Read The Roman Hat Mystery Online
Authors: Ellery Queen
The Roman Hat Mystery (38 page)
“
I
’
ve got to pledge you to secrecy, Tim,
”
said the Inspector immediately, turning to the red-haired man.
“
Never let on that you were a witness to the finding of papers in any way implicating Benjamin Morgan in this affair.
”
“
What do you think I am, Inspector?
”
growled Cronin.
“
I
’
m as dumb as an oyster, believe me!
”
“
All right, then.
”
Queen felt the lining of the hat. There was a distinct crackle.
“
Now,
”
remarked Ellery calmly,
“
we know for the first time definitely why the murderer
had
to take away the hat Field wore Monday night. In all likelihood the murderer
’
s name was lettered in the same way
―
that
’
s indelible ink, you know
―
and the murderer couldn
’
t leave a hat with his own name in it at the scene of the crime.
”
“
By gosh, if you only had that hat, now,
”
cried Cronin,
“
you
’
d know who the murderer is!
”
“
I
’
m afraid, Tim,
”
replied the Inspector dryly,
“
that hat is gone forever.
”
He indicated a row of careful stitches at the base of the inner band, where the lining was attached to the fabric. He ripped these stitches swiftly and inserted his fingers between the lining and the crown. Silently he drew out a sheaf of papers held together by a thin rubber band.
“
If I were as nasty as some people think I am,
”
mused Ellery, leaning back,
“
I might with perfect justice say,
‘
I told you so.
’
“
“
We know when we
’
re licked, my son
―
don
’
t rub it in,
”
chortled the Inspector. He snapped off the rubber band, glanced hastily through the papers and with a satisfied grin deposited them in his breast pocket.
“
Morgan
’
s, all right,
”
he said briefly, and attacked one of the derbies.
The inner side of the band was marked cryptically with an X. The Inspector found a row of stitches exactly as in the silk hat. The papers he drew out
―
a thicker bundle than Morgan
’
s
―
he examined cursorily. Then he handed them to Cronin, whose fingers were trembling.
“
A stroke of luck, Tim,
”
he said slowly.
“
The man you were angling for is dead, but there are a lot of big names in this. I think you
’
ll find yourself a hero one of these days.
”
Cronin grasped the bundle and feverishly unfolded the papers, one by one.
“
They
’
re here
―
they
’
re here!
”
he shouted. He jumped to his feet, stuffing the sheaf into his pocket.
“
I
’
ve got to beat it, Inspector,
”
he said rapidly.
“
There
’
s a lot of work to do at last
―
and besides, what you find in that fourth hat is none of my business. I can
’
t thank you and Mr. Queen enough! So long!
”
He dashed from the room, and a moment later the snores of the policeman in the foyer came to an abrupt end. The outer door banged shut.
Ellery and the Inspector looked at each other.
“
I don
’
t know what good this stuff is going to do us,
”
grumbled the old man, fumbling with the inner band of the last hat, a derby.
“
We
’
ve found things and deduced things and run rings around our imaginations
―
well . . .
“
He sighed as he held the band up to the light.
It was marked: MISC.
At Friday noon, while Inspector Queen, Ellery and Timothy Cronin were deep in their search of Monte Field
’
s rooms, Sergeant Velie, sombre and unmoved as usual, walked slowly up 87th Street from Broadway, mounted the brownstone steps of the house in which the Queens lived and rang the bell. Djuna
’
s cheery voice bade him ascend, which the good Sergeant did with gravity.
“
Inspector
’
s not home!
”
announced Djuna pertly, his slim body completely hidden behind an enormous housewife
’
s apron. Odorous traces of an onion-covered steak pervaded the air.
“
Get on with you, you imp!
”
growled Velie. He took from his inner breast pocket a bulky envelope sealed, and handed it to Djuna.
“
Give this to the Inspector when he comes home. Forget, and I
’
ll dip you into the East River.
”
“
You and who else?
”
breathed Djuna, with a remarkable twitching of his lips. Then he added decorously,
“
Yes, sir.
”
“
All right, then.
”
Velie deliberatley turned about and descended to the street, where his broad back was visible in formidable proportions to the grinning Djuna from the fourth-story window.
When, at a little before six, the two Queens trudged wearily into their rooms, the alert eyes of the Inspector pounced upon the official envelope where it lay on his plate.
He tore off a corner of the envelope and pulled out a number of typewritten sheets on the stationery of the Detective Bureau.
“
Well, well!
”
he muttered to Ellery, who was lazily pulling off his topcoat.
“
The clans are gathering . . . .
”
Sinking into an armchair, his hat forgotten on his head, his coat still buttoned, he set about reading the reports aloud.
The first slip read:
REPORT OF RELEASE
28 September 192—
John Cazzanelli, alias Parson Johnny, alias John the Wop, alias Peter Dominick, released from custody today on parole.
Undercover investigation of J. C.
’
s complicity in the robbery of the Bonomo Silk Mills (June 2, 192-) not successful. We are searching for
“
Dinky
”
Morehouse, police informer, who has disappeared from usual haunts, for further information.
Release effected under advice of District Attorney Sampson. J. C. under surveillance and is available at any time.
T. V.
The second report which the Inspector picked up, laying aside the advices concerning Parson Johnny with a frown, read as follows:
REPORT ON WILLIAM PUSAK
September 28, 192
―
Investigation of the history of William Pusak reveals the following:
32 years old; born in Brooklyn, N.Y., of naturalized parents; unmarried; regular habits; socially inclined; has
“
dates
”
three or four nights a week; religious. Is bookkeeper at Stein & Rauch, clothing merchants, 1076 Broadway. Does not gamble or drink. No evil companions. Only vice seems fondness for girls.
Activities since Monday night normal. No letters sent, no money withdrawn from bank, hours fairly regular. No suspicious movements of any kind.
Girl, Esther Jablow, seems Pusak
’
s
“
steadiest.
”
Has seen E. J. twice since Monday
―
Tuesday at lunch, Wednesday evening. Went to movies and Chinese restaurant Wednesday evening.
Operative No. 4 OK
’
d: T. V.
The Inspector grunted as he threw the sheet aside. The third report was headed:
REPORT ON MADGE O
’
CONNELL
To Friday, Sept. 28,
‘
2—
O
’
Connell, lives at 1436 10th Avenue. Tenement, 4th floor. No father. Idle since Monday night, due to shutting down of Roman Theatre. Left theatre Monday night at general release of public.
Went home, but stopped in drugstore corner 8th Avenue and 48th Street to telephone. Unable to trace call. Overheard reference to Parson Johnny in phone conversation. Seemed excited.
Tuesday did not leave house until 1 o
’
clock. No attempt to get in touch with Parson Johnny at Tombs. Went around theatre employment agencies looking for usherette position after finding out Roman Theatre was closed indefinitely.
Nothing new Wednesday all day or Thursday. Returned to work at Roman Thursday night after call from manager. No attempt see or communicate with Parson Johnny. No incoming calls, no visitors, no mail. Seemed suspicious
―
think she is
“
wise
”
to tailing.
Operative No. 11 OK
’
d: T. V.
“
Hmph!
”
muttered the Inspector as he picked up the next sheet of paper.
“
Let
’
s see what this one says . . . .
”
REPORT ON FRANCES IVES-POPE
September 28, 192—
F. I.-P. left Roman Theatre Monday night directly after release from Manager
’
s Office by Inspector Queen. Examined with other departing members of audience at main door. Left in company of Eve Ellis, Stephen Barry, Hilda Orange, of the cast. Took taxi to Ives-Pope house on Riverside Drive. Taken out in half-unconscious condition. Three actors left house soon after.
Tuesday she did not leave house. Learned from a gardener she was laid up in bed all day. Learned she received many calls during day.
Did not appear formally until Wednesday morning at interview in house with Inspector Queen. After interview, left house in company of Stephen Barry, Eve Ellis, James Peale, her brother Stanford. Ives-Pope limousine drove party out into Westchester. Outing revived F. Evening stayed at home with Stephen Barry. Bridge party on.
Thursday went shopping on Fifth Avenue. Met Stephen Barry for luncheon. He took her to Central Park; spent afternoon in open. S. B. escorted her home before five. S. B. stayed to dinner, leaving after dinner for work at Roman Theatre on call from stage manager. F. I.-P. spent evening at home with family.
No report Friday morning. No suspicious actions all week. At no time accosted by strange persons. No communication from or to Benjamin Morgan.
Operative No. 39 OK
’
d: T. V.
“
And that
’
s that,
”
murmured the Inspector. The next report he selected was extremely short.
REPORT ON OSCAR LEWIN
September 28, 192
―
Lewin spent all day Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning at office of Monte Field working with Messrs. Stoates and Cronin. Three men lunched together on each day.
Lewin married, lives in Bronx, 211 E. 156th Street. Spent every evening at home. No suspicious mail, no suspicious calls. No evil habits. Leads sober, modest life. Has good reputation.
Operative No. 16 Note: Full details of Oscar Lewin
’
s history, habits, etc., available on request through Timothy Cronin, Assistant District Attorney.
T. V.
The Inspector sighed as he deposited the five sheets of paper on his plate, rose, doffed his hat and coat, flung them into Djuna
’
s waiting arms and sat down again. Then he picked up the last report from the contents of the envelope
―
a larger sheet to which was pinned a small slip marked: MEMORANDUM TO R. Q.
This slip read:
Dr. Prouty left the attached report with me this morning for transmission to you. He is sorry he could not report in person, but the Burbridge poison case is taking all his time.
It was signed with Velie
’
s familiar scrawling initials. The attached sheet was a hastily typewritten message on the letterhead of the Chief Medical Examiner
’
s office.
Dear Q [the message ran]: Here
’
s the dope on the tetra ethyl lead. Jones and I have been superintending an exhaustive probe of all possible sources of dissemination. No success, and I think you can resign yourself to your fate in this respect. You
’
ll never trace the poison that killed Monte Field. This is the opinion not merely of your humble servant but of the Chief and of Jones. We all agree that the most logical explanation is the gasoline theory. Try to trace
that,
Sherlocko!
A postscript in Dr. Prouty
’
s handwriting ran:
Of course, if anything turns up, I
’
ll let you know immediately.
Keep sober.
“
Fat lot of good
that
is!
”
mumbled the Inspector, as Ellery without a word attacked the aromatic and tempting meal that the priceless Djuna had prepared. The Inspector dug viciously into the fruit salad. He looked far from happy. He grumbled beneath his breath, cast baleful glances at the sheaf of reports by his plate, peered up at Ellery
’
s tired face and heartily munching jaws and finally threw down his spoon altogether.
“
Of all the useless, exasperating, empty bunch of reports I ever saw
―
!
”
he growled.
Ellery smiled.
“
You remember Periander, of course . . . . Eh? You might be polite, sir . . . . Periander of Corinth, who said in a moment of sobriety,
‘
To industry nothing is impossible!
’
“
With the fire roaring, Djuna curled up on the floor in a corner, his favorite attitude. Ellery smoked a cigarette and stared comfortably into the flames while old Queen crammed his nose vengefully with the contents of his snuffbox. The two Queens settled down to a serious discussion. To be more exact
―
Inspector Queen settled down and lent the tone of seriousness to the conversation, since Ellery seemed in a sublimely dreamy mood far removed from the sordid details of crime and punishment.
The old man brought his hand down on the arm of his chair with a sharp slap.
“
Ellery, did you ever in your born days see a case so positively nerve-racking?
”
“
On the contrary,
”
commented Ellery, staring with half-closed eyes into the fire.
“
You are developing a natural case of nerves. You allow little things like apprehending a murderer to upset you unduly. Pardon the hedonistic philosophy . . . . If you will recall, in my story entitled
‘
The Affair of the Black Widow,
’
my good sleuths had no difficulty at all in laying their hands on the criminal. And why? Because they kept their heads. Conclusion: Always keep your head . . . . I
’
m thinking of tomorrow. Glorious vacation!
”
“
For an educated man, my son,
”
growled the Inspector petulantly,
“
you show a surprising lack of coherence. You say things that mean nothing and mean things when you say nothing. No
―
I
’
m all mixed up
―”
Ellery burst into laughter.
“
The Maine woods
―
the russet
―
the good Chauvin
’
s cabin by the lake
―
a rod
―
air
―
Oh, Lord, won
’
t tomorrow ever come?
”
Inspector Queen regarded his son with a pitiful eagerness.
“
I
―
I sort of wish . . . Well, never mind.
”
He sighed.
“
All I do say, El, is that if my little burglar fails
―
it
’
s all up with us.
”
“
To the blessed Gehenna with burglars!
”
cried Ellery.
“
What has Pan to do with human tribulation? My next book is as good as written, Dad.
”
“
Stealing another idea from real life, you rascal,
”
muttered the old man.
“
If you
’
re borrowing the Field case for your plot, I
’
d be extremely interested to read your last few chapters!
”
“
Poor Dad!
”
chuckled Ellery.
“
Don
’
t take life so seriously. If you fail, you fail. Monte Field wasn
’
t worth a hill of legumes, anyway.
”
“
That
’
s not the point,
”
said the old man.
“
I hate to admit defeat . . . . What a queer mess of motives and schemes this case is, Ellery. This is the first time in my entire experience that I have had such a hard nut to crack. It
’
s enough to give a man apoplexy! I know WHO committed the murder
―
I know WHY the murder was committed
―
I even know HOW the murder was committed! And where am I? . . .
“
He paused and savagely took a pinch of snuff.
“
A million miles from nowhere, that
’
s where!
”
he growled, and subsided.
“
Certainly a most unusual situation,
”
murmured Ellery.
“
Yet
―
more difficult things have been accomplished . . . . Heigh-ho! I can
’
t wait to bathe myself in that Arcadian stream!
”
“
And get pneumonia, probably,
”
said the Inspector anxiously.
“
You promise me now, young man, that you don
’
t do any back-to-Nature stunts out there. I don
’
t want a funeral on my hands
―
I . . .
“
Ellery grew silent suddenly. He looked over at his father. The Inspector seemed strangely old in the flickering light of the fire. An expression of pain humanized the deeply sculptured lines of his face. His hand, brushing back his thick gray hair, looked alarmingly fragile.
Ellery rose, hesitated, colored, then bent swiftly forward and patted his father on the shoulder.
“
Brace up, Dad,
”
he said in a low voice.
“
If it weren
’
t for my arrangements with Chauvin . . . Everything will be all right
―
take my word for it. If there were the slightest way in which I could help you by remaining . . . . But there isn
’
t. It
’
s your job now, Dad
―
and there
’
s no man in the world who can handle it better than you . . . .
”
The old man stared up at him with a strange affection. Ellery turned abruptly away.
“
Well,
”
he said lightly,
“
I
’
ll have to pack now if I expect to make the 7:45 out of Grand Central tomorrow morning.
”
He disappeared into the bedroom. Djuna, who had been sitting Turk-ishwise in his corner, got quickly to his feet and crossed the room to the Inspector
’
s chair. He slipped to the floor, his head resting against the old man
’
s knees. The silence was punctuated by the snapping of wood in the fireplace and the muffled sounds of Ellery moving about in the next room.
Inspector Queen was very tired. His face, worn, thin, white, lined, was like a cameo in the dull red light. His hand caressed Djuna
’
s curly head.
“
Djuna, lad,
”
he muttered,
“
never be a policeman when you grow up.
”
Djuna twisted his neck and stared gravely at the old man.
“
I
’
m going to be just what you are,
”
he announced . . . .
The old man leaped to his feet as the telephone bell rang. He snatched the instrument from its table, his face livid, and said in a choked voice:
“
Queen speaking. Well?
”
After a time he put down the phone and trudged across the room toward the bedroom. He leaned against the lintel heavily. Ellery straightened up from his suitcase
―
and jumped forward.
“
Dad!
”
he cried.
“
What
’
s the matter?
”
The Inspector essayed a feeble smile.
“
Just
―
a
―
little tired, son, I guess,
”
he grunted.
“
I just heard from our housebreaker . . . .
”
“
And
―
?
”
“
He found absolutely nothing.
”
Ellery gripped his father
’
s arm and led him to the chair by the bed. The old man slumped into it, his eyes ineffably weary.
“
Ellery, old son,
”
he said,
“
the last shred of evidence is gone. It
’
s maddening! Not a morsel of physical, tangible evidence that would convict the murderer in court. What have we? A series of perfectly sound deductions
―
and that
’
s all. A good lawyer would make Swiss cheese out of our case . . . . Well! The last word hasn
’
t been spoken yet,
”
he added with a sudden grimness as he rose from the chair. He pounded Ellery
’
s broad back in returning vigor.
“
Get to bed, son,
”
he said.
“
You
’
ve got to get up early tomorrow morning. I
’
m going to sit up and think.
”
INTERLUDE in which the reader
’
s attention is respectfully requested The current vogue in detective literature is all for the practice of placing the reader in the position of chief sleuth. I have prevailed upon Mr. Ellery Queen to permit at this point in The Roman Hat Mystery the interpolation of a challenge to the reader . . . .
“
Who killed Monte Field?
”
“
How was the murder accomplished?
”
. . . Mr. Queen agrees with me that the alert student of mystery tales, now being in possession of all the pertinent facts, should at this stage of the story have reached definite conclusions on the questions propounded. The solution
―
or enough of it to point unerringly to the guilty character
―
may be reached by a series of logical deductions and psychological observations . . . . In closing my last personal appearance in the tale let me admonish the reader with a variation of the phrase
Caveat Emptor:
“
Let the reader beware!
”
J. J. McC.
