Bathurst, Anthony (Fictitious character) -- Fiction; Detective and mystery stories; England -- Fiction
“Well then, you may be interested to hear that Miss Delaney, who was a
client of ours of some years’ standing cashed a cheque at our bank on
the morning of the very day that she was murdered, value a hundred
pounds. The cheque was made payable to ‘self’ and was of course drawn
against her current account.” He paused as though to measure
thoroughly the full effect of his statement.
“Go on,” said Bannister, a grim note sounding in his voice. Stark
looked at him quickly and went on as ordered.
“The notes handed to the lady by my cashier were partly ‘tens’—partly
‘fives’ and the remainder ordinary currency notes. There were ninety
pounds in bank notes. Those are the numbers.” He handed across to the
Inspector an envelope upon which the information was written.
Bannister beamed and rubbed the palms of his hands in unmistakable
pleasure.
“Splendid,” he cried, “you’ve done us a great service, Mr. Stark,
there’s no doubt about that. This should help the course of our
investigations tremendously.”
“I thought it would,” said Stark, flushed with pleasure at Bannister’s
approbation, “but please wait a minute—I haven’t finished yet. There’s
more to come.” He rose from his chair and walking to the door opened
it and looked sharply outside. Then he closed it again, came back to
his chair and drew it a little distance nearer to the Inspector.
“After Miss Delaney had received her money,” he was now speaking very
quietly and intensely, “she asked the cashier who attended to
her—Churchill by name—to show her in to me. Into my private room! He
did so. She came into my private office and made what I considered to
be an extraordinary request. You are doubtless aware that Banks often
keep in their strong-rooms certain valuables belonging to their
clients. Miss Delaney not only has a Deposit account with the ‘Mutual’
as well as the ordinary current account but we have also had lodged
with us for some years, I believe, a legacy left her by her father the
late Colonel Daniel Delaney. I refer, Inspector, to what is always
described in the Deposit-Note as ‘The Peacock’s Eye.’”
“What?” ejaculated Bannister. “What the blazes is that?”
Anthony also eagerly awaited the Manager’s answer.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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