The Mad Hatter Mystery dgf-2

by John Dickson Carr

  `Had you any definite reason to believe this?'

  `N-no. Yes. Well, make of it what you like.' Dalrye's gaze strayed across to the corner, where Dr Fell was still examining the top-hat with absorbed interest. Dalrye shifted uneasily. `You see, Phil had been in rather high spirits recently. That was why I was so surprised at this change of front. He had been making a play with his stories on this hat-thief thing… you know?'

  `We have good reason, to know,' the inspector said. His look had suddenly become one of 'veiled' interest. `Go on, please!’

  'It was the sort of story he could do admirably.' He'd been free-lancing, and he hoped the editor might give him a permanent column. So, as I say, I, was astonished when I heard him say what he did. And I remember, I said, "What's the row, anyway? I thought you were following the hat-thief, " And he said, "That's just it," in a sort of queer voice. "I've followed it too, far. I've stirred up something, and it's got me."

  The chief inspector leaned forward.

  `Yes?' he prompted. `You gathered that Driscoll, thought he was in danger from this hat-thief?'

  `Something like that. Naturally, I joked about it. I remember asking, "What's the matter; are you afraid he'll steal your hat?" And he said, "It's' not my hat I'm worried about. It's my head."

  There was a silence. Then Hadley spoke casually:

  `So you left the Tower. to go to his place. What then?'

  `Now comes the odd part of it. I drove up to the garage; it's in Dane Street, High Holborn. The mechanic was busy on a job at the moment. He said he could fix the horn in a few minutes, but I should have to wait until he finished with the car he was working on. So I decided to walk to the flat, and pick up the car later. There was no hurry.'

  Hadley reached for his notebook. `The address of the flat?' 'Tavistock Chambers, 34 Tavistock Square, WC. It's number two, on the ground floor…. Well, when I got there I rang at his door for a long time, and nobody answered.` So I went in.'

  `The door was open?'

  `No. But I have a key. You see, the gates of the Tower of London are closed at ten o'clock sharp every night, and the King himself would have a time getting in after that. So, when I went to a theatre or a dance or something of the sort, I had to have a place to stay the night, and I usually stopped on the couch in Phil's sitting-room…. Where was I? Oh yes. Well, I sat down to wait for him.'

  Dalrye drew a long breath. He put the palm of his hand suddenly down on the table.

  `About fifteen minutes or so after I had left the Tower, Phil Driscoll appeared at the general's quarters here and asked for me. Parker naturally said I had gone out in response to his phone message. Then, Parker says, Phil got as pale as death; he began to rave and call Parker mad. He had phoned that morning asking to see me at one o'clock… But he swore he had not changed the appointment. He swore he had never telephoned a second time at all.'

  5. The Shadow by the Rail

  Hadley stiffened. He laid down the pencil quietly, but there were tight muscles down the line of his jaw.

  `Just so,' he said quietly. `What then?'

  `I waited. It was getting foggier, and it had started to rain, and I got impatient. Then the phone in the flat rang, and I answered it.

  `It was Parker, telling me what I've just told you. He had called once before to get me, but I was at the garage and hadn't arrived. Phil was waiting for me at the Tower, in a hell of a stew. Parker said he wasn't drunk, and I thought somebody had gone mad. But there was nothing to do but return; I had to do that, anyway. I Hurried over to get the car, and when I was leaving the garage I met the General…. '

  `You also,' inquired Hadley, glancing up, `were in town, General?'

  Mason was gloomily regarding his shoes. He looked up with a somewhat satiric expression.

  `It would seem so. I had a luncheon engagement, and afterwards I went to the British Museum to pick up some books they had for me. As Dalrye says, it began to rain, so of course there weren't any taxis. Then I remembered the car would probably be at Stapleman's garage or, if it weren't, Stapleman would lend me a car to go back in. It's not far away from the Museum, so I started out. And I saw Dalrye in the car, and hailed him…. I've told you the rest of it. We got here at two-thirty, and found him.'

  `Was it a very important luncheon engagement, General Mason?' asked Dr Fell suddenly.

  The query was startling in its very naivete, and they all turned to look at him. His round and ruddy face was sunk into his collar, the great white plumed mop of hair straggling over one ear,

  The General stared. `I don't think I understand.!

  'Was it by any chance,' pursued the doctor, 'a society of some sort, a board of directors' meeting, a gathering of…'

  `As a matter of fact,' said Mason, `it was.' He seemed puzzled and his hard eyes grew brighter. `The Antiquarians' Society. We meet for lunch on the first Monday of every month. I don't like the crowd. Gaa-a! Sedentary fossils of the worst type.- I only stay in the organization because you get the benefit of their knowledge, on a doubtful question. Sir Leonard Haldyne — the Keeper of the jewels here drove me up in his car, at noon.'

  I suppose your membership in the society is well known?'

  `All my friends know of it, if that's what you mean. It seems' to amuse them at the Rag.'

  Hadley nodded slowly, contemplating Dr Fell. 'I begin to see what you're driving at. Tell me, General. You and Mr Dalrye were the only people at the Tower whom young Driscoll knew at all well?'

  'Ye-es, I suppose so. I think he'd met Sir Leonard, and he had a nodding acquaintance with a number of the warders, but, . ' `But you were the only ones he'd be apt to call on?'

  `Probably.'

  Dalrye's mouth opened a trifle, and he sat up. Then he sank back into his chair.

  `I see, sir. You mean the murderer had made certain both General Mason and I were out?'

  The doctor spoke in a testy voice, ringing the ferrule of his cane as he hammered it on the floor:

  `Of course he did. If you had been there, he'd certainly have been with you. If the General had been here in your absence, he might have been with the General. And, the murderer wouldn't have any chance to lure him to a suitable spot in the fog and put an end to him.'

  Dalrye looked troubled. `All the same,' he said, `I'm willin g to swear it was really Phil's voice on the phone that second time. My God! man — excuse me, sir!' He swallowed, and as Dr Fell only beamed blandly he went on with more assurance, `What I mean is, I knew that voice as well as I knew anybody's. And if what you say is true, it couldn't have been Phil's voice at all..: Besides, how did this person, whoever it was, know that Phil had arranged to meet me down here at one o'clock? And why all the rigmarole about being "afraid of his head"?’

  'Those facts,' said Dr Fell composedly, `may provide us with very admirable clues. Think them over. By the way, what sort of voice did Driscoll have?'

  Dalrye hesitated. `The only way to describe it is incoherent. He thought so fast that he ran miles ahead of what he was trying to say. And when he was excited his voice tended to grow high.'

  Dr Fell, his head on one side and his eyes half closed, was nodding slowly. He peered up, as a knock sounded at the door, and the chief warder entered.

  'The police surgeon is here, sir,' he said, `and several other men from Scotland Yard. Are there any instructions?'

  Hadley started to rise, and reconsidered.. 'No. Just tell them the usual routine, if you please; they'll understand. I want about a dozen pictures of the body, from all angles. Is there any place the body can conveniently be taken for examination?'

  `The Bloody Tower, Mr Radburn,' said General Mason. `Use the Princes Room that's very suitable. Have you got Parker here?'

  `Outside, sir; Have you any instructions about those visitors? They're getting impatient, and

  `In a moment,' said Hadley. `Would you mind sending Parker in?' As, the chief warder withdrew, he turned to Dalrye. `You have those visitors' names?'

  `Yes. And I rather overstepped my rights
,' said Dalrye. He drew from his wallet a number of sheets of paper. `I was very solemn about it. I instructed them to write down names, addresses, occupations, and references. Most of them were obvious tourists. I don't think there's any harm in them, and they didn't show any fight. Except Mrs Bitton, that is. And one other woman.'

  He handed the bundle of sheets to Hadley. The chief inspector glanced up sharply. `One other woman? Who was she?'

  `I didn't notice what she wrote, but I remembered her name from the way she acted. Hard-faced party. You see, I had it all very official, to scare 'em into writing the truth. And this woman was wary. She said, "You're not a notary, are you, young man?" and I was so surprised that I looked at her. Then she said, "You've got no right to do this, young man. We're not under oath. My name is Larkin, and I'm a respectable widow, and that's all you need to know."

  Hadley shuffled through the papers.

  `Larkin,' he repeated. `H'm. We must look into this. When the net goes out, we often get small fish we're not after at all…. Larkin, Larkin here it is. "Mrs Amanda Georgette Larkin." The "Mrs" in brackets; she wants that clearly understood. Stiff handwriting. Address — Hallo!'

  He put down the sheets and frowned. `Well, well! The address is "Tavistock Chambers, 34 Tavistock Square." So she lives in the same building as young Driscoll, eh? This is getting to be quite a convention.'

  Sir William had been rubbing his jaw uneasily. He said: `Look here, Hadley, don't you think you'd better bring Mrs Bitton away from the crowd? — She's my sister-in-law, you know, and after all…'

  `Most unfortunate,' said Hadley, composedly. `Where's that man Parker?'

  Parker had been standing hatless and coatless in the fog just outside the crack of the door, waiting to be summoned. At Hadley's remark he knocked; came inside, and stood at attention.

  He was a square, brownish man with a military cut. Like most corporals of his day, he ran largely to moustache; nor did he in the least resemble a valet. The high white collar pinioned his head, as though he were having a daguerreotype taken.

  `You are General Mason's orderly?' Hadley inquired. Parker looked pleased. 'Yussir.'

  `Mr Dalrye has already told us of the two phone calls

  from Mr Driscoll… You answered the phone both times, I believe?'

  `Yussir. On both occasions.'

  `So you had some conversation with Mr Driscoll?'

  `I did, sir. Our talks was not lengthy, but full of meat.' `Could you swear it was Mr Driscoll's voice both times?' Parker frowned. `Well, sir, when you say, "Could you swear it?" ‘- that's a long word,' he answered, judicially. `To the best of my knowledge and discernment from previous occasions, sir, it were.'

  `Very well. Now, Mr Dalrye left here in the car shortly before one o'clock. Do you remember at what time Mr Driscoll arrived?'

  'One-fifteen, sir.'

  'How are you so positive?'

  `Excuse me, sir,' Parker said, stolidly. 'I can inform you of everything that happens at the time which it happens, exact, sir, by the movements at the barracks. Or by the bugles. One-fifteen it was.'

  Hadley tapped his fingers slowly on the desk.

  `Now, take your time, Parker. I want you to remember everything that happened after Mr Driscoll arrived. Try to remember conversations, if you can… First, what was his manner? Nervous? Upset?'

  `Very nervous and upset, sir.' 'And how was he dressed?'

  `Cloth cap, light-brown golf suit, worsted stockings, club tie, sir. No overcoat. He asked for Mr Dalrye. I said Mr Dalrye had gone to his rooms in response to his own message. He then demonstrated incredulity. He used strong language, at which I was forced to say, "Mr Driscoll, sir,"

  I said, "I talked to you myself." I said, "When I answered the telephone you thought I was Mr Dalrye; and you said all in a rush, `Look here, you've got to help me out I can't come down now,' and — `That's what you said'."' Parker cleared his throat. `I explained that to him, sir.'

  `What did he say?'

  'He said, "How long has Mr Dalrye been gone?" I told him about fifteen' minutes. And he said, "Was he in the car?" and I said "Yes," and he said — excuse me, sir,’ "Oh, my God! that's not long enough to drive up there on a foggy day." But, anyway, he went to the telephone and rang up his own flat.' There was no, answer. He said to get him, a drink, which I did. And while I was getting it I noticed that he kept looking out of the window…. ‘

  Hadley- opened his half-closed eyes. `Window? What window?'

  `The window of the little room where Mr Dalrye works, sir, in the east wing of the King's House.'

  'What can you see from there?'

  Parker, who had become so interested in his story that he forgot to be flowery, blinked and tried to right his thoughts. 'See, sir?'

  `Yes! The' view. Can you see the Traitors' Gate, for instance?’

  "Oh. Yussir! I thought you was referring to… well, sir, to something I saw, which I didn't think was important, but now I get to thinking.. '

  You saw something?'

  `Yussir. That is, it was after Mr Driscoll had left me, sir.' '

  Hadley seemed to fight down a desire to probe hard. He had half-risen, but he sat back and said, evenly: `Very well. Now go on with the story, Parker, from the time you saw Mr Driscoll looking out of the window.'

  'Very good, sir. He finished his drink, and had another neat. I asked, him why he didn't go back to his flat, if he wanted to see Mr Dalrye. And he said, "Don't be a fool; I don't want to take the chance of missing him again. We'll keep ringing my place every five minutes until I know where he is."

  Parker recounted the conversation in a gruff, sing-song voice, and in such a monotone that Rampole could tell only with difficulty where he was quoting Driscoll and where he spoke himself.`But he could not sit still, sir. He roamed about. Finally 'he said: "My God — I can't stand this; I'm going for a walk in the grounds.. So he went out.’`How long was he with you?'

  'A matter of ten minutes, say, sir. No; it was less than that… Well, sir, I paid no more attention. I should not have seen anything, except ' Parker hesitated. He saw the veiled gleam in Hadley's eyes; he saw Sir William bent forward, and Dalrye pausing with a match almost to his cigarette. And he seemed to realize he was a person of importance. He gave the hush its full value.

  `except, sir,' he suddenly continued in a louder voice; `for the match-in-ashuns of fate. I may remark, sir; that earlier in the day there had been a light mist. But nothing of what might be termed important. It was possible to see some distance and objects was distinct: But it was a-growing very misty. That was how I come to look out of the window. And that was when I saw Mr Driscoll.'

  Hadley's fingers stopped tapping while he scrutinized the other.

  'How did you know it was Mr Driscoll? You said the mist was thickening….'

  'I didn't say I saw his face. Nobody could have recognized him that way: he was just an outline. But, sir, wait! There was his size. There was his plus-fours, which he always wore lower-down than other gentlemen. And when he went out he was a wearing his cap: with the top all pulled over to one side. Then I saw him walking back and forth in Water Lane.'

  `But you can't swear it was actually he?'

  `Yussir. I can. Becos, sir, he went to the rail in front of

  Traitors' Gate and leaned on it. And whereupon he struck a match to light a cigarette. Just for a second I saw part of his face. Yussir, I'm positive. I know. I saw 'im just before the other person touched 'im on the arm…. '

  `What?' demanded Hadley, with such suddenness that Parker took it for a slur on his veracity.

  `Sir, so help me God' The other person that was standing over by the side of Traitors' Gate. And that came out and touched Mr Driscoll on the arm.'

  `Did you see this other person, Parker?'

  `No sir. It was too dark there; shadowed, sir. I shouldn't even have seen Mr Driscoll if I hadn't been watching him and saw 'im strike the match.'

  `Could you tell whether this person was a man or a woman?'


  'Er — no, sir. I turned away then. I was not endowed with the opportunity to see no further occurrences.'

  `Quite. Do you know at what time this was?' `It were shortly past one-thirty.'

  Hadley, brooded, his head in his hands. After a time he looked across at General Mason.

  `And the doctor here said, General, that when you discovered the body at two-thirty. Driscoll had been dead at least half an hour — probably three-quarters? Yes. Well, that's that. He was murdered within ten minutes or fifteen minutes after this other person touched his arm at the rail.

  The police surgeon will be able to tell us exactly.'

  He paused, and looked at Mason's orderly.

  `Very well, Parker. That's all, and thank you. You've been most helpful.'

  Parker clicked his heels and went out glowing.

  The chief inspector drew a long breath. `Well, gentlemen, there you are. The murderer had considerably over half an hour's time to clear out. And, as the general says, what between rain and fog the sentries at the gates wouldn't have been able to see anything of a person who 'slipped' out. Now, we get down to work. Our first hope… '

  He picked up the sheets containing the names of the visitors.

  `Sincee we have something to go on,' he continued, 'we can use our guests. We know the approximate time of the murder. Hallo!' he called towards the door, and a warder opened it. `Will you go down to the Bloody Tower and send up the sergeant in charge of the police officers who have just arrived?'

  'I hope it's Hamper,' he added to his companions. `First, we'll put aside the slips made out by the three people we want to interview ourselves — Mrs Bitton, Mr Arbor, and, just as a precaution, the careful Mrs Larkin. Let's see, Larkin —'

  `Mrs Bitton didn't make out any, sir,' Dalrye told him.' `She laughed at the idea.'

  `Right, then. Here's the Arbor one. Let's see. I say, that's a beautiful handwriting; like the lettering on a calling card. Fastidious, this chap.' He examined the paper curiously. "Julius Arbor, 440 Park Avenue, New York City. No occupation