The Million-Dollar Suitcase — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The Million-Dollar Suitcase
John Stuart Mill · en
"Not at all bad! You others seem to me only half awake to what is about
you--only half living," and she placed her hand in the strong one held
down to her. As Worth passed her through the scuttle to the roof, I saw
her glance carelessly at the hooks and staples, the clumsy but adequate
arrangement for locking the hatch, and, following her, gave them more
careful attention, wondering what she had seen--plenty that I did not,
no doubt. They had no tale to tell my eyes.
Once outside, she stopped a minute with Worth to adjust herself to the
sharp wind which swept across from the north. Here was a rectangular
space surrounded by walls which ran around its four sides to form the
coping, unbroken in any spot; a gravel-and-tar roof, almost flat, with
the scuttle and a few small, dust covered skylights its only openings,
four chimney-tops its sole projections. It was bare of any hiding-place,
almost as clear as a tennis court.
We made a solemn tour of inspection; I wasn't greatly interested--how
could I be, knowing that between this roof and my fugitive there had
been locked windows, and a locked door under reliable human eyes? Still,
the lifelong training of the detective kept me estimating the
possibilities of a getaway from the roof--if Clayte could have reached
it. Worth crossed to where the St. Dunstan fire escape came up from the
ground to end below us at a top floor window. I joined him, explaining
as we looked down,
"Couldn't have made it that way; not by daylight. In open view all
around."
"Think he stayed up here till dark?" Worth suggested, quite as though
the possibility of Clayte's coming here at all was settled.
"My men were all over this building--roof to cellar--within the hour.
They'd not have overlooked a crack big enough for him to hide in. Put
yourself in Clayte's place. Time was the most valuable thing in the
world with him right then. If ever he got up to this roof, he'd not
waste a minute longer on it than he had to."
"Let's see what's beyond, then," and Worth led the way to the farther
end.