The Angel of Terror

by Edgar Wallace

  Chapter VI

  The police search of the house and grounds at Dulwich Grange, Mr.Rennett's residence, occupied the whole of the morning, and neitherRennett's nor Jack's assistance was invited or offered.

  Before luncheon Inspector Colhead came to the study.

  "We've had a good look round your place, Mr. Rennett," he said, "and Ithink we know where the deceased hid himself."

  "Indeed!" said Mr. Rennett.

  "That hut of yours in the garden is used, I suppose, for a tool house.There are no tools there now, and one of my men discovered that you canpull up the whole of the floor, it works on a hinge and is balanced withcounter-weights."

  Mr. Rennett nodded.

  "I believe it was used as a wine cellar by a former tenant of thehouse," he said coolly. "We have no cellars at the Grange, you know. Ido not drink wine, and I've never had occasion to use it."

  "That's where he was hidden. We found a blanket, and pillows, downthere, and, as you say, it has obviously been a wine cellar, becausethere is a ventilating shaft leading up into the bushes. We should neverhave found the trap, but one of my men felt one of the corners of thefloor give under his feet."

  The two men said nothing.

  "Another thing," the detective went on slowly, "is that I'm inclined toagree that Meredith did not commit suicide. We found footmarks, quitefresh, leading round to the back of the hut."

  "A big foot or a little foot?" asked Jack quickly.

  "It is rather a big foot," said the detective, "and it has rubber heels.We traced it to a gate at the back of your premises, and the gate hasbeen opened recently--probably by Mr. Meredith when he came to thehouse. It's a queer case, Mr. Rennett."

  "What is the pistol?"

  "That's new too," said Colhead. "Belgian make and impossible to trace, Ishould imagine. You can't keep track of these Belgian weapons. You canbuy them in any shop in any town in Ostend or Brussels, and I don'tthink it is the practice for the sellers to keep any record of thenumbers."

  "In fact," said Jack quietly, "it is the same kind of pistol that killedBulford."

  Colhead raised his eyebrows.

  "So it was, but wasn't it established that that was Mr. Meredith's ownweapon?"

  Jack shook his head.

  "The only thing that was established was that he had seen the body andhe picked up the pistol which was lying near the dead man. The shot wasfired as he opened the door of Mr. Briggerland's house. Then he saw thefigure on the pavement and picked up the pistol. He was in that positionwhen Miss Briggerland, who testified against him, came out of the houseand saw him."

  The detective nodded.

  "I had nothing to do with the case," he said, "but I remember seeing theweapon, and it was identical with this. I'll talk to the chief and letyou know what he says about the whole affair. You'll have to giveevidence at the inquest of course."

  When he had gone the two men looked at one another.

  "Well, Rennett, do you think we're going to get into hot water, or arewe going to perjure our way to safety?"

  "There's no need for perjury, not serious perjury," said the othercarefully. "By the way, Jack, where was Briggerland the night Bulfordwas murdered?"

  "When Miss Jean Briggerland had recovered from her horror, she wentupstairs and aroused her father, who, despite the early hour, was inbed and asleep. When the police came, or rather, when the detective incharge of the case arrived, which must have been some time after thepoliceman on point duty put in an appearance, Mr. Briggerland wasdiscovered in a picturesque dressing gown and, I presume, no lesspicturesque pyjamas."

  "Horrified, too, I suppose," said Rennett dryly.

  Jack was silent for a long time. Then: "Rennett," he said, "do you knowI am more rattled about this girl than I am about any consequences toourselves."

  "Which girl are you talking about?"

  "About Mrs. Meredith. Whilst poor Meredith was alive she was in noparticular danger. But do you realise that what were advantages from ourpoint of view, namely, the fact that she had no relations in the world,are to-day a source of considerable peril to this unfortunate lady?"

  "I had forgotten that," said Rennett thoughtfully. "What makes matters alittle more complicated, is the will which Meredith made this morningbefore he was married."

  Jack whistled.

  "Did he make a will?" he said in surprise.

  His partner nodded.

  "You remember he was here with me for half an hour. Well, he insistedupon writing out a will and my wife and Bolton, the butler, witnessedit."

  "And he has left his money----?"

  "To his wife absolutely," replied the other. "The poor old chap was sofrantically keen on keeping the money out of the Briggerland exchequer,that he was prepared to entrust the whole of his money to a girl he hadnot seen."

  Jack was serious now.

  "And the Briggerlands are her heirs? Do you realise that,Rennett--there's going to be hell!"

  Mr. Rennett nodded.

  "I thought that too," he said quietly.

  Jack sank down in a seat, his face screwed up into a hideous frown, andthe elder man did not interrupt his thoughts. Suddenly Jack's facecleared and he smiled.

  "Jaggs!" he said softly.

  "Jaggs?" repeated his puzzled partner.

  "Jaggs," said Jack, nodding, "he's the fellow. We've got to meetstrategy with strategy, Rennett, and Jaggs is the boy to do it."

  Mr. Rennett looked at him helplessly.

  "Could Jaggs get us out of our trouble too?" he asked sarcastically.

  "He could even do that," replied Jack.

  "Then bring him along, for I have an idea he'll have the time of hislife."