Crime at Tattenham Corner by Annie Haynes Read Free Book Online Page A

handbags that women carry about and are always leaving behind them,” Harbord explained. “And it has just got the usual rubbish they put in them, lip-stick, powder-puff, and what-not. But one thing that most of them haven’t got is this.” He held out a betting slip – on it was scrawled in pencil, “Put me a fiver on Peep o’ Day, fiver each way on Perlyon.” “She wouldn’t want to make bets after the race was run, would she? Particularly as Peep o’ Day was scratched.”
    The inspector did not look impressed. “No, but that might have been written out beforehand and forgotten.”
    â€œOf course it might,” Harbord agreed with a crest-fallen air. “But nobody has had the chance to lay the bag where it was found since the murder. And the boys from the Beacon School had been playing rounders among the trees on that very afternoon of June 2nd. A couple of masters were with them, and both masters and boys agreed there was no bag there then. They say they could not have helped seeing it if there had been, as that particular tree was one of their goals.”
    The inspector shrugged his shoulders. “Umph! Pretty strong evidence that some woman was there on the evening or night of June 2nd. But it does not take us any further.”
    â€œNo, perhaps not. But what do you make of this?”
    Harbord dived into the bag again and brought out another bit of paper.
    On it was scrawled in what looked like the same writing as that on the other: “Will probably leave Oxley a little after twelve. Should reach the Wood in ten minutes.”
    Stoddart knit his brows. “As I said before, it seems strong evidence that some person was lurking there on the night of the tragedy. But I suppose you don’t suggest that the owner of this thing” – giving the bag a contemptuous flick – “waited there under the trees and took a pot-shot at Sir John Burslem as he passed in his car, then pulled him out and flung him into a ditch. Besides, you are forgetting when Sir John left Oxley soon after twelve he had his wife with him. He drove her home, drew up and signed his will after that. It was not until he went out again for some inexplicable reason and drove to Hughlin’s Wood a second time that he met his death. But the owner of this bag must be traced. It is quite possible that she witnessed the murder, or at any rate knows something of the events that led up to it. The question is, How is this woman to be found? She must have heard of Sir John Burslem’s death – the papers are full of nothing else – and she hasn’t come forward. The inference is that she has some reason for her silence, and one can scarcely conceive that it is an innocent one.”
    â€œHardly,” Harbord assented. He waited silently while Stoddart stood up, took a pipe from the mantelpiece, filled it deliberately and then sat down while he lighted a match.
    â€œThere’s no doubt a pipe does clear one’s brain in a way that this rubbish you younger ones smoke doesn’t touch,” he said, throwing a cigarette-case over to Harbord. “Help yourself. They are Imperial Regent, quite a new brand, and not bad. So far as I can see, a journey to Oxley is the first thing indicated and a few inquiries as to any strangers who were seen in the neighbourhood that day, or who had made inquiries about Sir John Burslem or his projected visit. Somebody must have given the information away.”
    â€œPrecisely. But –”
    A tap at the door interrupted Harbord before he could finish his sentence. A man in undress uniform opened the door. “A young lady is asking to see the officials in charge of the Burslem case, sir.”
    â€œA young lady?” the inspector demanded sharply. “What young lady? What name did she give?”
    â€œI asked her, sir. But she said you did not know her.”
    â€œAsk her again.”
    The man saluted and