He Shot to Kill by Peter Drax

Author:Peter Drax
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dean Street Press
Published: 2017-04-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

When Perry reached the Yard at nine o’clock on Monday night, Thompson was packing up, preparatory to going home. He looked up with a mock air of disgust when Perry came into the room.

“Now what’s the trouble? You look like a kid who’s found a four-leaf clover.”

Perry grinned and sat down on a chair.

“I’ve been trailing Lakin all day, and I’m about beat.”

“Well, don’t forget the song: ‘It’s a great life if you don’t weaken’. Open up. Spill the beans. I can stand anything.”

“Lakin’s playing a double game. I’d lay a week’s pay on that.”

“Keep your hard-earned dough. I’ll believe you. He pinched these finger-prints we got off the dead man’s boat. At least I think it was he who took them. No one else had the opportunity. The devil of it is that we haven’t got copies.”

“What are you going to do about it?” Perry asked.

“That’s what I’ve been asking myself for the last half-hour and I haven’t made up my mind yet, but I’ve half a mind to hold my hand till we can see what he’s up to. Anyway, let’s have your story.”

“I went to his house this morning to relieve Hancock, but like a fool I left the car at the garage in the village. I saw Colonel Meroy go off, also his son, and there’s something I’ll tell you about him in a moment. Lakin’s daughter followed Johnny Meroy in her car.”

“Busy day,” commented Thompson.

“After that nothing happened for a bit. Scott, that man who is staying with Lakin, was mooching about the grounds. I saw Lakin himself once or twice. At three thirty-five a car drove out from Hatch End. It was Lakin apparently alone in a big saloon. I cursed myself for not having my car waiting handy. I could do nothing but wait. About a quarter of an hour after he had passed me, I heard a car coming down the lane. I had just time to shut the drive gates of Hatch End, when it hove in sight. It was Mary Lakin. I told her that I had a message for her, and I tried to pump her about her father and Johnny Meroy, but I didn’t get any change out of her. It wasn’t long after that when Lakin returned, still driving alone. I didn’t stop him, but ran back to the village and got out my car. At five forty-five Lakin came out of the gates again in his big saloon car, and I followed him to Henfield Aerodrome. I watched him for a bit, and I could see he was waiting for someone.”

“Who was arriving by aeroplane! Masterly piece of deduction by famous detective.”

Perry laughed. “He certainly was expecting some-one, and he was in a rare old stew. Pacing up and down, first looking at his watch, then at the sleeve, then at the sky to the eastward. I let him alone for a time, but as no one seemed to be turning up I went over to him.

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