Dutch Shoe Mystery by Ellery Queen Read Free Book Online

nonsense! Why, you yourself talked to me about 10:30 in the corridor just after I’d been operating for twenty minutes, and I don’t doubt saw me leave with Cobb the doorman to go toward the Waiting Room. How could I have been in this room? Lucille, you’re absolutely mistaken!”
    “Just a moment, Doctor,” interposed Ellery. “Miss Price, at what time did Dr. Janney enter? Can you recall?”
    The nurse’s fingers were nervously plucking at her starched gown. “Why—I don’t remember exactly—about 10:30—perhaps a few minutes later. Doctor, I’m—”
    “And how do you know it was Dr. Janney, Miss Price?”
    She laughed, nervously. “Why, naturally I thought—I just recognized him—I took it for granted it was Dr. Janney. …”
    “Ah! You took it for granted?” said Ellery. He took a swift step forward. “Why, didn’t you see his face? Surely, if you had seen his face you’d have known positively.”
    “Certainly!” interrupted Janney. “You’ve known me long enough, Lucille. I can’t understand—” Beneath his irritation he seemed bewildered. Minchen looked on in stupefaction.
    “Oh, you—he wore gown, cap and gag,” stammered the girl, “so I could only see the eyes—but—well, he limped, sir, and he was about the same height, and—you see, that’s what I mean by taking it for granted. You never quite know why.”
    Janney stared at her. “By God, some one’s been impersonating me!” he cried. “That’s it! I’m damn easy to impersonate … game leg … gag … Queen, some one—some one …”

Chapter Seven
IMPERSONATION
    E LLERY PLACED A RESTRAINING hand on the little surgeon’s quivering arm. “Take it easy, Doctor. Sit down, sit down. We’ll get to the bottom of this only too quickly. … Well. Come in!”
    There had been a short knock on the door. It opened now to admit a giant of a man in street clothes. He had tremendous shoulders, light eyes, a rock-ribbed face.
    “Velie!” exclaimed Ellery. “Dad here already?”
    The newcomer under thick brows examined Janney, Minchen, the nurse. … “No, Mr. Queen. On his way. Men from the local precinct and detectives from District Headquarters are here. Want to come in. I suppose you don’t want—” He glanced significantly at Ellery’s audience.
    “No, no, Velie,” said Ellery quickly. “Keep those fellows busy outside. Don’t let any of ’em in here until I give the word. Let me know the instant dad arrives.”
    “Okay.” The giant retreated silently, and as silently closed the door behind him.
    Ellery addressed the nurse again. “Now, Miss Price, you must be as exact as if your life depended upon accuracy. Tell me just what happened in here all the time from the moment Dr. Leslie and Miss Clayton left you alone with Mrs. Doorn until she was wheeled into the theater next door.”
    The nurse moistened her lips and cast a shy, nervous glance at the surgeon, who had subsided into his chair and was watching her with dull eyes.
    “I—well …” she laughed forcedly. “It’s so simple, really—Mr. Queen, is it? …Dr. Leslie and Miss Clayton left directly after we brought Mrs. Doorn down here from the third floor room. There was nothing for me to do. The doctor had taken another look at the patient and everything was apparently all right. … Of course you know that no anæsthesia was used?” Ellery nodded. “That meant that it wasn’t necessary for an anæsthetist to be present with me, nor for me to watch the patient’s pulse continually. She was in a coma and ready for the operation. …”
    “Yes, yes,” said Ellery impatiently, “we know that, Miss Price. Please get on to your visitor.”
    The nurse flushed. “Yes, sir. … The man I—I thought was Dr. Janney came into the Anteroom about ten or fifteen minutes after Dr. Leslie, and Miss Clayton left. He—”
    “Through which door did he enter?” demanded Ellery.
    “This one.” The nurse pointed to the door leading to the Anæsthesia