CHAPTER XXI
COVERING THE TRAIL
Tarling had a brief interview with his assistant Whiteside, and theInspector, to his surprise, accepted his view of Ling Chu's confession.
"I always thought Milburgh was a pretty cool customer," Whiteside saidthoughtfully. "But he has more gall than I gave him credit for. I wouldcertainly prefer to believe your Chink than I would believe Milburgh.And, by the way, your young lady has slipped the shadow."
"What are you talking about?" asked Tarling in surprise.
"I am referring to your Miss Odette Rider--and why on earth a grown-uppolice officer with your experience should blush, I can't imagine."
"I'm not blushing," said Tarling. "What about her?"
"I've had two men watching her," explained Whiteside, "and whenever shehas taken her walks abroad she has been followed, as you know. Inaccordance with your instructions I was taking off those shadowsto-morrow, but to-day she went to Bond Street, and either Jackson wascareless--it was Jackson who was on the job--or else the young lady wasvery sharp; at any rate, he waited for half an hour for her to come outof the shop, and when she didn't appear he walked in and found there wasanother entrance through which she had gone. Since then she has not beenback to the hotel."
"I don't like that," said Tarling, a little troubled. "I wished her to beunder observation as much for her own protection as anything else. I wishyou would keep a man at the hotel and telephone me just as soon as shereturns."
Whiteside nodded.
"I've anticipated your wishes in that respect," he said. "Well, what isthe next move?"
"I'm going to Hertford to see Miss Rider's mother; and incidentally,I may pick up Miss Rider, who is very likely to have gone home."
Whiteside nodded.
"What do you expect to find out from the mother?" he asked.
"I expect to learn a great deal," said Tarling. "There is still a minormystery to be discovered. For example, who is the mysterious man whocomes and goes to Hertford, and just why is Mrs. Rider living in luxurywhilst her daughter is working for her living at Lyne's Store?"
"There's something in that," agreed Whiteside. "Would you like me to comealong with you?"
"Thanks," smiled Tarling, "I can do that little job by myself."
"Reverting to Milburgh," began Whiteside.
"As we always revert to Milburgh," groaned Tarling. "Yes?"
"Well, I don't like his assurance," said Whiteside. "It looks as if allour hopes of getting a clue from the examination of Lyne's accounts arefated to be dashed."
"There's something in that," said Tarling. "I don't like it myself. Thebooks are in the hands of one of the best chartered accountants in thecountry, and if there has been any monkey business, he is the fellowwho is certain to find it; and not only that, but to trace whateverdefalcations there are to the man responsible. Milburgh is not foolenough to imagine that he won't be found out once the accountants getbusy, and his cheeriness in face of exposure is to say the leastdisconcerting."
Their little conference was being held in a prosaic public tea-roomopposite the House of Commons--a tea-room the walls of which, had theyears, could have told not a few of Scotland Yard's most precious secrets.
Tarling was on the point of changing the subject when he remembered theparcel of books which had arrived at the accountant's office thatmorning.
"Rather late," said Whiteside thoughtfully. "By Jove! I wonder!"
"You wonder what?"
"I wonder if they were the three books that Milburgh bought yesterday?"
"The three ledgers?"
Whiteside nodded.
"But why on earth should he want to put in three new ledgers--they werenew, weren't they? That doesn't seem to me to be a very intelligentsuggestion. And yet----"
He jumped up, almost upsetting the table in his excitement.
"Quick, Whiteside! Get a cab while I settle the bill," he said.
"Where are you going?"
"Hurry up and get the cab!" said Tarling, and when he had rejoined hiscompanion outside, and the taxi was bowling along the Thames Embankment:"I'm going to St. Mary Axe."
"So I gathered from your directions to the cabman," said Whiteside. "Butwhy St. Mary Axe at this time of the afternoon? The very respectableDashwood and Solomon will not be glad to see you until to-morrow."
"I'm going to see these books," said Tarling, "the books which Milburghsent to the accountants this morning."
"What do you expect to find?"
"I'll tell you later," was Tarling's reply. He looked at his watch. "Theywon't be closed yet, thank heaven!"
The taxi was held up at the juncture of the Embankment and BlackfriarsBridge, and was held up again for a different reason in Queen VictoriaStreet. Suddenly there was a clang-clang of gongs, and all traffic drewto one side to allow the passage of a flying motor fire-engine. Anotherand another followed in succession.
"A big fire," said Whiteside. "Or it may be a little one, because theyget very panicky in the City, and they'll put in a divisional call for asmoking chimney!"
The cab moved on, and had crossed Cannon Street, when it was again heldup by another roaring motor, this time bearing a fire escape.
"Let's get out of the cab; we'll walk," said Tarling.
They jumped out, and Whiteside paid the driver.
"This way," said Tarling. "We'll make a short cut."
Whiteside had stopped to speak to a policeman.
"Where's the fire, constable?" he asked.
"St. Mary Axe, sir," was the policeman's reply. "A big firm of charteredaccountants--Dashwood and Solomon. You know them, sir? I'm told the placeis blazing from cellar to garret."
Tarling showed his teeth in an unamused grin as the words came to him.
"And all the proof of Milburgh's guilt gone up in smoke, eh?" he said. "Ithink I know what those books contained--a little clockwork detonator anda few pounds of thermite to burn up all the clues to the DaffodilMurder!"