"THE UNLATCHED DOOR”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 February 1941, Page 10

"THE UNLATCHED DOOR”

PUBLISHED P.V SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. COPYRIGHT.

By

FRANK PRICE.

(Author of "Behind the Curtains," etc.)

rj CHAPTER XI. (Continued). j| -Of course 1 can!" Roy began conJ fidently, but slopped abruptly. The in- . spector waited watchfully and for J some seconds the two men faced each ,j other across the table. Presently Roy II gave a rather rueful laugh. "I seem •J to have barged into the lions den and ’ shoved my head smack between his '( jaws!" he said. "I never thought when ’i I came here alter seeing that you could J possibly be suspecting me." J "I wasn't," said Inspector Kenway. ' “You weren't?” Roy looked into the ■I grave, watchful face and felt that its owner had spoken truly. "But how are you feeling about it now? “That you will be wise for your own sake to give as full an account as possible of your movements after Borden saw you' last night. Of course, you can refuse ' "Is that the official warning?” -Oh. no. 1 merely want you to understand the position." ' "Which is. dial I had better establish a cast iron alibi it I can! Roy laughed ruefully again. "One hears so much about alibis in talkies, books and plays , but I never thought 1 should want one. I And, if all one does hear is true, they ; ’ are tricky things 1.0 handle! How much 1 lime have I to cover?" "The body was found at approximately seven minutes past two a.m. j -Then I'm scuppered first pop! 1 went to bed at 1.35 and was asleep in ten minutes, but how can I prove it? I'm a perfectly respectable single i young man and have nobody to tuck ; . me up and sit by my side because I'm I airaid of the dark. ; "Where do you live?” > "In a boarding-house—l 76. Whitting-, ton Street, West Kensington." "Say 15 minutes away from Darnley i Mansions. If you can prove you went to bed as you say. you should be all right at that end.” "Thai's solid. 1 was talking to a couple of the other boarders for about half an hour and we went upstairs together.” "That should be good enough. What time did you gel in?" "Round about one. I found the others yarning the lounge." "And between the time Borden saw you and then? Do you know when lie did see you. by the way?” i "It must have been between hall-past j 10 and 11." ! "You had seen him. then?" | "Some time before that. 1 saw him at once when he came in with three other people." "Two men and a woman?" “Yes.” "Did you know them —any of them? "Never set eyes on one of them before and don't want to again. The men were as lousy-looking a pair as I ever saw; just the sort Borden would tie up with. The girl was all right to look at —but as I told you. I am a rcspectj able single man!” j The inspector nodded. i “I think I know those three. Did I you speak to Borden?” | "1 did not! 1 was with friends and ' couldn't have said anything to him fit i for them to hear.” "Did you know he saw you?" j "I wasn’t sure, but I though he had ( I when he bolted out of the place as I • I was going towards him." "Why were you going towards him if | you had so anxious to avoid speak-1 ing to him?” ! "Well —he seemed to be making a ' nuisance of himself to some people I ) - know —not those ! was with—and 1 I thought perhaps 1 could persuade him to clear oil.” "Can you give me the names of these | people?" 1 "Well . . I don’t know if they would ' like to be dragged into this . ..." I 1 "I can find them if you don't, but it | 1 will save time if you do ’ "Mr. and Mrs Martin Winterton." I 1 Hoy said reluctantly. “Thanks." The inspector made a■ >' note "Their address?" "Seventeen, dialer Road. Streath- 1 i am." | 1 Kenwny put it down and paused for; ' a moment, looking back at it. Then he; 1 shuffled a pile of his papers, selected ! ’ one which looked faded and worn with I ’ age, glanced through the writing on it j ! and replaced it with a slight nod of! * the head. When Roy had finished hep l said: I 1 "Yes. that explains your attitude to i b Borden and supplies quite a plausible! l reason for his being annoyed with this J Mr. Winterion 1 ' And show;: pretty clear that Win-' c tertwii had iu> reason for v.anting to* s bump Burden off. so you needift start ■ 1 suspecting him!" said Roy aggressive'! "We haven l no! l<< th.- luge " sirspeeling anybody yet." said Kenway 1 quietly. "But I tiiider-land from a I waiter v.liu was maar -.■.hen the un-| ( > ulcnsai.'nc. Limn that it slartei! b.-- ! twei-n Borden am! a lady ' "1 suppose lie v, a- 11 1 i!:;; ' , g. ’ Mr ■ ’1 with her husband and turned nasty) ■.vhen she told him when? he rmiki go.! ’■ "!’■> Slblv." The Hi -ti.i'.-tor : i; ; he I " on t)u* tnblc ’V> ait you who j ■ha-cd him when he bolted'" Roy J caned forward v. :th a jerk which)" 5 srhed the hat ho hud put down in I i,! N oway r:in< d hl- e’.<-i,r -Th.-

; and danced. Are you interested in n ' hat?” "Nut in the leas:.' I didn't noli' - ! what I was doing." The inspector p -1 down the hat, into whose crown he h; rj teen peering with the wrapt exprt a i sion of a crystal gazer. "So you st /; you danced for the rest of the eve 1 . ing?” 1 i "I didn't say so.” s ; "No?" There was a pause. Inspe i j tor Kenway seemed to be waiting is 1 i Roy to speak, but there was only si ■ ence. The inspector said, as if to hin ; self: "There’s a commissionaire at tl .■ i doer." > j "I went out later for a stroll and breath of air. Did the cummissionaii : tell you that?” I "He did say that a gentleman whoi • he described, went out. Where di i your stroll take you? Anywhere net Darnley Mansions? You will be quit within your rights if you refuse to an: ; wer." "A damn lot of good it would do m jif I did!" exclaimed Roy angrily, ‘ suppose you have another descriptio of a gentleman who was seen roun there by that bobby who went along t see why some motor cyclist was shak ! ing the whole neighbourhood with th ■ row from his exhaust!" : CHAPTER Nil. | "We have hoard of the motor cy j clist.” said the inspector. "You wer I at Darnley Mansions that night, then? Roy shrugged his shoulders. He ha gone pale and there was a dew of pci spiration on his forehead. "It’s no good saying 1 wasn't. I siq: ! pose if 1 did you would touch a be I and the policeman would walk in ; | the door and identify me!" i "It wouldn't be quite so quick, bi , it would probably come to the sam thing in the end.” "So that newspaper paragraph was trap!" exclaimed Roy bitterly. "Yo thought you knew all about me an just wanted to get me hero to incrimin ate myself!” "There was no trap," said Kcnwa stolidly. "When you came in al’thu door I knew no more about you thai this unfinished letter tells. Everythin else I have learned you have told m yourself. And there was no compul sion.” "And what do you think you hav> learned? What does it amount to? 1 you think you have got the murdere of Borden on me you are making th, mistake of your life! 1 didn’t got to hi Hat: I didn't see him; I didn’t kill him!' He leaned forward striking the tabh with his fist at each assertion. "I have brought no charge agains you, ’ said Kenway. "Would you can to tell mo why you went to Darnk” Mansions?” Roy's lips parted as if he were or the verge of speech; they they shut coming together in a straight lint which, with a putting forwatd of hi: chin, gave his face an expression o set determination. He leaned back it his chair, eyeing the inspector frown ingly while he formulated a reply. "My reason for being there hat nothing whatever to do with Border or his death.” he said at last. "It wa: ■ purely private and personal io—my I self. That is all I shall tell you. If i I doesn t satisfy you—and I don't in thi least expect it to —you know wha' you can do." He suddenly thrust hi: arms across the table, saying hoarsely "Bring out your handcuffs!” For nearly a minute they faced each other in silence. Inspector Kenwaj ■ stared at the trained, set young fact ■ before him. his own features stolid am I expressionless. Behind that professional mask his mind was working i keenly. Roy's hesitation before giving that last answer, the obvious strength of his determination to give no further explanation, the desperate exaltation of the look in his eyes, all carried suggestions which he was wondering if it would be wiser to put into words or to leave unaltered: "Who is the woman you ar<- s,.< anxious to shield?” That is what he would have asked if he had acted on impulse; inti caution restrained him. One of several things he had discovered at Burden's flat but had not disclosed to the Press was that fragmentary footprint on the fallen plaster A woman had been there and he wanted to find her; but. for the time being, at least, he thought he wots Id have a better chance of doing so ;f she believed her presence to be unsuspected Now he felt sure that the quickest way to have her warned would be to mention her to Roy Hem-ers'<-y He decided not to a<p that Mucst, however tcinpcinji H xvus to sec how the young man would react to I he -'rain ->f the lengthen.m; si!en,w became too much for R ■ .-roly u;, d don't you arrest me"' he d, - c- ii:di o Hi*-' tongue and throat w<t<dry and hrs voice sounded thick and I strange to immwlf "I: hasn't e. me to that--yet." mid 'he inspector. pau!,ins> dohboratelv be-j fore the la .* word oelo ■_ a I are ah 'hitch d< mined not to give y.,ur mom f,, r ' nit to Darnley Mansions-" ’ I :c:. ribschi tely " I hen, for the moment there seems.; trnhuig fur me to do but bring this' m'- ;• .Roy star*;,•<■: "v<.m > si; ' understand that we shall have m . ■eef> :■ ‘ •,>, • • I ; .. ■_ . M"? |<■*-; t rttctvc! twn c;ird\ ■