The Case of the Running Man by Christopher Bush

Author:Christopher Bush
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dean Street Press
Published: 2022-03-13T00:00:00+00:00

It took about five minutes to get Mrs. Amble and she was looking remarkably wary when she entered the study. Jewle didn’t bother about introducing Colgate, he just went right ahead.

“But it’s impossible!” Grace Amble said. “Who on earth could come up here and take away pictures?”

“It wasn’t the mice,” Jewle told her grimly. “They were there two nights ago and now they’ve gone. Seven or eight framed pictures that were in the workroom. Someone had to get up here and get them down in the lift. And you heard nothing?”

“If I had heard anyone, then I’d have thought it was you. But if you’re imputing—”

“Now, now,” Jewle told her quietly. “I’m imputing nothing. All you’ve been asked is if you can throw any light on a most extraordinary happening. And you can’t.”

“I certainly can’t.”

“Well, we’re grateful to you in any case,” he told her. “And now will you do us a favour? Send Sam up here if he’s available.”

She was still looking aggrieved. Jewle shrugged his shoulders as he made for the telephone. He rang Humphrey Weddall. He didn’t say why he wanted him but he wanted him urgently. There was evidently some expostulation but Jewle was firm.

“He’ll be here inside half-an-hour,” he told us, and then there was a tap at the door and Sam came in. He gave a slow look round.

“Mornin’, gentlemen.”

“This is Mr. Colgate, Sam,” Jewle told him and Sam bobbed his head. “Think you can take him to Mainford Station in a minute or two? Or anywhere else in Mainford he wants to go?”

Sam said he certainly could and he’d be in time to collect the children on the way back.

“Something else, first, Sam, and I’d like this gentleman here to listen. Do you remember quite a big batch of pictures coming here soon after Mr. Weddall got back from Italy? Mr. Weddall would have been quite excited about them.”

“Sure do, sir. It was when you just said. The boss he took me in there same as he often did and man! was he excited.”

“Another thing, Sam. Last night or the night before did you see or hear a private car coming down the drive or up to the house?”

Sam frowned and shook his head. You wouldn’t hear much back there above the garage, and with the wireless maybe going and the windows shut on a cold night.

“No, sir: never heard nothin’,” Sam said emphatically.

The three of us went down in the lift together. I explained to Sam why I hadn’t been able to accept that kind invitation of his and I said I’d certainly drop in on him some night soon. While he was fetching the car I settled everything with Colgate. Anything he had to send us was to go to Jewle or myself at the pub, and if there was any change of plans I’d notify him at once. He gave me his private address and telephone number.

When I got back to the study, two women were there, Mrs. Larkwell, the

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