CHAPTER XVI
THE HEIR
"_Your_ pistol?" said Whiteside incredulously, "my dear good chap, youare mad! How could it be your pistol?"
"It is nevertheless my pistol," said Tarling quietly. "I recognised itthe moment I saw it on your desk, and thought there must be some mistake.These furrows prove that there is no mistake at all. It has been one ofmy most faithful friends, and I carried it with me in China for sixyears."
Whiteside gasped.
"And you mean to tell me," he demanded, "that Thornton Lyne was killedwith your pistol?"
Tarling nodded.
"It is an amazing but bewildering fact," he said. "That is undoubtedlymy pistol, and it is the same that was found in Miss Rider's room atCarrymore Mansions, and I have not the slightest doubt in my mind that itwas by a shot fired from this weapon that Thornton Lyne lost his life."
There was a long silence.
"Well, that beats me," said Whiteside, laying the weapon on the table."At every turn some new mystery arises. This is the second jar I've hadto-day."
"The second?" said Tarling. He put the question idly, for his mind wasabsorbed in this new and to him tremendous aspect of the crime. ThorntonLyne had been killed by his pistol! That to him was the most staggeringcircumstance which had been revealed since he had come into the case.
"Yes," Whiteside was saying, "it's the second setback."
With an effort Tarling brought his mind back from speculating upon thenew mystery.
"Do you remember this?" said Whiteside. He opened his safe and took out abig envelope, from which he extracted a telegram.
"Yes, this is the telegram supposed to have been sent by Odette Rider,asking Mr. Lyne to call at her flat. It was found amongst the dead man'seffects when the house was searched."
"To be exact," corrected Whiteside, "it was discovered by Lyne's valet--aman named Cole, who seems to be a very honest person, against whom nosuspicion could be attached. I had him here this morning early to makefurther inquiries into Lyne's movements on the night of the murder. He'sin the next room, by-the-way. I'll bring him in."
He pushed a bell and gave his instructions to the uniformed policemanwho came. Presently the door opened again and the officer ushered in arespectable-looking, middle-aged man, who had "domestic service" writtenall over him.
"Just tell Mr. Tarling what you told me," said Whiteside.
"About that telegram, sir?" asked Cole. "Yes, I'm afraid I made a bitof a mistake there, but I got flurried with this awful business and Isuppose I lost my head a bit."
"What happened?" asked Tarling.
"Well, sir, this telegram I brought up the next day to Mr.Whiteside--that is to say, the day after the murder----" Tarling nodded."And when I brought it up I made a false statement. It's a thing I'venever done before in my life, but I tell you I was scared by all thesepolice inquiries."
"What was the false statement?" asked Tarling quickly.
"Well, sir," said the servant, twisting his hat nervously, "I said thatit had been opened by Mr. Lyne. As a matter of fact, the telegram wasn'tdelivered until a quarter of an hour after Mr. Lyne left the place. Itwas I who opened it when I heard of the murder. Then, thinking that Ishould get into trouble for sticking my nose into police business, I toldMr. Whiteside that Mr. Lyne had opened it."
"He didn't receive the telegram?" asked Tarling.
"No, sir."
The two detectives looked at one another.
"Well, what do you make of that, Whiteside?"
"I'm blest if I know what to think of it," said Whiteside, scratching hishead. "We depended upon that telegram to implicate the girl. It breaks abig link in the chain against her."
"Supposing it was not already broken," said Tarling almost aggressively.
"And it certainly removes the only possible explanation for Lyne going tothe flat on the night of the murder. You're perfectly sure, Cole, thatthat telegram did not reach Mr. Lyne?"
"Perfectly, sir," said Cole emphatically. "I took it in myself. After Mr.Lyne drove off I went to the door of the house to get a little fresh air,and I was standing on the top step when it came up. If you notice, sir,it's marked 'received at 9.20'--that means the time it was received atthe District Post Office, and that's about two miles from our place. Itcouldn't possibly have got to the house before Mr. Lyne left, and I wasscared to death that you clever gentlemen would have seen that."
"I was so clever that I didn't see it," admitted Tarling with a smile."Thank you, Mr. Cole, that will do."
When the man had gone, he sat down on a chair opposite Whiteside andthrust his hands into his pockets with a gesture of helplessness.
"Well, I'm baffled," he said. "Let me recite the case, Whiteside, becauseit's getting so complicated that I'm almost forgetting its plainestfeatures. On the night of the fourteenth Thornton Lyne is murdered bysome person or persons unknown, presumably in the flat of Odette Rider,his former cashier, residing at Carrymore Mansions. Bloodstains are foundupon the floor, and there is other evidence, such as the discovery of thepistol and the spent bullet, which emphasises the accuracy of thatconclusion. Nobody sees Mr. Lyne come into the flat or go out. He isfound in Hyde Park the next morning without his coat or vest, a lady'ssilk night-dress, identified as Odette Rider's, wrapped tightly round hisbreast, and two of Odette Rider's handkerchiefs are found over the wound.Upon his body are a number of daffodils, and his car, containing hiscoat, vest and boots, is found by the side of the road a hundred yardsaway. Have I got it right?"
Whiteside nodded.
"Whatever else is at fault," he smiled, "your memory is unchallengeable."
"A search of the bedroom in which the crime was committed reveals abloodstained thumb-print on the white bureau, and a suit-case, identifiedas Odette Rider's, half-packed upon the bed. Later, a pistol, which ismine, is found in the lady's work-basket, hidden under repairingmaterial. The first suggestion is that Miss Rider is the murderess.That suggestion is refuted, first by the fact that she was at Ashfordwhen the murder was committed, unconscious as a result of a railwayaccident; and the second point in her favour is that the telegramdiscovered by Lyne's valet, purporting to be signed by the girl, invitingLyne to her flat at a certain hour, was not delivered to the murderedman."
He rose to his feet.
"Come along and see Cresswell," he said. "This case is going to drive memad!"
Assistant Commissioner Cresswell heard the story the two men had to tell,and if he was astounded he did not betray any signs of his surprise.
"This looks like being the murder case of the century," he said. "Ofcourse, you cannot proceed any further against Miss Rider, and you werewise not to make the arrest. However, she must be kept under observation,because apparently she knows, or think she knows, the person who didcommit the murder. She must be watched day and night, and sooner orlater, she will lead you to the man upon whom her suspicions rest.
"Whiteside had better see her," he said, turning to Tarling. "He mayget a new angle of her view. I don't think there's much use in bringingher down here. And, by-the-way, Tarling, all the accounts of Lyne'sStores have been placed in the hands of a clever firm of charteredaccountants--Dashwood and Solomon, of St. Mary Axe. If you suspect therehas been any peculation on the part of Lyne's employees, and if thatpeculation is behind the murder, we shall probably learn something whichwill give you a clue."
Tarling nodded.
"How long will the examination take?" he asked.
"They think a week. The books have been taken away this morning--whichreminds me that your friend, Mr. Milburgh--I think that is his name--isgiving every assistance to the police to procure a faithful record of thefirm's financial position."
He looked up at Tarling and scratched his nose.
"So it was committed with your pistol, Tarling?" he said with a littlesmile. "That sounds bad."
"It sounds mad," laughed Tarling. "I'm going straight back to discoverwhat happened to my pistol and how it got into that room. I know thatit was s
afe a fortnight ago because I took it to a gunsmith to be oiled."
"Where do you keep it as a rule?"
"In the cupboard with my colonial kit," said Tarling. "Nobody has accessto my room except Ling Chu, who is always there when I'm out."
"Ling Chu is your Chinese servant?"
"Not exactly a servant," smiled Tarling. "He is one of the best nativethief catchers I have ever met. He is a man of the greatest integrity andI would trust him with my life."
"Murdered with your pistol, eh?" asked the Commissioner.
There was a little pause and then:
"I suppose Lyne's estate will go to the Crown? He has no relations and noheir."
"You're wrong there," said Tarling quietly.
The Commissioner looked up in surprise.
"Has he an heir?" he asked.
"He has a cousin," said Tarling with a little smile, "a relationshipclose enough to qualify him for Lyne's millions, unfortunately."
"Why unfortunately?" asked Mr. Cresswell.
"Because I happen to be the heir," said Tarling.