Death at the Inn by John Rhode

Author:John Rhode [Rhode, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-04-26T04:47:31+00:00

XIII

HANSLET was the first to comment upon Dr. Priestley’s theory. “Well, that’s a new one on me, Professor. And Jimmy, too, I’ll be bound.”

“It may be new to you,” Dr. Priestley replied. “But I do not for a moment suppose that this was the first time the method had been employed. I have no doubt that dozens of articles consigned to 22 Truro Street have unaccountably disappeared while in transit. And I would suggest that it is highly probable that that was not the only address employed for the purpose. But, in common with all human endeavours, the method was not infallible. The rug is one instance of its failure. The bale of clothing was no doubt another. For some reason, the opportunity of pilfering it in transit did not occur.”

“You’re not suggesting that that accounts for all the pilfering that goes on, are you, Priestley?” Oldland asked.

“Most certainly I am not,” Dr. Priestley replied. “The majority of goods pilfered are demonstrably consigned to properly genuine individuals or firms. Nor do I suppose that Forty Thieves Ltd., to use the commercial analogy, are the only practitioners in this business. I will go so far as to say that the method I have outlined is one form of their activities.

“Jimmy has told us of the incident of last Thursday. I find that so instructive that I am tempted to dwell upon it. But before I do so, we must return to the Ariadne Inn. I have suggested that Warstock was poisoned there in the belief that he was an informer. The poisoner may or may not have been Jimmy’s family man. In any case, I believe him to be one highly placed in the hierarchy of Forty Thieves Ltd. To use the commercial analogy, the chairman or at least one of the directors. Murder is not a crime to be delegated to an underling. Let us try to put ourselves in that man’s place. Having committed the crime, and left the Ariadne unnoticed, he can have had little fear of detection. He was aware that it would be impossible to identify everyone who had called there that evening. Even so regular a customer as Mr. Milway was unable to do that. The barman was far too busy to take notes of such of those he served as were strangers to him. No record was made of the cars which drew up outside the inn.

“Nevertheless, our man would have thought it prudent to watch subsequent events. He took measures to procure a copy of the local paper containing a report of the inquest. From this, he learnt Superintendent Waghorn had given evidence of identification. This can only have confirmed his belief that his victim had been an informer in touch with the police.

“He would regard it as a matter of the first importance to ascertain how much Warstock had divulged. Had he, for instance, revealed the methods by which members of the organisation communicated to one another time and place? If he had, that method would have to be abandoned for the future.

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