INSPECTOR WAINWRIGHT GOT THROUGH MY QUESTIONING as efficiently as I had ever seen, then sent me back to the lounge to wait with the others who had finally returned from lunch. I tried bringing up Miss Crawford, but while they would gossip about her disappearance on their own, as a group they were silent. Miss Henderson kept making pots of tea. Mr. Garver kept changing the subject to everything from the weather to our opinions on bird watching to the prize fight that was happening in a week’s time. Mr. Morris paced a great deal. Miss Eaton looked irritated and kept glancing at the clock. I was beginning to think we’d never be allowed to leave and wondering how to contact Milly when Miss Kleinman came into the lounge.
“You’re free. I’ve convinced the inspector there’s no point to keeping you here if he’s not going to question you. Miss Pengear, may I see you for a moment?”
As everyone else made a dash for their coats, in case Inspector Wainwright changed his mind no doubt, I followed Miss Kleinman into the hallway. “I have managed to convince Daniel to take out the insurance policy on the Heart of Night.”
I tried very hard not to look like I already knew that bit of information.
I wasn’t sure if Miss Kleinman was distracted or I was doing a good job of acting, but she went on without seeming to notice anything amiss. “I sent a note to Mr. Tolland. He’ll be here in the morning. I hope that isn’t too inconvenient for you?”
Just a simple typing request, then. “Not at all. It’s probably best to get it over with before anything else goes wrong.”
“My thoughts exactly. I’ll see you in the morning, then. Good evening, Mr. Morris.”
Mr. Morris brushed past us on his way out. “Good evening, ladies.”
I went back to retrieve my coat and typewriter case. As I was making my way to the back door, I caught sight of Inspector Wainwright leading Mrs. Donovan into the office. She was going on about the work she still had to do, but with less confidence than she’d shown the other day. I hurried to make my meeting with Milly.
~ * ~ * ~
By the time I managed to get across town to the Fox’s Den, Milly was waiting for me by the front door of the pub. She studied my face for a moment, then said, “You were the one looking into Gilda, right?”
“That’s right.”
“And now you’re looking into something else. Is it dangerous?”
“Not at all. I just need to find out if one of the suspects was at the Fox’s Den when he says he was.”
“Do you want him there?”
I smiled. “He makes a good suspect, but it would kill his mother, so I think the truth is best here.”
“I can ask around. What’s his name?”
“Charlie Donovan. He says he was there Tuesday night but he was trying to hide from the barman.”
“Wait, was he one of those gits stealing drinks from the Mapwood and Collingsworth Esq. group? They were a bunch of solicitors and barristers, do you know how hard it was to convince them to pay, and then that it wasn’t on purpose?”
“So he was there. Would you recognize him or any of his friends?”
“Not likely. That’s part of the scam. If we recognize them, we’ll know they're not part of the group. But I’ll ask around. Maybe one of the others noticed them leaving.”
“Thanks.” I gave her a description of Charlie Donovan and my card.
~ * ~ * ~
I'd made it back to my flat and had barely gotten my shoes off and the kettle on when there was a knocking at my door. I recognized it and hurried to answer it. “Evening, Mrs. Albright. Would you like a cup of tea?”
“No, I’m fixing something in my flat. Mrs. Paulding down the street brought this by. She said it ended up on her window sill.” She held out a rather battered and slightly dodgy-looking mechanical bird.
“That’s from Kate Ferris, isn’t it? Thank you. Mrs. Paulding wasn’t too upset, was she?”
“No, it landed in her zinnias not the geraniums, so no great tragedy, not that she can grow either one. How goes the robbery?”
“How do you expect when Inspector Wainwright’s in charge?”
Mrs. Albright nodded. “Efficient but no fun. Have a good evening.”
I closed the door and brought the bird to the table to figure out how to get at the message. Kate was always experimenting, trying to find the key to an affordable mechanical bird that could be sent by anyone to anyone rather than the rather complicated system of designated main stations and the complex trajectories that needed to be figured for distribution. If she’d managed to get this one only half-a-block away from its intended target, she was doing rather well. The panel ended up being hidden in the bird’s beak, and I was able to extract a piece of paper saying “Re-schedule Thursday?”
Since I had no idea how to program the bird, I wrote a normal note saying that would be fine and left it near my handbag. I’d ask Miss Kleinman in the morning, then post it. I found a small box big enough to hold the bird, so I added a few lines telling her where the bird had landed and how far that was from my windows, then wrapped it in tissue and prepared the whole package for the postman. While I was at it, I penned an anonymous note to Inspector Wainwright telling him where Charlie Donovan had been the night of the first robbery and, after considering all sides, about the theory that he would have gone for an easier target if he had been interested in stealing. Inspector Wainwright would no doubt recognize my handwriting, but I wasn’t particularly concerned about it.
~ * ~ * ~
Saturday morning I dragged myself back to the Underground with my typewriter, promising myself I would stick to Oxford dons and the post for the foreseeable future. The trains were more than half empty at that hour, so both my case and I were able to get a seat.
The street outside of Kleinmans' was busier than I’d expected, but then most of the shops were open for part of the day on Saturday. I tried the front door of Kleinmans' and found it unlocked. Miss Kleinman was behind the counter with Miss Fairfield.
“Good morning, Miss Pengear. Mr. Tolland will be here at nine. I’m not sure where my brother is. He said he’d be here at eight. Oh well. You know the way by now. Miss Henderson and Mr. Morris are having tea in the lounge before they officially open the shop, and Miss Fairfield will be our third witness today.”
I went to the display room and set up my typewriter then went for tea. Mr. Tolland arrived promptly at nine o’clock, and Miss Kleinman brought him in.
Mr. Tolland looked around the room as he entered. “Mr. Kleinman?”
“He was supposed to arrive an hour ago. I’m not sure where he is, to be honest, but I don’t want to delay you. Miss Fairfield, would you get Mr. Morris? He is a jewelry designer; that should make him an acceptable witness. Miss Henderson can handle the customers on her own.”
Mr. Tolland nodded. “That should do. Although I would prefer... As he is one of the persons taking out the policy... But it will do.”
Miss Kleinman motioned for Miss Fairfield to get Mr. Morris as soon as Mr. Tolland agreed and went to the vault before he could change his mind. She returned with a black velvet jewelry box as Miss Fairfield and Mr. Morris were arranging themselves at the table. She opened the box and set on the table in front of Mr. Tolland.
Mr. Tolland lifted the Heart of Night out of the box and put the first of the lenses down on his loupe. He studied the stone then furrowed his brow and adjusted the lens. After a few moments, he put an orange lens I hadn’t seen him use before in place. That seemed to clear things up, and he went through the rest of the examination in the order I had become accustomed to seeing.
Mr. Tolland was just putting the loupe away when Mr. Kleinman darted into the room. “Sorry, sorry,” he panted. “The police were at my door this morning, trying to get me to identify some bits of junk they found. I couldn’t very well turn them away. Believe me, I tried.
“It’s all right, Daniel. We were able to begin without you. Thank you for your help, Mr. Morris.”
“Of course, of course.” Mr. Morris stood and went back to the selling floor.
Mr. Kleinman took the chair Mr. Morris had vacated, still out of breath. He kept looking from his sister to the insurance man and back, like he was waiting for one of them to reprimand him for being late.
“It should be enough for my brother to read the description, correct?”
“Certainly. The piece is right here; he merely needs to affirm that this is indeed the piece in question.”
“I...I...”
“Daniel, you really must guard your health more carefully if this is how out of breath you become running here from the Underground station. Now, here’s the paper. Read it and let Miss Pengear get to the typing.”
Mr. Kleinman took the page and read it, then handed it back to Mr. Tolland. “Yes, that is a good description of the piece in question.”
“Excellent. Miss Pengear.” Mr. Tolland held the paper out and to me, and everyone waited while I typed it up.
When I looked up to hand the page back, I noticed Mr. Kleinman’s breathing had calmed down, and he was almost himself. Apparently he felt he’d gotten the worst of his punishment for being late over with. The paper was signed; then Miss Kleinman handed it back to me.
“Would you make the copy now, Miss Pengear? Then Mr. Tolland can take the original with him when he leaves. I would feel better knowing the policy was in force on this piece as soon as possible.”
“Of course.” I put another form in my machine and started typing while Miss Kleinman brought the Heart of Night back into the vault. When the second form was signed, Mr. Kleinman escorted Mr. Tolland to the door, and Miss Henderson went back to the sales floor. Miss Kleinman folded the copy of the policy and tucked it into her pocket. “Well, that’s a relief, at least. That’s all for today, Miss Pengear. We can resume on Monday. I hope.”
~ * ~ * ~
Outside the shop, I headed towards the Underground station, but I was feeling restless. Miss Crawford was still missing. I was sure Inspector Wainwright was doing his best, but he was probably looking into Charlie Donovan, whom I doubted was the culprit.
It seemed like there should be something else I could do to help. I went through what I knew of the night of the kidnapping in my mind. Miss Crawford had spent a seemingly normal day at work, gone to a pub, felt ill, and been put in a cab home. I didn’t think I could find the cab. That was the sort of thing Scotland Yard was very good at. I’d already talked to both Miss Eaton and Miss Henderson. There didn’t seem to be any other leads. Unless there was something at the pub. It would be closed this early. Maybe something would strike me. And it was better than sitting around my flat, brooding. I went back to the bookshop and looked up the White Oak.
~ * ~ * ~
When I arrived, the pub was closed, which wasn’t a surprise, but at least I was able to get a look at the neighborhood. Respectable was the first word that sprang to mind. The sort of place office workers would go to if they didn’t want to fix something back at their flat.
There was a young man by the door sweeping the front step. It was worth a try. I wandered over.
“Closed, miss.”
“I noticed. I wanted to ask if there’s anyone here today who was here on Tuesday night.”
“This about that girl?”
“The one who went missing, yes, it is. I’m a friend of hers.”
“Went missing? Wish I could help more then, but like I told the others, didn’t see much.”
“What did you see?”
He sighed and stopped sweeping so he could lean on the broom. “Toff came in and started chatting her up. She told him where to go. He left.”
“Could he have put something in her drink?”
“Him? No. Standing on the wrong side of her.”
“Could someone else?”
“Would think the friend would have seen.”
“But you didn’t?”
“Wasn’t watching the drink. Was watching him, in case I needed to throw him out on his ear. If he hadn’t left when he did, I was ready to stand over him.” He straightened up, and I saw how menacing he could be if wanted to. Then he collapsed back against the broom. “But he left.”
“What did he look like?”
“Didn’t see his face well, but he was kind of thin and reedy. Not much to look at. Thin little nose, weak chin. Brown hair. He strutted. That’s how I’d know him again. Thought a lot of himself, I think.”
“Did you see her leave?”
He shook his head. “Da was tending bar so I was watching the food. Lots of folks come for our fish and chips. We were busy. I tried to look over to see he didn’t come back, but I didn’t see them leave.”
“Did you recognize the toff?”
He smiled a little. “Sounds funny when you say it. No, never seen him before. And he hasn’t been back. I’ve been watching for him. If he comes, Constable Redmond’ll know in five minutes. Less if he’s in the middle of his beat.”
“Thanks for telling me. I’ll let you get back to work.”
“Hope they find her, miss.”
“Thanks.”
As I walked back to the Underground station, I wondered what I’d learned. Not much. His story fit with Miss Henderson's version of things, but it didn’t bring me any closer to finding out where she’d gone.