The Doorway to Death by John Creasey

Author:John Creasey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: House of Stratus

Chapter Eleven

Roger Alone

“Well, they didn’t lose much time over that,” Roger said gruffly, and tried to get rid of the chilling effect of the story and the pictures. “I expect they made the A.C. a present of the Witness this morning, if they didn’t send him prints of the photographs. Taken without flashlights, of course. Clever, isn’t it?”

“What the hell happened?” Sloan demanded.

“I think Samuelson disliked it when Sybil Henry came to see me against his advice, and laid this on with the Witness. I’d stake half my pension that he knew there was a rift in the lute here; possibly knows that Jay is new-brooming, and saw his chance and took it. After this, I won’t be allowed anywhere near Sybil Henry. I won’t be allowed on the case at all.” Roger put a cigarette to his lips, slowly: “If you were in Jay’s position, what would you do?”

Sloan grunted: “It’s the very devil!”

“What would you do?”

“I wouldn’t have much choice. I’d take you off this case, even if I didn’t suspend you from duty altogether.”

“That’s it,” said Roger. “Suspend me from duty, and play right into Samuelson’s hands. It looks as if Samuelson’s decided that he can prove that the girl sent Quist after her father, and gave him a good, romantic reason for going. Samuelson wanted to spring that on us, and now he can’t. So he hit back, and the Witness jumped at the chance. No, I don’t see what Jay can do but take me off the job. Even Chatworth would have a hell of a job to keep me in the clear.” Roger was drawing very hard at the cigarette. “Bill, this case isn’t what it seems. You followed it?”

“Pretty closely.”

“Ever known me stick my neck right out?”

“Never known you not!” For the first time Sloan found a grin. “What’s on your mind?”

“I’ve a lot to do, and I can’t do it from the desk or from home,” Roger said. “I’m going out on the job, and when Jay sends for me I won’t be here. I doubt if he’ll put a general call out for me, and I’ll make sure that I’m not picked up by accident. And I’m—”

Sloan gripped his forearm, tightly.

“Don’t be a fool, Roger! It’s no use trying to keep out of Jay’s way. He’d smack you down with a bang.”

“Yes. Bill, listen. Either Sybil Henry came to Bell Street last night and lied to me, or some of the statements we’ve had from apparently reliable witnesses can’t be trusted. But they’re all corroborated, most of them three ways. Ibbetson’s checking the girl’s story. I want to check three witnesses: first Mrs. Kimmeridge; then Theophilus Pegg; then that boy, Clive Harrison. I want to find out if there’s any possibility of collusion among them. If there is, and if they gave evidence and were believed – as they would be as things stand now – they could get an innocent man condemned.”

“Getting yourself in deep trouble with Jay won’t help.”

“I’ve

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