The Grim Joker (Robert Budd Mystery Book 1) by Gerald Verner

Author:Gerald Verner [Verner, Gerald]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Media
Published: 2018-07-12T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen – The Appointment

The sleek-haired Mr. Sellick, waiting at Dorking station for the train that was to carry him townwards, felt remarkably good-tempered and at peace with the world. The reason for his amiability was due to the telephone message he had received that morning from his friend Mr. Oswald Kyne.

Mr. Kyne had given him a piece of news that filled the soul of the butler with rapturous dreams of wealth. Over and over again he congratulated himself upon the foresight that had made him follow Dr. Roone when he had left the house that fatal morning in response to the Grim Joker’s faked telephone call. But for that piece of luck, he would never have witnessed the crime, and thus held its perpetrator in the hollow of his hand; for — and Mr. Sellick chuckled as he always did when he thought of this — the murder had already been committed when Superintendent Budd had arrived at the house, and it was only by a matter of seconds that he had himself returned in time to admit him.

He was still chuckling when he got into a third-class compartment and the train left the station, but it was doubtful if he would have felt so extremely pleased with himself if he had been aware of the identity of the man who was travelling in the next carriage. But he was not aware of this, and therefore his pleasure was unspoilt. Oh, undoubtedly he was clever, he thought complacently. His handling of the whole affair had been remarkably smart. The Grim Joker was clever, but he, Sellick, was cleverer. He had seized a chance that was going to make him independent for the rest of his life.

His mind was still filled with rose-coloured plans for the future when at his journey’s end he raised his hand and gave the peculiar knock on Mr. Kyne’s knocker. This time it was the stout money-lender himself who opened the door and ushered his visitor into the large ornately furnished room. There was an air of excitement and nervousness about the man that he could not conceal, and his smooth face glistened with little beads of perspiration.

‘Well,’ said the butler, smacking him on the back heartily, ‘everything seems to be going fine.’

‘I hope you’re right,’ retorted Mr. Kyne gloomily.

Sellick looked surprised. ‘Why, what’s the matter with you? Fifty thousand pounds as easy as kiss your hand and no trouble, isn’t that fine?’

The fat man shook his head pessimistically. ‘Sounds a little too easy to me,’ he grunted. ‘You want to be careful of this fellow, Sellick. He’s a dangerous man. Remember those other people he’s killed. Why shouldn’t the same thing happen to us?’

The butler laughed harshly. ‘Nonsense!’ he exclaimed. ‘He daren’t try any funny business. He wouldn’t have written to you making the appointment if he was going to try to double-cross us. I told him after the murder that if he didn’t make this appointment, I’d split to the police. There’s nothing to worry about.

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