Ellery Queen - 1932 - The Greek Coffin Mystery by Ellery Queen

Author:Ellery Queen [Queen, Ellery]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-01-15T12:07:59+00:00

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It took the good sergeant all of ten minutes to solve the problem of how to retrieve the fragment from its inaccessible hiding-place. He was too huge to creep through the ash-pit orifice, and neither the Inspector nor Ellery felt inclined to wriggle their slighter bodies through the accu-mulated muck of years. Ellery for the solution of this problem was useless; and it took the more mechanically minded sergeant to discover the process whereby the scrap might be rescued. He manufactured a makeshift javelin by jamming a needle from Ellery’s pocket-kit into the ferrule of Ellery’s walking-stick; whereupon, on hands and knees, he managed to spear the fragment without great difficulty. He prodded the ashes, but nothing could be made of them—they were thoroughly charred and useless for examination.

The fragment, as Ellery had predicted, seemed indubitably part of Khalkis’s last will. Fortunately, that portion of it which was untouched by fire contained the name of the legatee of the Khalkis Galleries. It was, in a scrawly script which the Inspector at once recognized as Georg Khalkis’s, the name: Albert Grimshaw.

“This corroborates Knox’s story, all right,” said the Inspector. “And clearly shows that Sloane was the one cut out by the new will.”

“So it does,” murmured Ellery. “And very stupid and bungling indeed is the person who burnt this document . . . . A vexing problem. A very vexing problem.” He rapped his pince-nez sharply against his teeth, staring at the char-edged fragment, but he did not explain what the problem was nor why it was vexing.

“One thing is sure,” said the Inspector with satisfaction. “Mr. Sloane has some tall explaining to do, what with that anonymous letter about his being Grimshaw’s brother and this will. All set, son?” Ellery nodded, sweeping the basement once more with his glance.

“Yes. I imagine that’s quite all.”

“Come on, then.” The Inspector tucked the burnt fragment tenderly into a fold of his wallet and led the way to the front door of the basement.

Ellery followed, deep in thought; and Velie brought up the rear, not unhurriedly, it should be noted, since not even his broad substantial back was impervious to the deathly blackness pressing upon it.

Chapter 19. Expose

Weekes reported at once, as the Queens and Sergeant Velie stood in the foyer of the Khalkis house, that everyone in the Khalkis household was at home. The Inspector gruffly commanded the presence of Gilbert Sloane, Weekes hurried away toward the staircase at the rear of the hall, and the three men went into the Khalkis library.

The Inspector immediately proceeded to one of the telephones on the desk, called the District Attorney’s office, and spoke to Pepper briefly, explaining the discovery of what seemed to be the missing Khalkis will.

Pepper shouted that he was on his way. The old man then called Police Headquarters, roared a few questions, listened to a few replies, and hung up fuming. “No results on that anonymous letter. No fingerprintes at all.

Jimmy thinks the writer was damned careful—Come in, Sloane, come in.

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