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overheard. Without invitation he walked up the stairs ahead of the lawyer into
the big room. The piano was open; sheets of music lay on the floor. Evidently
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Meister had been spending a musical evening. The lawyer closed the door
behind him.
Is it Johnny? he asked.
Was it imagination on Alan s part, or was the lawyer s voice strained and
husky.
Why should it be Johnny? he demanded. It is, as a matter of fact. I
arrested him an hour ago for the Darnleigh pearl robbery. He has asked me to
get into communication with you.
Maurice did not reply: he was looking down at the floor, apparently deep in
thought.
How did you come to get the information on which he was arrested, or did
you know all the time that Johnny was in this? he asked at last.
Alan was looking at him keenly, and under his scrutiny the lawyer shuffled
uneasily.
I am not prepared to tell you that if you do not know! he said. But I have
promised Lenley that I will carry his message to you, and that ends my duty so
far as he is concerned.
The lawyer s eyes were roving from one object in the room to another. Not
once did he look at Wembury.
It is curious, he said, shaking his head sorrowfully, but I had a
premonition that Johnny had been mixed up in this Darnleigh affair. What a
fool! Thank God his father is dead
I don t think we need bother our heads with pious wishes, said Alan
bluntly. The damnable fact is that Lenley is under arrest for a jewel robbery.
You have the pearls?
Alan nodded.
They were in a cardboard box there was also a bracelet stolen, but that is
not i the box, he said slowly. Also I have seen a sign of an old label, and I
n
think I shall be able to trace the original owner of the box.
And then, to his astonishment, Meister said:
Perhaps I can help you. I have an idea the box was mine. Johnny asked me
for one a week ago. Of course, I had no notion of why he wanted it, but I gave it
to him. It may be another box altogether, but I should imagine the carton is
mine.
Momentarily Alan Wembury was staggered. He had had a faint hope that he
might be able to connect Meister with the robbery, the more so since he had
discovered more than he had told. The half-obliterated label had obviously been
addressed to Meister himself; yet the lawyer could not have been aware of this
fact. It was one of the slips that the cleverest criminals make. But so quick and
glib was he that he has virtually destroyed all hope of proving his complicity in
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the robbery unless Johnny told. And Johnny was not the man who would
betray a confederate.
What do you think he will get? asked Maurice.
The sentence? You seem pretty certain that he is guilty.
Maurice shrugged.
What else can I think obviously you would not have arrested him without
the strongest possible evidence. It is a tragedy! Poor lad!
And then all the dark places in this inexplicable betrayal were lit in one
blinding flash of understanding. Mary!
Wembury had scoffed at the idea that Meister wished to get her brother out of
the way. He could see no motive for such an act of treachery. But now all the
hideous possibilities presented themselves to him, and he glared down at the
lawyer. He knew Meister s reputation; knew the story of Gwenda Milton; knew
other even less savoury details of Meister s past life. Was Mary the innocent
cause of this wicked deed? Was it to gain domination over her that Johnny was
being sent into a living grave? This time Meister met his eyes and did not
flinch.
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CHAPTER 15
I don t think you need trouble about Miss Lenley. Alan s voice was deadly
cold. Fortunately she lives in my division, and she trusts me well enough to
come to me if she s in any trouble.
He saw the slow smile dawn upon the lawyer s face.
Do you think that is likely, Inspector Wembury? Meister asked. His voice
had a quality of softness which was almost feline. As I understand, you had the
unhappy task of arresting her brother: is she likely to bring her troubles to
you?
Alan s heart sank. The thought of Mary s attitude towards him had tortured
him since the arrest. How could she continue to be friendly with the man who
was immediately responsible for the ruin and disgrace of her brother?
The Lenleys are an old family, Meister went on. They have their modicum
of pride. I doubt if poor Mary will ever forgive you for arresting her brother. It
will be terribly unjust, of course, but women are illogical. I will do what I can
for Miss Lenley, just as I shall do what I can for Johnny. And I think my
opportunities are more obvious than yours. Can I see Johnny to-night?
Alan nodded.
Yes, he asked me if you would see him at once, though I m afraid you can
do very little for him. No bail will be granted, of course. This is a felony
charge.
Maurice Meister hurried to the door that led to his room, slipping off his
dressing-gown as he went.
I will not keep you waiting very long, he said.
Left alone in the big room, Alan paced up and down the worn carpet, his
hands behind him, his chin on his breast. There was something subtly repulsive
in this atmosphere. The great piano, the faded panelling, the shabby richness of
the furnishing and decoration. The room seemed to be over-supplied with
doors: he counted four, in addition to the curtain which hid the alcove. Where
did all these lead to? And what stories could they tell, he wondered.
Particularly interested was he in one door which was heavily bolted and
barred, and he was staring at this when, to his amazement, above the frame
glowed suddenly a long red light. A signal of some kind from whom? Even as
he looked, the light died away and Meister came in, struggling into his
overcoat.
What does that light mean, Mr. Meister?
The lawyer spun round.
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Light? Which light? he asked quickly, and following the direction of the
detective s finger, he gasped. A light? incredulously. You mean that red
lamp? How did you come to notice it?
It lit up a few minutes ago and went out again.
It was not imagination on his part: the lawyer s face had gone a sickly yellow.
Are you sure? And then, quickly: It is a substitute for a bell I mean, if
you press the bell on the outer door the lamp lights up; bells annoy me.
He was lying, and he was frightened too. The red lamp had another
significance. What was it?
In those few seconds Meister had become ill at ease, nervous; the hand that
strayed constantly to his mouth trembled. Glancing at him out of the corner of
his eye, when he thought he was free from observation, Alan saw him take a
small golden box from his pocket, pinch something from its contents and sniff
at his thumb and finger. Cocaine, guessed Wembury, and knew that his
theory was right when almost immediately the lawyer became his old buoyant
self.
You must have imagined it probably a reflection from the lamp on the
table, he said.
But why shouldn t there be somebody at the front door? asked Alan coolly,
and Meister made an effort to correct his error.
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