Philo Vance Omnibus Vol 2 by S.S. van Dine

Author:S.S. van Dine [van Dine, S.S.]
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Mystery & Crime
Publisher: MobileRead

12. POISON GAS

(Saturday, April 14; 6:40 p.m.)

Vance went to the window and looked out for some time in silence. It was obvious he was deeply troubled. Markham respected his perturbation and did not speak.

It was Vance himself who at length broke the silence.

"Markham," he said, his eyes scanning the brilliant sunset colors across the river, "the more I see of this case the less I like it. Every one seems to be trying to pin the posy of guilt on the other chap. And there's fear wherever I turn. Guilty consciences at work."

"But every one," returned Markham, "seems pretty well agreed that this Zalia Graem had a hand in it."

Vance inclined his head.

"Oh, yes," he murmured. "I had observed that fact. I wonder..."

Markham studied Vance's back for several moments.

"Do you think Doctor Siefert will be of any help?" he asked.

"He might be, of course," Vance replied. "Evidently he wants to see me. But I imagine it's curiosity as much as anything else. However, there's little that anyone who was not actually here can tell us. The difficulty in this case, Markham, lies in trying to weed out a multiplicity of misleading items..."

There was a soft knock, and Vance turned from the window. He was confronted by Garden, who had opened the study door without waiting for a summons.

"Sorry, Vance," Garden apologized, "but Doc Siefert is downstairs and says he'd like to see you, if convenient, before he goes."

Vance looked at the man a moment and frowned.

"Miss Beeton informed me of the fact a few minutes ago. I asked her to tell the doctor I would be glad to see him at once. I can't understand his sending you also. Didn't the nurse give him the message?"

"I'm afraid not. I know Siefert sent Miss Beeton up here, and I assumed, as I imagine Siefert did, that you had detained her." He looked round the room with a puzzled expression. "The fact is, I thought she was still up here."

"You mean she hasn't returned downstairs?" Vance asked.

"No, she hasn't come down yet."

Vance took a step forward.

"Are you sure of that, Garden?"

"Yes, very sure." Garden nodded vigorously. "I've been in the front hall, near the foot of the stairs, ever since Doc Siefert arrived."

Vance walked thoughtfully to a small table and broke the ashes from his cigarette.

"Did you see any of the others come down?" he asked Garden.

"Why, yes," Garden told him. "Kroon came down and went out. And then Madge Weatherby also came down and went out. And shortly after the nurse had gone up with Siefert's message to you, Zalia came down and hurried away. But that's all. And, as I say, I've been down there in the front hall all the time."

"What about Hammle?"

"Hammle? No, I haven't seen anything of him. I thought he was still here with you."

"That's deuced queer." Vance moved slowly to a chair and sat down with a perplexed frown. "It's possible you missed him. However, it doesn't matter." He had lifted his head a little and was watching Garden speculatively.

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