07 Case For Mr Fortune by H. C. Bailey

Author:H. C. Bailey [Bailey, H. C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Lady Coole made an impatient noise. The solicitor cleared his throat. “I may take it, Mr. Lomas, you have found no evidence of her identity?”

Lomas smiled. “It’s you who are here to give information,” he said. “The murder of Weekes and the quarrel with Frayne compel suspicion that Herbert Coole believed in her claim.” He looked at Lady Coole. “I suppose he had some reason, madam?”

“It’s all a lie. It’s a trick of that scoundrel Frayne,” she cried. “He’s been trying to blackmail me ever since my husband’s illness. There’s an end of that, thank God. I’ll see this wretched girl never gets a penny. If my husband hadn’t been a spiteful fool - -” The alarmed solicitor succeeded in stopping her, reduced the conference to terms of decency, found Lomas civilly impenetrable, and took her away.

“So that’s what she came for,” Lomas shrugged. “Affectionate mother. Her son is shot - and what troubles her is whether her money is in danger.”

“Yes, yes. See where Herbert got his temper from. Also throws light on the state of mind of poor old Wolseley Coole. What a life! With those two kind souls. However. Reverting to the girl. Frenzy of the family isn’t legal evidence. Any results from the bank manager or the good ship Arancaria?”

“I have the bank’s evidence - very odd but not informing. A few months ago Weekes paid in a cheque for five thousand pounds from Wolseley Coole. The money is still untouched. Bank manager discreetly hinted to Weekes that he seemed to have come into a fortune. Weekes only winked and chuckled. He never did talk.”

“No. That’s what the girl said. Tiresome failing.” Reggie sighed. “Large donation to Weekes, either for unknown services or to make sure the girl had some provision, however the family wangled it. Queer case. Everything explained, violence of Herbert, manoeuvres of Frayne, except the fundamental thing, what was it all about? We return to the starting point: why did Weekes send the oak gall, why did he say Coole had ‘got some’?”

“No answer,” said Lomas wearily.

But that evening a little, brisk old man was brought to them, Captain Hulme of the Afaucaria. “Mr. Lomas, sir?” he beamed. “Mr. Fortune? Proud to be of any service to you, sir. And I think I may be. I was saying to myself I must come up to Scotland Yard when your men found me. Reading about Tom Weekes’s murder, I didn’t know it was any business of mine, but when I saw young Coole had shot himself or whatever it is, seemed to me I’d have to say my say. It’s like this. Tom Weekes was my boatswain in the Araucaria, surly old dog but a rare good ‘un. I’ve looked him up now and again when I had the car out his way. He’d known Wolseley Coole from a boy, sailed with his father. Coole never forgot an old friend. Last time I saw Weekes, he told me Coole had got up a rare game, giving out that Weekes’s granddaughter was his, too, and going to come into his fortune.

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