MURDER IN THE PROCESSION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 November 1938, Page 10

MURDER IN THE PROCESSION

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT COPYRIGHT.

BY

LESLIE CARGILL

(Author of “Death Goes by Bus.”)

CHAPTER I—(Continued)

Now it was plain to see that a general warning had been sent out. Arrangements of remarkable breadth and efficiency had led to this concentration of highly trained men. Yet they had performed their tasks with a striking lack of obtrusiveness. Somehow or other investigations were being made. Even a police photo-grapher-took photographs as if he was merely snapping something of general interest. Eventually the blanket was moved away and ‘a scattering of sand left on the spot. Soon the uniformed men were marched away and a little later the rest of the officers were ready to depart.

“You’d better come along to headquarters,” Captain Caythers advised the Inspector. “Where’s the ambulance chap? We shall want him as well.”

“There he is, sir. I told him not to go away.” “Righto! Curse this traffic jam. We’ll have to walk back. No good expecting to get a car along this route. How the deuce did the ambulance manage?” “Just magic, sir, if you ask me. Thank goodness a London crowd is the most, good tempered in the world. They made way for the Red Cross without a murmur.” “Splendid! But I shouldn’t call this a London crowd. It’s about as cosmopolitan a mob as you’re ever likely to see this side of Hades.” Getting to Scotland Yard was no joke. Everybody' was jostling and pushing, good humouredly but nevertheless inconveniently. Once in a moving stream of humanity there was nothing to do but drift along with it, trusting to luck that it was flowing in the right direction. It was inevitable that Assistant-Com-missioner, Inspector and ambulance man should become separated. But they all managed to get to their destination within a few minutes of each other, looking rather bedraggled and decidedly hot, for it was a scorchingly sunny day. All this atmosphere of turmoil appeared to have affected Scotland Yard as well. This usualy placid oasis was buzzing like a beehive. Without any waiting, Captain Caythers was whisked away to a room set well away from the main officers. Although it happened to be one of the largest apartments on the premises, it was almost crowded Caythers had never seen such a collection of police notabilities gathered together at the same time. With a shock of surprise he also observed certain prominent personalities whose presence revealed the gravity of the occasion. ~ . . . , . Briefly but thoroughly the AssistantCommissioner gave an account of his activities ending up with a suggestion that the St John Ambulance man should be summoned. The man, who gave his name as Waters, seem a trifle ill at ease. Id just been attending to a woman who had fainted,”, he explained, when somebody called out that an officer in the procession had been taken ill. Well, they got him away from his horse and brought him to the back of the crowd —as far back as possible that is to say.” “I suppose they were massed pret y solid, eh?” “Tight as sardines. Fortunately we had a thinnish patch handy and cleared a space as well as we could. You d have thought with all those people about one of them would have been a doctor. But if there was he didnt come forward.” . “So your training came in good “Quite so, sir. Naturally I was getting ready the usual restoratives when something told me this was an unusual sort of illness. Th poor man was in a pretty bad way. even if he wasn t dead. That startled me. It was sure to disturb the folks who knew about it. I kept it to myself and suggested we got the man away on the ambulance as quickly as possible.”

“Did that take long?” “Under the circumstances it was pretty quick work. We had a car ready in Whitcombe Street and they brought it up to the Pall Mall East corner. Our men brought the stretcher from there and took him back on it.” “Smart work. You deserve commendation. And is that all you can tell us?” The question was put by an alert-featured individual in plain clotheS“No, sir, there’s something else.” A note of hesitancy crept into the speaker’s voice and he looked round as if not quite sure how the information would be received. , “Please keep nothing back. “I’ll try not to. Only at first I thought I might have been mistaken. You see. as they lifted the patient it seemed that his back was covered with blood and there was a stain on the road. “Ah'” A rustle as of horrified realisation came from the listeners. Plainly they had been intent on the story and although they expected what was coming, the actual recital was an unpleasant reminder. “One of the stretcher-bearers had an extra blanket. I snatched it from him and dropped it on the mark.

“Why?” “To tell you the truth, gentlemen. I’m-not quite sure, except that it occurred to me there might be some sori of a panic.” • One or two heads were nodded understandingly. “Evidently a police inspector agreed with me,” went on the man. “When I told him he kept the place covered and saw that it remained so until certain investigations had been completed. These took up some time. “Thank you! You acted very promptand sensibly. Now, if you don t waiting outside . . ” The rest of the sentence was unnecessary. Some highly confidential discussion was about to take place at which even one so much in the know would be unwelcome. Under the friendly guidance of the inspector who had brought him to the Yard, Waters proceeding to a barelyfurnished ante-room. “Make yourself as comfortable as possible,” he was told. “Smoke if you want to, though it’s supposed to be against the rules. You may have to wait a time, and there’s bound to be a statement wanted.” “All right. But I’m already deuced-

ly hungry.” “I’ll get something sent up to you.” “Thanks very much. By the way, who were the bigwigs?” “Half the police heads in London, and some others I daren't even guess at. You’d better keep your mouth shut about this affair.”

“Trust me. I’m not exactly a fool.” The inspector grinned. “We all know that,” he remarked. “The Commissioner approved, and that’s something worth noting.” “Presumably that was the chap who asked most of the questions?” “On .the contrary, he never spoke a word.”

“What’s it all about, do you suppose?”

“Don’t ask me. You know as much about the business as I do, perhaps more. Hullo, they’re wanting me now.” Calls were being passed along for Inspector Mellwood, who at once went to the door and revealed his presence, “your tea won’t be forgotten,” were his parting words. “It’s a rum do,” muttered Waters, and settled down to patient waiting. And that was exactly what Mellwood was thinking. In all his experience there had never been anything like it. The whole process of investigation was entirely unorthodox. Instead of the routine of taking statements and-, getting them signed there was a whole host of strange and anxious people puzzling themselves and routine-con-scious police officers. Back in the conference room, the inspector was submitted to a close examiriation. He could add little to what Waters had already said, and to the searching questions as to whether he had observed any suspicious characters near the scene of the incident there was only a decided negative. “Certainly not, sir,” “Any signs of hurried departure on the part of anybody?” “I’m afraid I don’t quite understand that question.” > “Did you see anyone running away? Or going off in a furtive manner?” “No, sir. It would have been very noticeable. The passage of the procession engaged all attention.” “Including yours?” “Not exactly. My duties necessitated keeping a close watch out for anything untoward.”

“But mainly that the crowd- remained orderly?” “Only partially. We had been warned keep a careful watch. There had been a startling episode last year....” “Yes, yes! Naturally that made you all' particularly alert?”

“All of us were on tip-toe. Of course we didn’t anticipate anything happening, but it was as well to be prepared.” “Did you see General Parminster? Or perhaps you didn’t know him before seeing him on the ground.” “I knew him by sight, sir. Sir Vincent was h familiar figure.” “Then you’d noticed him in the procession?”

“Unfortunately, no. My attention was taken up by some pushing among the crowd and we have to see they did not break the ranks.”

“Then you didn’t see the General fall?”

“Excuse me, sir, but I don’t think he did. My impression was that he was still on his horse when led out of the procession.” “You -did observe that much?” “Yes. At first I didn’t attach much importance to the occurrence, but I went' across as quickly as possible. They had got him to the rear by then and the ambulance man called me and gave me certain information.”

“About bloodstains?” “Exactly.” “But you did not know that Geheral Parminster had been shot?” “Shot, sir?” “In the back.”

“I didn’t know at the time, though I guessed something of the sort had happened later.” “Then take a word of advice. Don’t do any guessing like that in public. Better fetch that ambulance man in and warn him as well. Nothing of this is to leak out for the time being.” Mellwood hurried off on his errand. He found Waters finishing a second cup of tea. “Come and be sworn to secrecy,” he observed. “You may. as well know straight away that General Parminster has been assassinated—murdered. . .” “Ah!” murmured Waters, surprisingly, “I thought somebody would get the beast one day. Captain Caythers was worried and showed it. “It’s all very well for the Commissioner to rely on me,” he grumbled, “but this is a confoundedly awkward spot of bother.”

Superintendent Moyne nodded sympathetically. He was a man of few words at the best of times.

“This hushing up gets on my nerves, You can’t keep it quiet for ever. Murder will out.”

“Public policy,” grunted the special service officer.

“Ha! You ram that home as well. I’ve had it thrust at me from a dozen sources. And that means twelve people in the know, to say nothing of the ambulance man, Waters, and quite a number of people who can’t possibly be born idiots. Hang it all, it's unBritish.” “So’s assassination.”

“True, O helpful colleague. What about inquests, obituary notices, the funeral and—and ”

“Court proceedings, sir!” “Exactly! That’s is, if we happen to run the culprit to earth. For the time being we don’t even know where to start. I've spent so much time swearing witnesses to secrecy that there hasn’t’been a decent opportunity to do any useful work. Heck! Evidently I'm supposed to grab the murderer and deliver him neatly bound in pink ribbon and wrapped in tissue paper. Where do we start?"

“With the shot, sir, and work backwards.”

“All right! Nobody heard any report and yet the doctors say there were two bullets neatly planted in the General’s back. Two —in perfect silence. To the best of my knowledge there isn't an expansion chamber that could be fitted capable of ensuring absolute inaudibility. Answer that one!” “Coloney Bogey, sir.” “Eh?” “That’s the march the band as play-

ing. Loud stuff, and drums, that would cover the slight pop. A clever man might synchronise his gun. with the drums.” “How’s that?” “On account of the tune, sit.” “Hum it.” “What me, sir? I'm no musician.” “I’m not going to criticise your technique but evidently you’ve got an idea and I’d like to see how it's come by. Carry on. If you like I’ll shut my eyes to avoid embarrassing you.” Superintendent Moyne drew a deep breath, turned a trifle red and made noises that were ample proof of his disclaimer. His voice was peculiarly unpleasing. “Tum-tum te turn te turn POM POM,” he solemnly. groaned. “POM POM.” Caythers repeated it with a satisfied nod. “That indicates the drums. Are you satisfied the tempo would fit in with the shooting?” “Quite, sir. And two shots would be better than one.” “Yes, no doubt. They'd appear almost as part of the music whereas one might be noticeable. Darned cute. Our murderer is no fool. Now tell me where the shots came from.” “Not so easy.” “What about impact, angle of flight and that sort of thing? Our scientific experts ought to be able to get sufficient data.” “Too much spread,” Moyne explained. “Soft lead isn’t like a nickel steel rifle bullet. But it was good shooting.” “Any particular reason for saying that?” ’ (To be Continued.)