Bathurst, Anthony (Fictitious character) -- Fiction; Detective and mystery stories; England -- Fiction
“Very good,” responded Bannister. “Then perhaps you can answer this!”
He looked intently at Morley, who looked more startled and discomposed
than ever. “Information has been given to the Police that certain
bank-notes were stolen from the unfortunate girl—in fact for all we
know that theft may have been the motive of the murder. I say—for all
we know. The numbers of those stolen notes are also known to the
Police. Does that interest you at all, Mr. Morley?”
Morley licked his lips and gazed at his questioner with something of
the look that one associates with a rabbit fascinated by a snake.
“No,” he mumbled dryly. “Why in the name of goodness should it?”
Bannister’s face grew sterner. “Then I will proceed, Mr. Morley.
_Three of those stolen notes have been traced!_ They were paid into
the Seabourne branch of the Southern and Home Counties Bank. They came
from the ‘Cassandra’ Hotel.” He stopped here and watched Morley so
closely that not the slightest movement of the latter’s face could
escape him. But only for a moment. “The ‘Cassandra’ Hotel people took
them from a gentleman who is staying there. Another of your clients,
Mr. Morley, and one whom you didn’t mention just now—a certain Captain
Willoughby.” Morley went very white—his face seemed to be drained
suddenly of every vestige of colour.
“Well?” he said thickly. “Well—and supposing I do know this gentleman,
this Captain Willoughby, supposing he is a client of mine—what about
it?”
“A very reasonable question, Mr. Morley,” said Bannister, “and quite
one that I expected.” He became almost suave. “I shall be delighted to
answer it. I have interviewed this Captain Willoughby in reference to
his possession of these particular bank-notes and he in turn refers me
to _you_.”
“To _me_? To _me_? Tell me, Inspector, tell me more about these notes.
What value were they?”
“Twenty pounds, Mr. Morley. Two ‘fives’ and a ‘ten.’”
Morley sprang to his feet and nodded excitedly. “I knew it,” he cried,
“I knew it! Everything is all right!”
“Knew what?” demanded Bannister.
“Wait a minute, Mr. Inspector. Have a little patience and I will show
you something that will interest you very much. Yes—yes—very much
indeed.” He rubbed his palms appreciatively and went to his desk. What
he had just heard had evidently made a big difference to his outlook.
He pulled open a drawer on the left-hand side. He rummaged therein for
a few seconds and then extracted an envelope. This done he came back
to the Inspector and Godfrey.
“Look at that!” he exclaimed triumphantly. He held something towards
them. It was a five-pound note. “The number, I mean,” cried the Jew.
Bannister referred to his tell-tale list. “It is one of them,” cried
Morley again. “Yes? Am I then right? It is one of the missing numbers?
For a certainty—eh?”
“It is, Mr. Morley,” announced Bannister gravely, “and I shall be
obliged with the explanation.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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