The Padded Door: An Anthony Bathurst Mystery by Brian Flynn

Author:Brian Flynn [Flynn, Brian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B08F6GZLW5
Publisher: Dean Street Press
Published: 2020-10-05T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XV

POSITIVE EVIDENCE

“Mr. Justice Heriot—eh?” echoed MacMorran. “Absolutely sure of it, Price?”

The young man nodded with decisive confidence,

“Absolutely, Inspector.”

“How?” MacMorran assumed an expression of intense sagacity.

“He gave his name to me, and not only that, I knew him from his personal appearance. I’ve seen his photograph too often in the papers and illustrateds, not to know him when I saw him.”

“You must have great intelligence, then, Mr. Price,” observed Anthony Bathurst, cynically, “or else be congratulated on your choice of literature. The last photograph that I happened to see of myself in the daily Press was actually a picture of a prominent leader of the Salvation Army. The Editor apologized to me and explained the faux pas by saying that a junior clerk had made a mistake in indexing. I accepted the apology, but the Salvationist, I believe, was absolutely furious. He is still considering bringing a libel suit, I understand—defamation of character, or something of the sort.”

Price shut his eyes to the cynicism, and shook his head. “You couldn’t mistake Heriot,” he declared stubbornly, “his face was so extraordinarily distinctive.”

“He wasn’t a regular customer at your place, I suppose?”

“No, sir. Not to my knowledge, that is. I could find that out for you, of course.”

“Was this trunk sent to his house?”

“No, sir. He took it away with him. In his car.”

“Did you have any conversation with him beyond the ordinary? Try to remember anything—the most trivial point possibly—we can’t tell at this juncture how important it may ultimately prove to be.”

Price furrowed his brows as he attempted to revive the incidents of the past. Neither of his companions, with the knowledge of experience, disturbed him by interruption.

“I think,” he stated at length, “that beyond questions of price and quality of the article, all he said to me, was that he wanted a new trunk for the next time he went on circuit. I think he mentioned the Oxford circuit, which he said was to take place very soon.

“Yes, that’s true,” continued Price, with more certainty, as the details of his reminiscences returned to him, “I do remember that, now. He said that he had been in possession of an old one for several years, and that at last it had worn out beyond the possibility of repair.”

MacMorran assimilated the statement, and looked across at Anthony Bathurst. “Do you want to ask this young man any more questions?”

“I don’t think so, Inspector. He’s given me something to think over, though. We can always find you at Twinemaker Street, Mr. Price, I suppose?”

“Weekdays, nine till six. Saturdays, nine till one,” rejoined Price promptly.

“Then I don’t think we need detain you any longer. Many thanks for your information.”

Anthony Bathurst closed the door behind the retreating figure of Price, and turned to MacMorran with raised eyebrows. “How now, Inspector?” MacMorran rubbed his lips. “I’m sorry if I appear to be saying, ‘I told you so,’ MacMorran,” remarked Mr. Bathurst softly, “but I was sorely afraid that that new trunk of yours ‘protested too much’.

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