The Girl at Central

by Geraldine Bonner

  V

  There were so many puzzling "leads" and so much that was inexplicableand mysterious in the Hesketh case that it'll be easier to follow if, inthis chapter, I put down what the other people, who were either suspectsor important witnesses, did on that Sunday.

  Some of it may not be interesting, but it's necessary to know if you'regoing to get a clear understanding of a case that baffled the police andpretty nearly.... There I go again. But it's awfully hard when you'renot used to it to keep things in their right order.

  I've told how Jim Donahue said he put Sylvia on the train for theJunction that night at seven-thirty. Both Jim and the ticket agent saidthey'd seen her and Jim had spoken to her. She carried a hand bag, worea long dark fur coat and a small close-fitting hat that showed her hair.Both men also noticed in her hand the gold mesh purse with a diamondmonogram that she always carried. Over her face was tied a black figuredveil that hid her features, but there was no mistaking the hair, thevoice, or the gold mesh purse.

  Sands, the Pullman conductor, said this same woman rode down in histrain to the Junction, where she got off. Clark, the station agent atthe Junction, saw her step from the car to the platform. After that helost track of her as he was busy with the branch line train which leftat eight-forty-five and was the last one up that night. No woman went onit, there were only two passengers, both men.

  The Doctor didn't make his whole story public till the inquest. Theysaid afterward the police knew it, but it was his policy to say littleand keep quiet in Mapleshade. What we in the village did know--partlyfrom the papers, partly from people--was that after the message fromMrs. Fowler saying Sylvia had eloped, he told Mrs. Dalzell he would haveto leave, having been called away to an important case. When theDalzells' chauffeur brought his car round he asked the man severalquestions about the shortest way to get to the turnpike. The chauffeurtold him that the best traveling would be by the Riven Rock Road, whichhe would have to go to the Junction to get. The Doctor left theDalzells' at a little after eight, alone in his car.

  He reached the Junction about eight-thirty-five, a few minutes after thetrain from Longwood had arrived. On the platform he spoke to Clark,asking him how to get to the Riven Rock Road. Clark gave him thedirections, then saw him disappear round the station building. NeitherClark nor anyone at the Junction--there were very few there at thathour--saw him leave in his car, though they heard the honk of the autohorn.

  But it was Jack Reddy's movements that everybody was most interested in.There was no secret about them.

  Sunday at lunch he told Gilsey that he was going away for a trip for afew days. If he stayed longer than he expected he'd wire back for histhings, but, as it was, he'd only want his small auto trunk, which he'dtake with him. When Mrs. Gilsey was packing this he joked her abouthaving a good time while he was gone, and she told him that, as there'dbe no dinner that night, she and Gilsey'd go over to a neighbor's, takesupper there and spend the evening. After that he asked Casey, thechauffeur, to have the racing car brought round at five, to see that thetank was full, a footwarmer in it and the heaviest rugs and a drum ofgasoline, as he was going on a long trip.

  At five he left Firehill in the racer. At a quarter to seven two boyssaw him pass the Longwood Station in the direction of Maple Lane. Hesaid he came back through the outskirts of the village at seven-thirty,but no one could be found who had seen him.

  After he left Firehill the Gilseys cleared up and walked across thefields to the Jaycocks' farm, where they spent the evening, coming homeat ten and finding the house dark and quiet. Casey went to anotherneighbor's, where he stayed till midnight, playing cards.

  He slept over the garage, and about four in the morning--he looked athis watch afterward--was awakened by a sound down below in the garage.He listened and made sure that someone was trying to roll the doors backvery slow and with as little noise as possible. Casey's a bold, nervyboy, and he reached for his revolver and crept barefooted to the head ofthe stairs. On the top step he stooped down and looked through thebanisters, and saw against the big square of the open doors a manstanding, with a car behind him shining in the moonlight.

  He thought it was a burglar, so, with his revolver up and ready, hecalled:

  "Hello, there. What are you doing?"

  The man gave a great start, and then he heard Mr. Reddy's voice:

  "Oh, Casey, did I wake you? I've come back unexpectedly. Help me getthis car in."

  They ran the car in, and, when Casey went to tell how he thought it wasa burglar and was going to shoot, he noticed that Mr. Reddy hardlylistened to him, but was gruff and short. All he said was that he'dchanged his mind about the trip, and then unstrapped his trunk from theback and turned to go. In the doorway he stopped as if he'd had a suddenthought, and said over his shoulder:

  "You don't want to mention this in Longwood. I'm getting a little sickof the gossip there over my affairs."

  Casey went back to bed and in the morning, when he looked at the car,found it was caked with mud, even the wind-guard spattered. At seven hecrossed over to the house for his breakfast and told the Gilseys thatMr. Reddy was back. They were surprised, but decided, as he'd been outso late, they'd not disturb him till he rang for his breakfast.

  Monday morning was clear and sharp, the first real frost of the season.All the time I was dressing I was thinking about the elopement and howqueer it was Mrs. Fowler saying they'd gone by turnpike and Jim Donahuesaying he'd seen Sylvia leave on the train. I worked it out that they'dmade some change of plans at the last moment. But the _way_ they'deloped didn't matter to me. Small things like that didn't cut any icewhen I was all tormented wondering if it was for the best that my heroshould marry a wild girl who no one could control.

  I hadn't been long at the switchboard, and was sitting sideways in mychair looking out of the window when I saw Dr. Fowler's auto drive upwith the Doctor and a strange man in it. I twirled round quick and wasthe business-like operator. I'll bet no one would have thought that thegirl sitting so calm and indifferent in that swivel chair was justboiling with excitement and curiosity.

  The Doctor looked bad, yellow as wax, with his eyes sunk and inflamed.He didn't take any notice of me beside a fierce sort of look and agruff,

  "Give me Corona 1-4-2."

  That was Firehill. I jacked in and the Doctor went into the booth andshut the door. The strange man stood with his hands behind him, lookingout of the window. I didn't know then that he was a detective, and Idon't think anyone ever would have guessed it. If you'd asked me I'dhave said he looked more like a clerk at the ribbon counter. But that'swhat he was, Walter Mills by name, engaged that morning, as we afterwardknew, by the Doctor.

  Watching him with one eye I leaned forward very cautiously, lifted upthe cam and listened in on the conversation:

  "Is this Gilsey?"

  Then Gilsey's nice old voice, "Yes, sir. Who is it?"

  The Doctor's was quick and hard:

  "Never mind that--it doesn't matter. Do you happen to know where Mr.Reddy is?"

  My heart gave a big jump--he hadn't caught them! They'd got away andbeen married!

  "Yes, sir, Mr. Reddy's here."

  There was just a minute's pause before the Doctor answered. In thatminute all sorts of ideas went flashing through my head the way they sayyou see things before you drown. Then came the Doctor's voice with acurious sort of quietness in it.

  "_There_, at Firehill?"

  "Yes, sir. Can I take any message? Mr. Reddy was out very late lastnight and isn't up yet."

  The Doctor answered that very cordially, all the hurry and hardnessgone.

  "Oh, that's all right. I'll not disturb him. No, I won't bother with amessage. I'll call up later. Thanks very much. Good-bye."

  I dropped back in my chair, tapping with a pencil on the corner of thedrawer and looking sideways at the Doctor as he came out of the booth.He had a queer look, his eyes keen and bright, and there was some colorin his face. The strange man turned round, and the Doctor gave him aglance sharp as
a razor, but all he said was: "Come on, Mills," and theywent out and mounted into the car.

  When the door banged on them I drew a deep breath and flattened outagainst the chair back. They _hadn't_ eloped!

  Gee, it was a relief! Not because of myself. Honest to God, that'sstraight. I knew I couldn't have him any more than I could have had theKohinoor diamond. It was because I _knew_--deep down where you feel thetruth--that Sylvia Hesketh wasn't the girl for him to marry.

  That was about half-past eight. It was after ten when a message came forMapleshade that made the world turn upside down and left me white andsick. It was from the Coroner and said that Sylvia Hesketh had beenfound that morning on the turnpike, murdered.

  Poor Mrs. Fowler took it!

  Anne Hennessey told me afterward that she heard her scream on the otherside of the house. I heard it, too, and it raised _my_ hair--and then alot of words coming thin and shrill along the wire. "Sylvia, mydaughter--dead--murdered?" It was awful, I hate to think of it.

  Nora and Anne ran at the sound and found Mrs. Fowler all wild andscreaming, with the receiver hanging down. I could hear them, a babbleof tiny little voices as if I had a line on some part of Purgatory wherethe spirits were crying and wailing.

  Suddenly it stopped--somebody had hung up. I waited, shaking there likea leaf and feeling like I'd a blow in the stomach. Then Mapleshadecalled and I heard Anne's voice, distinct but broken as if she'd beenrunning.

  "Molly, is that you? Do you by any chance know if the Doctor's in thevillage?"

  "He was here a little while ago with a man calling up Firehill. Anne, Iheard--it can't be true."

  "Oh, it is--it is--I can't talk now. I've _got_ to find him. Give meFirehill. He may have gone there. Quick, for God's sake!"

  I gave it and heard her tell a man at the other end of the line.

  I'll go on from here and tell what happened at Firehill. I've pieced itout from the testimony at the inquest and from what the Gilseysafterward told in the village.

  The Doctor and Mills went straight out there from the Exchange. Whenthey arrived Gilsey told him Mr. Reddy wasn't up yet, but he'd call him.The Doctor, however, said the matter was urgent and they couldn't lose aminute, so the three of them went upstairs together and Gilsey knockedat the door. After he'd knocked twice a sleepy voice called out, "Comein," and Gilsey opened the door.

  It led into a sitting-room with a bedroom opening off it. On a sofa justopposite the door was Jack Reddy, dressed and stretched out as if he'dbeen asleep.

  At first he saw no one but Gilsey and sat up with a start, sayingsharply:

  "What's the matter? Does anyone want me?"

  Gilsey said, "Yes, two gentlemen to see you," and stepped to one side tolet the Doctor and Mills enter.

  When Reddy saw the Doctor he jumped to his feet and stood looking athim. He didn't say "Good morning" or any sort of greeting, but wassilent, as if he was holding himself still, waiting to hear what theDoctor was going to say.

  He hadn't to wait long. The Doctor, in the doorway, went right to thepoint.

  "Mr. Reddy," said he, "where's my daughter?"

  Reddy answered in a quiet, composed voice:

  "I don't know, Dr. Fowler."

  "You do!" shouted the Doctor. "You ran away with her last night. Whathave you done with her?"

  Reddy said in the same dignified way:

  "I haven't done anything. I know nothing about her. I haven't any moreidea than you where she is."

  At that the Doctor got beside himself. He shouted out furiously:

  "You have, you d----d liar, and I'll get it out of you," and he made alunge at Reddy to seize him. But Mills jumped in and grabbed his arm.Holding it he said, trying to quiet down the Doctor:

  "Just wait a minute, Dr. Fowler. Maybe when Mr. Reddy sees that weunderstand the situation, he'll be willing to explain." Then he turnedto Reddy: "There's no good prevaricating. Your letter to Miss Heskethhas been found. Now we're all agreed that we don't want any talk orscandal about this. If you want to get out of the affair without troubleto yourself and others you'd better tell the truth. Where is she?"

  "Who the devil are you?" Reddy cried out suddenly, as mad as the Doctor,and before Mills could answer, the branch telephone on the desk rang.

  Reddy gave a loud exclamation and made a jump for it. But Mills gotbefore him and caught him. He struggled to get away till the Doctorseized him on the other side. They fought for a moment, and then got himback against the door, all the time the telephone ringing like mad. Asthey wrestled with him Mills called over his shoulder to Gilsey:

  "Answer that telephone, quick."

  Gilsey, scared most out of his wits, ran to the phone and took down thereceiver. Anne Hennessey was at the other end with her awful message.

  When he got it Gilsey gave a cry like he was stabbed, and turned to Mr.Reddy, pinioned against the door.

  "Good Lord, have mercy, Mr. Jack," he gasped out. "Miss Hesketh's dead.She's murdered--on the turnpike--murdered last night!"

  The Doctor dropped Reddy, tore the instrument out of Gilsey's hand andtook the rest of the message.

  Reddy turned the color of ashes. There wasn't any need to hold him. Hefell back against the door with his jaw dropped and his eyes staringlike a man in a trance. Gilsey thought he was going to die and was forrunning to him, crying out, "Oh, Mr. Jack, don't look that way." ButMills caught the old servant by the arm and held him back, watchingReddy as sharp as a ferret.

  The Doctor turned from the phone and said: "It's true. Miss Hesketh'sbeen murdered."

  There was a dead silence. The click of the receiver falling into itshook was the only sound. The three other men--the Doctor as white asdeath, too--stood staring at Reddy. And then, seeing those three faces,he burst out like he was crazy:

  "No--she's not--she can't be! I was there; I went the moment I got hermessage. I was on the turnpike where she said she'd be. I was up anddown there most of the night. And--and----" he stopped suddenly and puthis hands over his face, groaning, "Oh, my God, Sylvia--why didn't youtell me?"

  He lurched forward and dropped into a chair, his hands over his face,moaning like an animal in pain.