“THE UNLATCHED DOOR”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 February 1941, Page 10

“THE UNLATCHED DOOR”

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

COPYRIGHT.

By

FRANK PRICE.

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

CHAPTER XVI. (Continued). Kenway put the report aside with a grunt. He hadn't the slightest intention of looking for symptoms of heart disease among London’s seven million inhabitants, in the hope of identifying some person to whom he had no other clue! He did some necessary office work and went to the room of Superintendent Moran for morning conference.' which took time. After that he had to appear as witness in a burglary case at Bow Street, and when that was over he had lunch, going on to the opening of the inquest on Borden. It went exactly to plan and he was free for the interview with Milvers. He did not approach the injured man in a friendly mood. What he had heard of his suspected activities in the way of blackmail had not predisposed him in Milver’s favour and the information, picked up from Green, the porter, that the manservant had given his name as Charlie Brown, suggested some secret in his life. Kenway told himself he would not be surprised at any turn the interview might take. The result did not justify his confidence.

After a warning to be careful and brief he was admitted to the room where the man lay his head swatched in bandages and his face giving plain evidence of his weakness. Kenway got to the point at once and Milvers answered him with every appearance of candour. He had entered the flat, he said, on his return from an errand on which Borden had sent him. That would be at about 20 minutes to two. He had not the time by that useful clock at the street corner. He was surprised to find the door unlatched, though closed. It swung open as he went to insert his key in the lock. The hall was in darkness but there was a light showing through the open door of Borden's room: but he had no sooner seen this than it was extinguished and a man dashed out into the hall running towards him. He saw it was a man, but that was all he could see in the semi-darkness. He had no time to switch on the light for the man crashed into him and sent him flying. He felt his head strike something and the next thing he knew was waking up where he was. “Haven't you any idea who he was?” Kenway asked. "Not unless it was .the guv’nor. That’s who I though it was." "Did you?" Ken way was watching him closely. He knew that Milvers had not been told of Borden’s death. "Was he wearing a hat? - ’ "Did you ever see this before?" Kenway’ produced the grey hat found in the hall which he had brought with him. “Hew should I know? There’s thousands like it." "Is it Borden's?”

"No! He always wears a billycock except when he's poshed out and had his topper.” "Is it yours, then?” "It is not! Never had one like it in my life." "And is that all you can tell about how you got this nasty knock." "Every word! But why do you come bothering me about it. Can't the guv'nor tell you what you want to know?” "No, and for a very good reason. He is dead.” “Dead? How do you mean, dead?" The man was obviously astounded. "He was murdered. That's how.” "Murdered!" Milvers tried to sit up. but fell back helplessly in the bed. "Is —is that why you're here—why there's been a rozzer sitting by me all the time?" “That's why." "But J don't know anything about it! He was alive when I went out and I never saw him afterwards!” His agitation threatend to deprive him of speech. "Al! right, all right! I’m not accusing you <-f anything!” said the inspector quickly. "Try to answer my questions, and if you’re telling the truth you’ll be safe. What time was it when you went out—by the street dock?" "Nearly 10 to 11." "Where did you go?” "Strcatham! What for?" "The guv'nor sent me. 1 had to deliver some letters." "Had no been writing letters?” "I don t know if there was one from him among them, but they looked like <ld ones. He was putting them in a big envelope when I went in in answer to the bell. He told me to lake the packet and shove it through the letterbox where it was addressed and come back." ’What was the address?” Milvers knit his brow in the effort to remember. "Name of Winterton. some number 1 di n't remember. Charters Hoad," he said slowly. A nurse came in. gave one loop at the patient and hurried to the bed. You must go." she said. He hatalked too much already'" Inspector Kenway dal not a;;r<-<- with her but. all the same, he went. Ho was anxious to get to Streatham. Burden had -cut a packet of old loiter: to this Mr. Wintertun with whom lie had quarrelled and. according to witnesses at ilii" Boldovina. the quarrel had begun with Winterion's wife’ Had he been » >. the v. rung trad; all the lime ' have berg com-ernmjt himself with in-. !• ad <•( the other pul ’ Wa !w th.’’ woman v.h <- ,!u e hit that fragmentary print ■ n the fallen plaster* and. if MX where had her husband been"! Here w> re fn h j indeed! It w.c., wrh a : - ;;; .d tmi’. |i<- ( H,'. 'p; vytj : h g; atit’. q m at p-a • rt'-.i-ocl ■ 'I U ' h* l • i ■ ’ " * F •■ ‘ * I‘ I ’i ' ’ | • -» ’ ‘ '•■ , - '. • '

I been feeling so much interest. That ’ had been decided over lunch when I Martin announced, with an air of stud- . ied calm, that the inspector was com- ! ing to interview him at five that even- ; ing. Barbara had seen Nancy start at ■ the news and an expression of apprei hension come into her face, and had l noted the tremble in her voice as she i asked: J "What is he coming for? Why does i he want to see you. Martin?" and the ; obvious effort at reassurance in the , reply: "Simply to get confirmation of what Roy Hemersley told him about his re-j , lations with Borden and the difficul- ■ ties which arose with the bank through my knowledge of Borden's past. Inspector Kenway told me that much." "But why come to you?" "It’s quite natural that he should — and harmless. The police seem to have ■ been making inquiries as to what hap- , pened at the Boldovina that evening; i the waiters told them of the —disturb- . ance Borden made and Hemersley had already told me that he had given my, i name in connection with it. I suppose ■ they want to make sure he was telling the truth." ’ "Does that mean they suspect Roy?” ;asked Barbara. j "I don’t see why they should, but the I inspector didn't say anything about i i that. He wouldn’t over the phone, any-1 I how. No doubt I shall know more of J I what he is thinking when I've seen ; him." "Are you going to see him alone?" jNancy asked. "I suppose so. I'll take him into the j den.” "Couldn't I —couldn’t he come in here. Martin? It will be tea time. We could offer him a cup. I should like to be with you—to hear what he has to say —whatever it is.”

"So should I!" said Barbara eagerly. "Do have him in here. Martin! It will bo so—exciting—to watch a flesh and blood detective at work, after reading so much about imaginary ones. And you can always take him into the den it he wants to get you by yourself and —and give you the third degree!" She saw Martin wince and thought he must have been offended by her flippancy: or was it something else? He was looking worried and harrassed. as if this visit from the inspector was troubling him. She wondered if she was imagining that—seeing in Martin a kind of reflection of what she was feeling herself. She made a conscious effort to control her features so that her face should show nothing but ingenuous interest in the exciting prospect of meeting a detective in real life. Martin hesitated, looking from Barbara to his wife: then, with what struck Barbara as a gesture of genuine relief, he said: "All right, We will have him to tea it he’s willing, but I don’t suppose he will have anything exciting or mysterious to discuss. I don't see how he can have." He was looking directly at Nancy as he spoke. It was almost as if he were trying to reassure her, Barbara thought —but what need could there be for that? She told herself again that she was imagining things, attributing to. her friends some reflection of the fears: which so persistently haunted her. As the subject dropped and the conversation changed, she lapsed into silence, giving herself up to the endless, hope-: loss consideration of her own horrify-; ing position, which seemed by now to have boon going on and bn for untold time. Tb.e question: "What must 1 do?" was I there as persistent and unanswerable! as ever. She had come to no decision, i she shrank from doing so; but suppose; the necessity were forced upon her?; The police believed that Borden had j been murdered—but it wasn't that! Not murder! Even if it had been her! finger which pressed the trigger and fired the fatal shot, it haff been no more than an accident.’ Yet. aceerdim' to all she had read in the Press re-1 ports, the police had made up their j minds. It was murder to them; it wa f< r a murderer they were searching':' a' victim for tb.e hangsman! What if litev F und <,ne? She had often read of the pitfalls < f circumstantial evidence What if the police fi.und some which led them to make an arre-t. It (ltd not occur to her that anythingcould lead them to her. She wa-. sma'J she hail m>: been seen at Darnley .Man-, sions and believed she had left no trace ■ f her presence; but if they accuwd : o|,.et>ne c Roy! j[,- j.-kl );, < ■ ■ Ver the Phom- after his visit to Scot'-1 lam! Yard that the ( ~,hc.- 1; -j-t-c’.cd; him. He tm i to say it jcstinclv bu-i lie caught the undercurrent of gravity bis Voice She remembered hL? he to fi.-r Roger B nien when telling about his father, and he ad-' milled :hal !:.■ ha.i b t i- :i equally md... f'■ " ■’ . with a m . and he had debver.-d hi.ui-.elf m: tb, ■ hands I his projected visit to ?>!artn. h-iv. <-,i IliA ' . 'oj-V !o the ti'”--o- • S. ' * they arn-st’. d lum’ That w .uldXi Je s Dth-r j m.M a!J v.’uuki if!| cverythni;* a* oik*-’ Should ■hr (L t i! 7. . b: .(LiV, v . Ijr.U ’dr . • ca.’.’ir f.»! \ were not ■ --ti.»• . .