Chapter VIII


* EILEEN DOREEN GRANT Image

A WORKMAN *

* GLADYS GRANT Image

A WORKMAN *

* HUGH ROLANDSON

THE VICAR *

* A. MANNHEIM

H. J. GRAYLING X

* CPL. GEORGE RANSOM

C.J. F. EVETTS *


“I’ve got reports now on most of the people in the Grayling case,” said Inspector Holly. “They don’t take us much further. The strongest motive seems to be that German’s. If we actually knew who he was, I feel I’d be almost certain. If we knew what Grayling was going on when he denounced him, that would probably answer the question. But I can’t find out if Grayling had any reasons, and Inspector Atkins tells me the Home Office are rather worried too. He left no papers except bills and such things, his widow says.

“Grayling was right about Mannheim having, or anyhow using a bicycle; and there is a radio set in the house to which he used to listen. That’s forbidden, and Mannheim has been arrested. He’ll be fined. That’s all there is about that. The serious thing is, of course, Grayling’s charge that this person isn’t Mannheim at all, but a Nazi spy impersonating him. Nobody seems to be able to check on that at all. Mannheim, of course, denies it fiercely. Grayling was quite capable of imagining the story out of spite, at that.”

“Surely,” said the Superintendent, “they can find out a thing like that. Somebody must have vouched for the German when he came here.”

“Yes,” said Holly. “An R.A.F. boy who’s dead now, and a French official who lived in Metz and hasn’t come out of France. It seems, too, that there’s no German refugee here whom they trust who knew the real Mannheim in Germany at all well.”

“He’s a skilled chemist, though, whoever he is, isn’t he?”

“Exactly so, sir.”

“If Grayling had evidence which would prove him to be a Nazi spy, he’d have been shot, I suppose. Certainly the best motive up to date for murder. If a Nazi needs a motive for murder. Knowledge, motive, opportunity.”

“Yes, I know, sir,” replied Holly. “But as yet we’ve no direct evidence. Still, he’s under lock and key, and he at least won’t get away.

“I’ve been enquiring about the other passengers in the carriage, just to complete the list. There was, you remember, a middle-aged lady who had a small girl with her, who had a cold. They sat in the corner farthest away from Mr. Grayling. Well, we found them fairly easily. They live in Whetnow. The lady is a Mrs. Gladys Grant, wife of a small builder, Grant Brothers Ltd. The child is her daughter, Eileen Doreen. The daughter goes to a High School in London, very superior the mother told me, called The Lady Marguerite’s School; and that day the Principal had rung up to say that Eileen did not look well so Mrs. Grant had gone down to town to fetch her home, and true enough she developed flu; but you’ll be glad to know she’s better now. Mrs. Grant says she never heard of Mr. Grayling, and didn’t notice him at all, having other things to think of. And Eileen says she was much too ill to notice anything at all; she just nestled close to Mummy all the way.

“The Grants are a very respectable family, the local men say; and I don’t see any reason to question the story.”

“It’s a relief to find somebody of whom one needn’t be suspicious,” remarked the Superintendent.