The Roman Hat Mystery (13 page)

The door opened to admit Johnson, Panzer and Harry Neilson. Panzer stepped forward hesitantly and Neilson dropped into an armchair.

“
What can we do for you, Inspector?
”
quavered Panzer, making a valiant attempt to disregard the presence of the grizzled aristocrat slumped in his chair.

“
Mr. Panzer,
”
said Queen slowly,
“
how many kinds of stationery are used in the Roman Theatre?
”

The manager
’
s eyes opened wide.
“
Just one, Inspector. There
’
s a sheet of it on the desk in front of you.
”

“
Ummmm.
”
Queen handed Panzer the slip of paper which he had received from Morgan.
“
I want you to examine that sheet very carefully, Mr. Panzer. To your knowledge, are there any samples of it in the Roman?
”

The manager looked it over with an unfamiliar stare.
“
No, I don
’
t think so. In fact, I
’
m sure of it. What
’
s this?
”
he exclaimed as his eye caught the first few typewritten lines.
“
Neilson!
”
he cried, whirling on the publicity man.
“
What
’
s this
―
your latest publicity stunt?
”
He waved the sheet in Neilson
’
s face.

Neilson snatched it from his employer
’
s hand and read it quickly.
“
Well, I
’
ll be switched!
”
he said softly.
“
If that doesn
’
t beat the nonstop exploitation record!
”
He reread it, an admiring look on his face. Then, with four pairs of eyes trained accusingly on him, he handed it back to Panzer.
“
I
’
m sorry I have to deny any share in this brilliant idea,
”
he drawled.
“
Why the deuce didn
’
t I think of it?
”
And he retreated to his corner, arms folded on his chest.

The manager turned to Queen in bewilderment.
“
This is very peculiar, Inspector. To my knowledge the Roman Theatre has never used this stationery, and I can state positively that I never authorized any such publicity stunt. And if Neilson denies a part in it
―”
He shrugged his shoulders.

Queen placed the paper carefully in his pocket.
“
That will be all, gentlemen. Thank you.
”
He dismissed the two men with a nod.

He looked appraisingly at the lawyer, whose face was suffused with a fiery color that reached from his neck to the roots of his hair. The Inspector raised his hand and let it drop with a little bang on the desk.

“
What do you think of
that,
Mr. Morgan?
”
he asked simply.

Morgan leaped to his feet.
“
It
’
s a damned frame-up!
”
he shouted, shaking his fist in Queen
’
s face.
“
I don
’
t know any more about it than
―
than
you
do, if you
’
ll pardon a little impertinence! What
’
s more, if you think you can scare me by this hocus-pocus searching of gloves and hats and
―
and, by God, you haven
’
t examined my underwear yet, Inspector!
”
He stopped for lack of breath, his face purple.

“
But, my dear Morgan,
”
said the Inspector mildly,
“
why do you upset yourself so? One would think I
’
ve been accusing you of Monte Field
’
s murder. Sit down and cool off, man; I asked you a simple question.
”

Morgan collapsed in his chair. He passed a quivering hand over his forehead and muttered,
“
Sorry, Inspector. Lost my temper. But of all the rotten deals
―”
He subsided, mumbling to himself.

Queen sat staring quizzically at him. Morgan was making a great to-do with his handkerchief and cigar. Johnson coughed deprecatingly, looking up at the ceiling. Again a burst of sound penetrated the walls, only to be throttled in mid-air.

Queen
’
s voice cut sharply into the silence.
“
That
’
s all, Morgan. You may go.
”

The lawyer lumbered to his feet, opened his mouth as if to speak, clamped his legs together and, clapping his hat on his head, walked out of the room. Johnson innocently lounged forward to help him with the door, on a signal from the Inspector. Both men disappeared.

Queen, left alone in the room, immediately fell into a fierce preoccupation. He took from his pockets the four stubs, the letter Morgan had given him and the woman
’
s rhinestone evening bag which he had found in the dead man
’
s pocket. This last article he opened for the second time that evening and spread its contents on the desk before him. A few calling cards, with the name
“
Frances Ives-Pope
”
neatly engraved; two dainty lace handkerchiefs; a vanity case filled with powder, rouge and lipstick; a small change purse containing twenty dollars in bills and a few coins; and a house-key. Queen fingered these articles thoughtfully for a moment, returned them to the handbag and putting bag, stubs and letter back into his pocket once more, rose and looked slowly about. He crossed the room to the clothestree, picked up the single hat, a derby, hanging there and examined its interior. The initials
“
L.P.
”
and the head-size
“
6%,
”
seemed to interest him.

He replaced the hat and opened the door.

The four people sitting in the anteroom jumped to their feet with expressions of relief. Queen stood smiling on the threshold, his hands jammed into his pockets.

“
Here we are at last,
”
he said.
“
Won
’
t you all please step into the office?
”

He politely stood aside to let them pass
―
the three women and the young man. They trooped in with a flurry of excitement, the women sitting down as the young man busied himself setting chairs for them. Four pairs of eyes gazed earnestly at the old man by the door. He smiled paternally, took one quick glance into the anteroom, closed the door and marched in a stately way to the desk, where he sat down, feeling for his snuffbox.

“
Well!
”
he said genially.
“
I must apologize for having kept you people waiting so long
―
official business, you know . . . . Now, let
’
s see. Hmmm. Yes . . . . Yes, yes. I must
―
All right! Now, in the first place, ladies and gentleman, how do we stand?
”
He turned his mild gaze on the most beautiful of the three women.
“
I believe, miss, that your name is Frances Ives-Pope, although I haven
’
t had the pleasure of being introduced. Am I correct?
”

The girl
’
s eyebrows went up.
“
That
’
s quite correct, sir,
”
she said in a vibrant musical voice.
“
Although I don
’
t quite understand how you know my name.
”

She smiled. It was a magnetic smile, full of charm and a certain strong womanliness that was extremely attractive. A full-bodied creature in the bloom of youth, with great brown eyes and a creamy complexion, she radiated a wholesomeness that the Inspector found refreshing.

He beamed down at her.
“
Well, Miss Ives-Pope,
”
he chuckled,
“
I suppose it is mysterious to a layman. And the fact that I am a policeman no doubt heightens the general effect. But it
’
s quite simple. You are by no means an unphotographed young lady
―
I saw your picture in the paper today, as a matter of fact, on the society page.
”

The girl laughed, a trifle nervously.
“
So that
’
s how it was!
”
she said.
“
I was beginning to be frightened. Just what is it, sir, that you want of me?
”

“
Business
―
always business,
”
said the Inspector ruefully.
“
Just when I
’
m getting interested in someone I
’
m brought bang-up against my profession . . . . Before we conduct our inquisition, may I ask who your friends are?
”

An embarrassed coughing arose from the three people on whom Queen bent his eyes. Frances said charmingly,
“
I
’
m sorry
―
Inspector, is it? Allow me to introduce Miss Hilda Orange and Miss Eve Ellis, my very dear friends. And this is Mr. Stephen Barry, my fiance.
”

Queen glanced at them in some surprise.
“
If I
’
m not mistaken
―
aren
’
t you members of the cast of
‘
Gunplay
’
?
”

There was a unanimous nodding of heads.

Queen turned to Frances.
“
I don
’
t want to seem too officious, Miss Ives-Pope, but I want you to explain something . . . . Why are you accompanied by your friends?
”
he asked with a disarming smile.
“
I know it sounds impertinent, but I distinctly recall ordering my man to summon you
―
alone . . . .
”

The three thespians rose stiffly. Frances turned from her companions to the Inspector with a pleading look.

“
I
―
please forgive me, Inspector,
”
she said swiftly.
“
I
―
I
’
ve never been questioned by the police before. I was nervous and
―
and I asked my fiance and these two ladies, who are my most intimate friends, to be present during the interview. I didn
’
t realize that I was going against your wishes . . . .
”

“
I understand,
”
returned Queen, smiling.
“
I understand completely. But you see
―”
He made a gesture of finality.

Stephen Barry leaned over the girl
’
s chair.
“
I
’
ll stay with you, dear, if you give the word.
”
He glared at the Inspector belligerently.

“
But, Stephen, dear
―”
Frances cried helplessly. Queen
’
s face was adamant.
“
You
―
you
’
d better all go. But please wait for me outside. It won
’
t take long, will it, Inspector?
”
she asked, her eyes unhappy.

Queen shook his head.
“
Not so very long.
”
His entire attitude had changed. He seemed to be growing truculent. His audience sensed the metamorphosis in him and in an intangible manner grew antagonistic.

Hilda Orange, a large buxom woman of forty, with traces of a handsome youth in her face, now brutally shorn of its make-up in the cold light of the room, leaned over Frances and glared at the Inspector.