This to hand to inform you that your son is being held captive by us in place of great security. No harm shall happen to honored young gentleman if you obey orders of yours truly. We demand for him ransom of ten thousand English pounds sterling. If you speak of this to hotel proprietor or police or any such person your son will be killed. This is given you to reflect. Tomorrow directions in way of paying money will be given. If not obeyed the honored young gentleman's ears will be cut off and sent you. And following day if still not obeyed he will be killed. Again this is not idle threat. Let the Kyria reflect and - above all - be silent.
Demetrius the Black Browed It were idle to describe the poor lady's state of mind Preposterous and childishly worded as the demand was, it yet brought home to her a grim atmosphere of peril. Willard, her boy, her pet, her delicate, serious Willard.
She would go at once to the police; she would rouse the neighborhood. But perhaps, if she did... She shivered.
Then, rousing herself, she went out of her room in search of the hotel proprietor - the sole person in the hotel who could speak English.
"It is getting late," she said. "My son has not returned yet."
The pleasant little man beamed at her. "True. Monsieur dismissed the mules. He wished to return on foot. He should have been here by now, but doubtless he has lingered on the way." He smiled happily.
"Tell me," said Mrs Peters abruptly, "have you any bad characters in the neighborhood?"
Bad characters was a term not embraced by the little man's knowledge of English. Mrs Peters made her meaning plainer. She received in reply an assurance that all around Delphi were very good, very quiet people - all well disposed towards foreigners.
Words trembled on her lips, but she forced them back. That sinister threat tied her tongue. It might be the merest bluff. But suppose it wasn't? A friend of hers in America had had a child kidnaped, and on her informing the police, the child had been killed. Such things did happen.
She was nearly frantic. What was she to do? Ten thousand pounds what was that? - between forty or fifty thousand dollars! What was that to her in comparison with Willard's safety? But how could she obtain such a sum? There were endless difficulties just now as regarded money and the drawing of cash. A letter of credit for a few hundred pounds was all she had with her.
Would the bandits understand this? Would they be reasonable?
Would they wait?
When her maid came to her, she dismissed the girl fiercely. A bell sounded for dinner, and the poor lady was driven to the dining room. She ate mechanically. She saw no one. The room might have been empty as far as she was concerned.
With the arrival of fruit, a note was placed before her. She winced, but the handwriting was entirely different from that which she had feared to see - a neat, clerkly English hand. She opened it without much interest, but she found its contents intriguing:
At Delphi you can no longer consult the Oracle (so it ran), but you can consult Mr Parker Pyne.
Below that was a cutting of an advertisement pinned to the paper, and at the bottom of the sheet a passport photograph was attached. It was the photograph of her bald-headed friend of the morning.
Mrs Peters read the printed cutting twice.
'Are you happy? If not, consult Mr Parker Pyne.'
Happy? Happy? Had anyone ever been so unhappy? It was like an answer to prayer.
Hastily she scribbled on a loose sheet of paper she happened to have in her bag:
Please help me. Will you meet me outside the hotel in ten minutes?
She enclosed it in an envelope and directed the waiter to take it to the gentleman at the table by the window. Ten minutes later, enveloped in a fur coat, for the night was chilly, Mrs Peters went out of the hotel and strolled slowly along the road to the ruins. Mr Parker Pyne was waiting for her.
"It's just the mercy of heaven you're here," said Mrs Peters breathlessly. "But how did you guess the terrible trouble I'm in?
That's what I want to know."
"The human countenance, my dear madam," said Mr Parker Pyne gently. "I knew at once that something had happened, but what it is I am waiting for you to tell me."
Out it came in a flood. She handed him the letter which he read by the light of his pocket torch.
"H'm," he said. "A remarkable document. A most remarkable document. It has certain points -"
But Mrs Peters was in no mood to listen to a discussion of the finer points of the letter. What was she to do about Willard? Her own dear, delicate Willard.
Mr Parker Pyne was soothing. He painted an attractive picture of Greek bandit life. They would be especially careful of their captive, since he represented a potential gold mine. Gradually he calmed her down.
"But what am I to do?" wailed Mrs Peters.
"Wait till tomorrow," said Mr Parker Pyne. "That is, unless you prefer to go straight to the police."
Mrs Peters interrupted him with a shriek of terror. Her darling Willard would be murdered out of hand!
"You think I'll get Willard back safe and sound?"
"There is no doubt of that," said Mr Parker Pyne soothingly. "The only question is whether you can get him back without paying ten thousand pounds."
"All I want is my boy."
"Yes, yes," said Mr Parker Pyne soothingly. "Who brought the letter, by the way?"
"A man the landlord didn't know. A stranger."
"Ah! There are possibilities there. The man who brings the letter tomorrow might be followed. What are you telling the people at the hotel about your son's absence?"
"I haven't thought."
"I wonder, now." Mr Parker Pyne reflected. "I think you might quite naturally express alarm and concern at his absence. A search party could be sent out."
"You don't think these fiends -?" She choked.
"No, no. So long as there is no word of the kidnaping or the ransom, they cannot turn nasty. After all, you can't be expected to take your son's disappearance with no fuss at all."
"Can I leave it all to you?"
"That is my business," said Mr Parker Pyne.
They started back towards the hotel again but almost ran into a burly figure.
"Who was that?" asked Mr Parker Pyne sharply.
"I think it was Mr Thompson."
"Oh!" said Mr Parker Pyne thoughtfully. "Thompson, was it?
Thompson - h'm."
Mrs Peters felt as she went to bed that Mr Parker Pyne's idea about the letter was a good one. Whoever brought it must be in touch with the bandits. She felt consoled, and fell asleep much sooner than she could ever have believed possible.
When she was dressing on the following morning, she suddenly noticed something lying on the floor by the window. She picked it up - and her heart missed a beat. The same dirty, cheap envelope; the same hateful characters. She tore it open.
Good morning, lady. Have you made reflections? Your son is well and unharmed - so far. But we must have the money. It may not be easy for you to get this sum, but it has been told us that you have with you a necklace of diamonds. Very fine stones. We will be satisfied with that, instead. Listen, this is what you must do. You, or anyone you choose to send must take this necklace and bring it to the Stadium. From there go up to where there is a tree by a big rock. Eyes will watch and see that only one person comes. Then your son will be exchanged for necklace. The time must be tomorrow six o'clock in morning just after sunrise. If you put police on us afterwards we shoot your son as your car drives to station.
This is our last word, lady. If no necklace tomorrow morning your son's ears sent you. Next day he die.
With salutations, lady, Demetrius Mrs Peters hurried to find Mr Parker Pyne. He read the letter attentively.
"Is this true," he asked, "about a diamond necklace?"
"Absolutely. A hundred thousand dollars, my husband paid for it."
"Our well-informed thieves," murmured Mr Parker Pyne.
"What's that you say?"
"I was just considering certain aspects of the affair."
"But you are a woman of spirit, Mrs Peters. Do you enjoy being bullied and cheated out of ten thousand pounds? Do you enjoy giving up your diamonds meekly to a set of ruffians?"
"Well, of course, if you put it like that!" The woman of spirit in Mrs Peters wrestled with the mother. "How I'd like to get even with them - the cowardly brutes! The very minute I get my boy back, Mr Pyne, I shall set the whole police of the neighborhood on them. And if necessary I shall hire an armored car to take Willard and myself to the railway station!" Mrs Peters was flushed and vindictive.
"Ye-es," said Mr Parker Pyne. "You see, my dear madam, I'm afraid they will be prepared for that move on your part. They know that once Willard is restored to you nothing will keep you from setting the whole neighborhood on the alert. Which leads one to suppose that they have prepared for that move."
"Well, what do you want to do?"
Mr Parker Pyne smiled. "I want to try a little plan of my own." He looked round the dining room. It was empty and the doors at both ends were closed. "Mrs Peters, there is a man I know in Athens - a jeweler. He specializes in good artificial diamonds - first-class stuff." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I'll get him by telephone. He can get here this afternoon, bringing a good selection of stones with him."
"You mean?"
"He'll extract the real diamonds and replace them with paste replicas."
"Why, if that isn't the cutest thing I've ever heard of!" Mrs Peters gazed at him with admiration.
"Sh! Not so loud. Will you do something for me?"
"Surely."
"See that nobody comes within earshot of the telephone."
Mrs Peters nodded.
The telephone was in the manager's office, who vacated it obligingly, after having helped Mr Parker Pyne to obtain the number. When he emerged, he found Mrs Peters outside.
"I'm just waiting for Mr Parker Pyne," she said. "We're going for a walk."
"Oh, yes, Madam."
Mr Thompson was also in the hall. He came towards them and engaged the manager in conversation. Were there any villas to be let in Delphi? No? But surely there was one above the hotel.
"That belongs to a Greek gentleman, Monsieur. He does not let it."
"And there are no other villas?"
"There is one belonging to an American lady. That on the other side of the village. It is shut up now. And there is one belonging to an English gentleman, an artist - that one is on the cliff edge looking down to Itea."
Mrs Peters broke in. Nature had given her a lot of voice and she purposely made it louder. "Why," she said, "I'd just adore to have a villa here! So unspoiled and natural. I'm simply crazy about the place, aren't you, Mr Thompson? But of course you must be if you want a villa. Is it your first visit here? You don't say so."
She ran on determinedly till Mr Parker Pyne emerged from the office. He gave her just the faintest smile of approval.
Mr Thompson walked slowly down the steps and out into the road, where he joined the highbrow mother and daughter, who seemed to be feeling the wind cold on their exposed arms.
All went well. The jeweler arrived just before dinner with a car full of other tourists. Mrs Peters took her necklace to his room. He grunted approval. Then he spoke in French.
"Madame peut reste tranquille. Je reussirai." He extracted some tools from his little bag and began work.
At eleven o'clock, Mr Parker Pyne tapped on Mrs Peters' door.
"Here you are!"
He handed her a little chamois bag. She glanced inside.
"My diamonds!"
"Hush. Here is the necklace with the paste replacing the diamonds.
Pretty good, don't you think?"
"Simply wonderful."
"Aristopoulos is a clever fellow."
"You don't think they'll suspect?"
"How should they? They know you have the necklace with you. You hand it over. How can they suspect the trick?"
"Well, I think it's wonderful," Mrs Peters reiterated, handing the necklace back to him. "Will you take it to them? Or is that asking too much of you?"
"Certainly I will take it. Just give me the letter, so that I have the directions clear. Thank you. Now, good night and bon courage.
Your boy will be with you tomorrow for breakfast."
"Oh, if only that's true!"
"Now, don't worry. Leave everything in my hands."
Mrs Peters did not spend a good night. When she slept, she had terrible dreams. Dreams where armed bandits in armored cars fired off a fusillade at William, who was running down the mountain in his pajamas.
She was thankful to wake. At last came the first glitter of dawn. Mrs Peters got up and dressed. She sat up waiting.
At seven o'clock there came a tap on her door. Her throat was so dry she could hardly speak.
"Come in," she said.
The door opened and Mr Thompson entered. She stared at him.
Words failed her. She had a sinister presentiment of disaster. And yet his voice when he spoke was completely natural and matter-offact. It was a rich, bland voice.
"Good morning, Mrs Peters," he said.
"How dare you, sir! How dare you -"
"You must excuse my unconventional visit at so early an hour," said Mr Thompson. "But you see, I have a matter of business to transact."
Mrs Peters leaned forward with accusing eyes. "So it was you who kidnaped my boy! It wasn't bandits at all!"
"It certainly wasn't bandits. Most unconvincingly done, that part of it, I thought. Inartistic, to say the least of it."
Mrs Peters was a woman of a single idea. "Where is my boy?" she demanded, with the eyes of an angry tigress.
"As a matter of fact," said Mr Thompson, "he is just outside the door."
"Willard!"
The door was flung open. Willard, sallow and spectacled and distinctly unshaven, was clasped to his mother's heart. Mr Thompson stood looking benigningly on.
"All the same," said Mrs Peters, suddenly recovering herself and turning on him, "I'll have the law on you for this. Yes, I will."
"You've got it all wrong, Mother," said Willard. "This gentleman rescued me."
"Where were you?"
"In a house on the cliff point. Just a mile from here."
"And allow me, Mrs Peters," said Mr Thompson, "to restore your property."
He handed her a small packet loosely wrapped in tissue paper. The paper fell away and revealed the diamond necklace.
"You need not treasure that other little bag of stones, Mrs Peters," said Mr Thompson, smiling. "The real stones are still in the necklace. The chamois bag contains some excellent imitation stones. As your friend said, Aristopoulos is quite a genius."
"I just don't understand a word of all this," said Mrs Peters faintly.
"You must look at the case from my point of view," said Mr Thompson. "My attention was caught by the use of a certain name. I took the liberty of following you and your fat friend out of doors and I listened - I admit it frankly - to your exceedingly interesting conversation. I found it remarkably suggestive, so much so that I took the manager into my confidence. He took a note of the number to which your plausible friend telephoned, and he also arranged that a waiter should listen to your conversation in the dining room this morning.
"The whole scheme worked out very clearly. You were being made the victim of a couple of clever jewel thieves. They know all about your diamond necklace; they follow you here; they kidnap your son, and write the rather comic 'bandit' letter, and they arrange that you shall confide in the chief instigator of the plot.
"After that, all is simple. The good gentleman hands you a bag of imitation diamonds and - clears out with his pal. This morning, when your son did not appear, you would be frantic. The absence of your friend would lead you to believe that he had been kidnaped, too. I gather that they had arranged for someone to go to the villa tomorrow. That person would have discovered your son,
and by the time you and he had put your heads together you might have got an inkling of the plot. But by that time the villains would have got an excellent start."
"And now?"
"Oh, now they are safely under lock and key. I arranged for that."
"The villain," said Mrs Peters, wrathfully remembering her own trustful confidences. "The oily, plausible villain."
"Not at all a nice fellow," agreed Mr Thompson.
"It beats me how you got on to it," said Willard admiringly. "Pretty smart of you."
The other shook his head deprecatingly. "No, no," he said. "When you are traveling incognito and hear your own name being taken in vain -"
Mrs Peters stared at him. "Who are you?" she demanded abruptly.
"I am Mr Parker Pyne, " explained that gentleman.
The Listerdale Mystery *1934 *
THE LISTERDALE MYSTERY
II
"Quentin, where did the lilies come from? I really can't buy expensive flowers."
"They were sent up from King's Cheviot, madam. It has always been the custom here."
The butler withdrew. Mrs St Vincent heaved a sigh of relief. What would she do without Quentin? He made everything so easy. She thought to herself: "It's too good to last. I shall wake up soon, I know I shall, and find it's been all a dream. I'm so happy here - two months already, and it's passed like a flash."
Life indeed had been astonishingly pleasant. Quentin, the butler, had displayed himself the autocrat of 7 Cheviot Place. "If you will leave everything to me, madam," he had said respectfully. "You will find it the best way."
Each week, he brought her the housekeeping books, their totals astonishingly low. There were only two other servants, a cook and a housemaid. They were pleasant in manner, and efficient in their duties, but it was Quentin who ran the house. Game and poultry appeared on the table sometimes, causing Mrs St Vincent solicitude. Quentin reassured her. Sent up from Lord Listerdale's country seat, King's Cheviot, or from his Yorkshire moor. "It has always been the custom, madam."
Privately Mrs St Vincent doubted whether the absent Lord Listerdale would agree with those words. She was inclined to suspect Quentin of usurping his master's authority. It was clear that he had taken a fancy to them, and that in his eyes nothing was too good for them.
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