ally make a leap for the telephone apparatus and pick up a small,tightly rolled ball of paper which lay beside it.
"Ideas? Oh, several," was his grim answer as, having unrolled the paper,he read its contents. "Shall be able to tell you more when I know towhom this unsettled bridge score belongs. And, also, I've got a d
im ideathat the firm of Desmond & Co. was in danger of going into bankruptcy afew days ago. Merely a whisper, but----"
"Good Lord, man! Then, in that case, Mr. Desmond----"
"May have nothing whatever to do with the matter!" Cleek gave backquickly, as the sound of footsteps rang in the hall above, and down thestairway came Lady Beryl Desmond, one of the most beautiful women he hadever seen. She was followed by her husband and a timid-looking littlewoman, whom Cleek did not need to be told was Estelle Jardine.
After the formal introduction Lady Beryl led the way into the library,wherein stood the time-lock safe.
On the threshold of the door, however, she turned to the girl, and hervoice softened.
"Estelle, there is no need for you to come in here, _petite_. Go back toyour room. I am sure you are not wanted." She flashed a look ofinterrogation at Mr. Narkom, though it was Cleek who took it uponhimself to answer her, in rough, uncouth tones that made even BrianDesmond stare at him in dismay and wonder if he could have been mistakenin thinking the man a gentleman.
"Heaven bless your ladyship, but I don't see any reason to keep eitherof you ladies. I'll just poke about a bit, and then leave things tillmorning. In the night all cats are gray," and he gave an inane giggle,for which Mr. Narkom could have cheerfully shaken him, even though herealized that such behaviour was part of the game his ally knew so wellhow to play.
The door closed upon the two women, and Cleek, in the same dull, uncouthfashion, concentrated his attention on the time-lock safe.
Presently he switched round on Mr. Desmond, who was watching himanxiously, as his fingers darted over the mechanism, and he patted theimmovable dial with something almost like affection.
A curious smile looped up one side of his face.
"Mr. Desmond," he said, speaking with excitement, "I have now set yoursafe to open at one o'clock to-morrow. I pray that three hours beforethat time the riddle may be solved. Now show me the room where the deadman lies."
Desmond at once led the way to a room down the corridor, and a word fromMr. Narkom to the two constables on guard was sufficient to allow thedoor to be unlocked. In silence the three men filed in.
There was a sort of bier upon which the body lay, and they looked downupon it reverently.
That Elton Carlyle's death had been attended with awful agony was onlytoo apparent, and yet about the body still lingered the unmistakablysweet odour of chloroform.
"As I thought," said Cleek, briskly, as he laid bare the shoulder andpointed with a nod of satisfaction to a tiny red mark, a slight punctureof the skin. "Mr. Desmond, the doctors are not infallible. I think Iknow what means were used to do this thing, and why. But, to make sure,I want to borrow your motor, if I may. I shall just catch the last trainback to town if I hurry, so, if you will be so kind--one other thing.Lock up this room, and let no one enter it--doctor, coroner, ormourner--until I return. That will be, if all is well, by nine to-morrowmorning."
Then, with sudden briskness, he switched upon his heel and left theroom. He was followed by Brian Desmond, who locked the door and pocketedthe key, then went down to order the motor.