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Leon 2 Waiting for the Police
I wonder where Mr Wainwright's gone?' said Mrs Mayton.It didn't matter to her in the least where he had gone.All that mattered was that he paid his three guineas a week regularly for board and lodging.But lifedon't mean...?' he gulped.`That is exactly what I mean,' replied Penbury.There had been,countle silences in Mrs Mayton's drawing-room, but never a silence like this one.Mi Wicks broke it.`Shouldn't the police be sent for?' she suggested.`They already have,' said Penbury.`I phoned the station just before coming into the room.'
`How longwhen do you expect...?' stammered Monty.`The police? I should say in two or three minutes,' responded Penbury.His voice suddenly shed its cynicism and became practical.`Shall we try and make use of these two or three minutes? We shall all be questioned, and perhaps we can clear up a little ground before they arrive.'
Mr Calthrop looked angry.`But this is nothing to do with any of us, sir!' he exclaimed.`The police will not necearily accept our word for it,' answered Penbury.`That is why I propose that we consider our alibis in advance.I am not a doctor, but I estimate from my brief examination
of the body that it has not been dead more than an hour.Since it is now ten past nine, and at twenty to eight we saw him leave the dining-room for his bedroom...'
`How do you know he went to his bedroom?' interrupted Mi Wicks.`Because, having a headache, I followed him upstairs to go to mine for some aspirin, and my room is immediately opposite his,' Penbury explained.`Now, if my aumption is correct, he was killed between ten minutes past eight and ten minutes past nine, so anyone who can prove that he or she has remained in this room during all that time should have no worry.'
He looked around inquiringly.`We've all been out of the room,' Mi Wicks announced for the company.`That is unfortunate,' murmured Penbury.`But so have you!' exclaimed Monty, with nervous aggreion.`Yes-so I have,' replied Penbury.`Then let me give my alibi first.At twenty minutes to eight I followed Wainwright up to the second floor.Before going into his room he made an odd remark whichnine o'clock.Then I came back.The door you heard closing, Mrs Mayton, was not Wainwright going out.It was me coming in.'
`Wait a moment!' ejaculated Bella.`Yes?'
`How did you know Mrs Mayton heard the front door close? You weren't here!'
Penbury regarded her with interest and respect.`Intelligent,' he murmured.`Now, then, don't take too long thinking of an answer!' glared Mr Calthrop.`I don't need any time at all to think of an answer,' retorted Penbury.`I know because I listened outside the door.But as I say, I came back.I went up to my room.' He paused.`On the floor I found a handkerchief.So I went into his room to ask if the handkerchief was his.I found him lying on the ground near his bed.On his back.Head towards the window.Stabbed through the heart.But no sign of what he'd been stabbed with...It looks to me a small wound, but deep.It
found the spot all right...The window was closed and fastened.Whoever did it entered through the door.I left the room and locked the door.I knew no one should go in again till the police and police doctor turned up.I came down.The telephone, as you know, is in the dining-room.Most inconvenient.It should be in the hall.Paing the door of this room,I listened, to hear what you all were talking about.Then I went into the dining-room and telephoned the police.And then I joined you.'
Flushed and emotional, Mrs Mayton challenged him.`Why did you sit here for three minutes without telling us?' she demanded.`I was watching you,' answered Penbury, coolly.`Well, I call that a rotten alibi!' exclaimed Mr Calthrop.`Who's to prove you were out all that time?'
`At half past eight I had a cup of coffee at the coffee-stall in Junkers Street,' replied Penbury.`That's over a mile away.It's not proof, I admit, but they know me there, you see, and it may help.Well, who's next?'
`I am', said Bella.`I left the room to blow my nose.I went to my room for a handkerchief.And here it is!' she concluded, producing it triumphantly.`How long were you out of the room?' preed Penbury.`Abour five minutes.'
`A long time to get a handkerchief.'
`Perhaps.But I not only blew my nose, I powdered it.'
`That sounds good enough,' admitted Penbury.`Would you oblige next, Mr Calthrop? We all know you walk in your sleep.A week ago you walked into my room, didn't you.Have you lost a handkerchief?'
Mr Calthrop glared.`What the devil are you implying?' he exclaimed.`Has Mr Calthrop dozed during the past hour?' preed Penbury.`Suppose I have?' he cried.`What damned rubbish!Did I leave this room without knowing it, and kill Wainwright for-for no reason at all ?' He swallowed, and calmed down.`I left the room,sir, about twenty minutes ago to fetch the evening paper from the dining-room to do the croword
puzzle!' He tapped it viciously.`Here it is!'
Penbury shrugged his shoulders.`I should be the last person to refute such an emphatic statement,' he said, `but let me suggest that you give the statement to the police with slightly le emphasis, Mr Smith?'
Monty Smith had followed the conversation anxiously, and he had his story ready.`This is why I left the room.I suddenly remembered that I'd forgotten to return Mr Wainwright's latchkey.Then I met Mrs Mayton, who asked me to help her with the curtain of the landing window.It had come off some of its hooks.I did so and then returned to the drawing-room with her.You'll remember, all of you, that we returned together.'
`That's right,' nodded Mrs Mayton.`And the reason I went out was to fix the curtain.'
Penbury looked at Monty hard.`What about that latchkey?' he demanded.`Eh? Oh, of course,' jerked Monty.`The curtain put it out of my mind.I came down with it still in my pocket.'
`And you didn't go up to his room?'
`No!I've just said so, haven't I?'
Penbury shrugged his shoulders again.He did not seem satisfied.But he turned now to Mi Wicks, and the old lady inquired, while her needles moved busily.`My turn?'
`If you'll be so good,' answered Penbury.`Just as a matter of form.'
`Yes, I quite understand,' she replied, smiling.`There's no need to apologize.Well, I left the drawing-room to fetch some knitting-needles.The steel ones I'm using now.My room, as of course you know, is also on the second floor and after I'd got the needles I was just about to come down when I heard Mr Wainwright's cough...`What time was that?' interrupted Penbury.`Just before nine, I think it was,' said Mi Wicks.`Oh, that irritating cough!How it gets on one's nerves, doesn't it? Or I should say, how it did get on one's nerves.Morning, noon and night.And he wouldn't do anything for it.Enough to send one mad.'
She paused.The tense atmosphere grew suddenly tenser.`Go on,' murmured Penbury.`Well,' continued Mi Wicks.` Your door was open, Mr Penbury, and I went in to ask if we couldn't do something about it.But you were out.And suddenly, when I heard Mr Wainwright coughing again acro the paage ,well, I felt I couldn't stand it any more, and I was knocking at his door almost before I knew it.It was my handkerchief you found in your room, Mr Penbury.I must have dropped it there.'
She paused again.Again Penbury murmured, `Go on.'
She turned on him with sudden ferocity.`Will you stop interrupting?' shouted the old woman.Penbury moistened his lips.For a few moments Mi Wicks knitted rapidly, the steel points of the needles making the only sound in the room.Then she continued, in a queer hard voice.“Come in,” called Mr Wainwright.“I'm coming in,” I called back.And I went in.And there he stood smiling at me.“You haven't come to complain of my cough again, have you?” he asked.“No,” I answered.“I've come to cure it.” And I plunged a steel knitting-needle into his heart-like this!'
She stretched out a bony hand, and, with amazing strength, stabbed a cushion.The next instant there came a knocking on the front door.`The police!' gasped Mr Calthrop.But no one moved.With tense ears they listened to the maid ascending from the basement, they heard the front door open, they heard footsteps entering...A moment later they heard Mr Wainwright's cough.`Yes, and I heard it when he went out ten minutes ago,' smiled Mi Wicks.`But thank you very much indeed, Mr Penbury.I was as bored as the rest of them.'
