The Ebony Stag by Brian Flynn

Author:Brian Flynn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dean Street Press
Published: 2021-06-09T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XV

THE BOROUGH TREASURER OF EASTHAMPTON

It was the irrepressible Hatherley who produced the Borough Treasurer of Easthampton for Anthony’s edification. He did so with an air of triumph. The venue was the smoking-lounge of the “Tracy Arms”. But Anthony found it difficult to understand why. Frederick Gulliver Sharpe-Lodge, at the age of fifty-five, was a tall, thin man with black hair that grew long and thick over his collar. Beyond the gift of a most unusual and shrewd personality, he appeared to have but little to commend him to men of even moderate culture and erudition. He had certainly not been cradled in the terminology of the schools, although it must be conceded that nobody who encountered him would have ever suspected otherwise.

“’Morning,” he said with a sharp curtness that it pleased him to think was professional. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Lotherington. Hatherley has told me a lot about you. I’ve been most interested. Yes.”

He opened a gold cigarette-case with an almost boisterous click and proffered it to Anthony Bathurst with a curious, bird-like movement of the head. The latter saw with some surprise that one half only of the case held cigarettes. The other half, which showed at a right angle as a back as it were, was filled with an unusually large visiting-card. Anthony could see that the card bore the inscription, “Frederick Gulliver Sharp-Lodge, O.B.E., Borough Treasurer, Easthampton.” As he held the case, his little finger protruded from behind it at an absurd angle, and Anthony noticed that he was wearing a ring containing a large diamond.

“Thank you,” said Anthony. He waited for his companion to go on.

“Extraordinary case. Definitely extraordinary. Especially at this juncture. According to Hatherley here, my authority has been paying out to the wrong man for some time now. Can’t altogether stomach that, you know. The time isn’t opportune. Far from it. Must look into it. Lot of faith, you know, in my Internal Audit section. Highly efficient! Not convinced yet. By any means.”

Anthony, somewhat taken aback, murmured a suitable reply. Sharpe-Lodge cocked a muddy eye at him and smiled as a jocular fish might smile.

“How about the murder itself, Mr. Lotherington. Plenty of clues there for the police, I suppose? As a rule in these cases, you can find clues in dozens—everywhere. One behind the other, like rabbits up a ladder.”

Anthony rallied and collected himself. “I believe that the authorities have made but little progress, which points rather to a shortage of clues than to an embarrassment.”

“Really? You surprise me. Should have thought my man Hatherley could have solved the problem for them by now.” His eyes twinkled. He laughed immoderately. “A man that can solve the mystery of a secret Trust Fund and clear up the St. Angela’s kidnapping case in less than a month shouldn’t be beaten by a common-or-garden murder. Oh, dear, no, sir! Come, Hatherley, what have you to say for yourself? What about the reputation of Easthampton?”

Hatherley smiled at his chief’s exuberance. He had mastered a habit which was expected of him.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.