Detective and mystery stories; French, Joseph (Fictitious character) -- Fiction; Police -- Great Britain -- Fiction
The driver was stupid and suspicious, but in time the details came out.
The most direct route led along Holborn, and he had taken it, but when
he reached the point in question the young man had hailed him through
the speaking tube. “Hold on a minute, driver,” he had called. “Look
sharp, please.” He had pulled over to the kerb, but almost before he had
come to a stand the young man had jumped out and had hurried across the
street. The lady had then alighted, had told Tomkins to wait, and had
followed him. Tomkins had at first feared he was going to lose his
money, but after a couple of minutes they had both returned and the girl
had got in. She had bidden good-night to her friend, and he, Tomkins,
had driven her off, leaving the man standing on the pavement. On arrival
at Hampstead, the lady had paid him and entered the house. As far as the
driver had noticed neither of the young people was excited or upset.
This information gave French cause for thought. On obtaining
Harrington’s statement on the morning after the murder, he had imagined
the young man was keeping something back. And now he found that he had
been right. The young fellow had not mentioned the fact that he had been
within a few yards of the scene of the crime at the time at which it had
taken place. He had stated that he had seen Sylvia home, and now it
appeared he had not done so, but had accompanied her only half-way.
French reminded himself with satisfaction that his instinct on such a
point was seldom far astray.
Furthermore, this news confirmed his growing suspicion that Miss Duke
also knew something about the affair. It seemed too far-fetched a
coincidence that this unexpected stop near the scene of the crime, the
mental upset of both herself and Harrington, and the postponing of the
wedding, were unconnected with the tragedy. What the connection might be
he could not imagine but he could not but believe it existed.
Determined to put the matter to the test without further delay, he drove
to the Hatton Garden office and asked for Harrington. The young fellow
received him politely, though French thought he could sense an air of
strain in his manner. After the briefest greeting he came directly to
the point.
“Mr. Harrington,” he began, “I want to ask you one question. In our
conversation on the morning after the crime you told me you had seen
Miss Duke home on the previous night. Why did you state this when you
had only seen her as far as Hatton Garden?”
The young man paled somewhat. He did not seem taken aback, rather he
gave French the impression of feeling that he was now face to face with
a crisis he had long expected. He answered without hesitation and with
an evident attempt at dignity.
“I quite admit that I left Miss Duke near the end of Hatton Garden, but
I don’t admit that that was in any way inconsistent with what I told
you. Certainly I had no intention of deceiving you.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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