"DEATH GOES BY 'BUS"

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 December 1939, Page 10

"DEATH GOES BY 'BUS"

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

COPYRIGHT.

BY*

LESLIE CARGILL

(Author of “The Yellow Phantom,” “The Arrow by Night,” etc.)

CHAPTER XXII. Continued. ■ Gardopoulos waved his hand airly. “No more come,” he answered. “Often I go away. It would not do my trade good to know I had policemen calling." “I am not an officer, merely a private investigator.” “That is the same.” “You can’t be too careful, I suppose, when you’re a drug smuggler and a buyer of stolen goods!” “What you say? Those are untruths. I am an importer and merchant.” “So it says on the notice, but I know otherwise. Have you read the newspapers?” The Greek spread out his hands. “This morning, yes. But I do not understand.” “John Smith has been released. The police case against him has collapsed.” “So! You come to tell me that. A long journey for a small service. He tell you I sell drugs?” “Never mind about that. I know, and it is sufficient. But stolen property is your big line —especially when it is imported.” “Suppose that is true. You cannot prove it.” “What about Smith?" “He will not tell . . .” “Otherwise he would have done so before, c-h? I wouldn’t care to be in your shoes, Gardopoulos. Smith will kill you as sure as fate.” “That fly? No, he would not have the nerve to kill.” He pulled - himself up with a jerk. ■ “Of course you knew he didn’t shoot Wainwright,” Mr Sharpe quietly remarked. “Smith suspects who did — and he’ll be here to talk to you about it before the day is out.” “The fool! And bring the police hot on his heels!” The man was not scared of Smith, but police intervention was another matter. “Why do you come here?” Mr Sharpe could not answer -that question because he wasn't at all sure himself. Of course it was unwise, and yet he wished to keep ahead of everybody else all the time. “I thought,” he observed, still in that cold voice, “you might care to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. That is what you promise on oath in the courts.” “Never shall I go there,” Gardopoulos retorted. “First I kill myself.” "Which y.ould only result in another sort of trial. No, you can’t escape it now.” “I am not religious,” the Greek said uneasily. “Not very." Mr Sharpe could not conceal a pale ghost of a smile as he explained the reference was to a Coroner’s inquest, not the Supreme Tribunal. “You come with me!" “Not another killing, please. The worst of these major crimes is that they are so apt to lead to more. Make the best of it now you are found out and avoid further- complications.” • “So! You are sure I do the shooting?” “Absolutely! You did, didn't you?" “Yes.” “Correct me if I’m wrong. Wainwright had sold you the necklet brought over from America?” “For £6000!” “And it was worth at least double. What happened then?” “The pig stole it from me again." Gardopoulos fingered his throat reflectively'—a gesture that did not escape the eyes of his examiner. “By force, I take it?” “How could you know?” “Never mind about that. You could have stopped the cheque.” "My beezness is all in cash." Suddenly the Greek seemed to awake to a realisation of what he was doing. “Why do I tell you thees?”_he demanded. “Perhaps because you must talk to somebody. You are a lonely man, Gardopoulos. Your wife admits you rarely speak at home, and never discuss business. Confession is food for' the soul.” “Ecce! A preacher. Now that you know, I shoot.’ An ominous glint came from an object which was gripped in a suddenly outstretched hand. Mr Sharpe sighed heavily. “I knew it was unwise to come,” lie observed. !

CHAPTER XXIII. “Hullo, Matthews, still worrying over your old cresswords?" "Yes. Im not sure whether tn bless or to curse Sharpe for inducing me to take them up. They're getting a bit of a mania with me as well.” Maxley patted him on the shoulder. “You’re using some nice new big words since you started,” he chuckled. "In self-defence I shall have to start ’em. as I've been theatened to do. Highly educated policemen are fashionable nowadays. By the way. I wonder what has happened to our friend? Never known him break a promise before." "He’ll turn up," Matthews rejoined. "There wasn't any special appointment made, was there?" ‘Not exactly. ‘l’ll hand you the envelope with the guilty person’s name in it tomorrow,' was what he said. Might mean any time up to midnight. Unfortunately 1 can’t wait for him. Immediate action is necessary. Put that .paper down and come and help work out a real puzzle." "Going over the whole case again, sir?" “From A to Z. This time there is going to be no mistake. Here is all the evidence any court will need. Thisj is a copy of the resume I have sub-1 milted to the Chief Constable. Thej prosecution will work from it. I pre-, sume . . .” “Sort of counsel's brief. Superintendent!"

“Exactly. Now don’t let your attention wander because I want your helpful criticism." "I’m all ears.” "Good! To get the right angle we've got to go back at least to the Bradham robbery in America —and long before that to gather up certain of the strings. Some of them are not directly connected, but the side issues have got to be considered in case they lead us astray “Wouldn’t it be better to confine yourself to the murder and what led up to it, sir? The other matters are red herrings across the trail.” .“That’s what I’ve done, Matthews. But the other things keep on intruding First of all we have to take into account the existence of a gang, highly organised. The master-criminal is a very real menace, as we know — though the idea is often pooh-poohed. Wainwright was undoubtedly the head of a band of crooks. Not that he sat at home like the spider in his web, waiting for good things to turn up. He : went and did the jobs himself.” ' “As in the Bradham business!” , “Precisely. .From the full report, now to hand from America, we can appreciate the cleverness of that robbery. It could only have been successful in the States, where big-crime is as spectacular as big-business . . .” Mr Sharpe would have been vastly amused at the expressions used by Superintendent Maxley. “But the method doesn’t matter,” the speaker continued. “It was smart enough to succeed, and they were able to get out of the country with the loot. Which reminds me that extradition papers are on the way. Smith’s liberty will be short and sweet.” “Why let him go then?” “Can’t keep him on the murder charge and officially the Bradham robbery is not yet any concern of ours. Oh, he's being watched all right. As soon as we get the tip it’s be no trouble to pull him in.” "Let’s hope you're right, sir. Personally I’m a bit nervous." “What about?” Matthews hesitated. “Of course, it’s only a vague idea, and you don’t take much account of that sort of thing. He’s a dangerous character.” “Not on your life. Sharpe was right in saying he wasn’t the killing 'type. Remember how that conductor fellow, Withers, put the wind up him about carrying a gun. No. Smith will rob and run, but he won’t get violent." “M’m!” Matthews was still dubious. "Who can tell how he’s feeling now? Pretty sore. I'll bet.” “So I suppose. Eut don’t imagine he’ll have time to do anything if he wants to. I’d have liked to have macle the big arrest myself, or sent you along, but it wasn't possible with the court sitting today. Something might have gone wrong. Inspector Hilliard and Detective Collis can be relied upon to attend to the other- end.’

“Suppose there’s a rough house?” “What’s that matter? It helps to confirm guilt." - Suddenly the telephone jangled harshly. Maxley picked up the receiver, listened intently to a fairly lengthy I conversation which he only interrupted with monosyllabic brevity. “Thank you very much,’ he exclaimed at last. He was smiling grimly when he replaced the instrument. - "That," he explained, “was the stationmaster at Langborough. Hilliard a slung a message out of the train asking him to phone me at once.” “What train?” “Why, to London, of course. Didnt I you expect it? Smith caught the first available one out, as I thought. He wants to have a few words with Gar- ; dopoulos.’ “Then there will be dirty work?” "Not necessarily. Anyway, our men will be just behind to putra stop to it.” | . “I thought Hilliard and Collis had j been sent on to make the arrest?" Maxley grinned. "Did you?" he returned “As all roads lead to the same ’ place, I just put them on the track of friend Smith. So much easier, killing two birds with one stone.” “That’s what I’m afraid of," Maxley remonstrated. “What?” “Killing the two birds. Now we’ve got to wait patiently for news from London, I suppose.” "Hardly." The Superintendent dragged out his massively ugly watch. "There's a very fast train in twenty minutes which makes up some of the lost time. We reach London little more than an hour later than the rest." Matthews rose, almost reluctantly. “Couldn’t we have taken up the chase immediately Smith was released?” he asked. "That would surely have been the best way." "My dear chap, where arc your wits? We're too well known. It would have alarmed our man. Crosswords don’t seem to have sharpened your detective abilities." Biting his lip with vexation at what seemed a well-merited gibe, Matthews followed his chief to the waiting car. Not, until he was comfortably seated and they were on the way to the station did he think of a reply, and then it was too late. Morrison Sharpe would have had it in a flash, but Matthews had not yet cultivated the ability to think ahead. For what had oecured to him was that in similar circumstances the puzzlemaster would have been in London first, waiting for the arrival of Smith instead of following well behind. They were a moody pair as the ex-> j press rushed southwards. Maxley was j i not nearly so easy in his mind as he j Both of them knew that if' i they had acted indiscreetly it was go-| | ing to be a bad day’s work for every-1 body. (To be Continued ) I