Murder Killing
28
Inspector Crome is in his office at Scotland Yard.
The phone on his desk rang softly and he picked it up.
”Jacobs here, Sir. There's a young man coming up with a story that I think you need to hear.”
Inspector Crome sighed. An average of twenty people show up in a day with information they think is important, in connection with the ABC case. Some of them are innocuous madmen, some well-meaning people, who are convinced that their information is valuable. It is the duty of Sergeant Jacobs to act as a filter for people to keep their abusive information and hand over the important ones to their leader.
”Alright, Jacobs,” Crome said. ”Bring here.”
A few minutes later there was a knock on the door of the inspector's room, and Sergeant Jacobs appeared
delivering a young man of high stature and quite handsome.
”This Mr. Tom Hartigan, sir. He has information to give us, which may be related to the ABC.” case
The inspector got up and found him sympathetic. ”Good morning, Mr. Hartigan. Please sit. Smoking cigarettes? Got a cigarette?”
Tom Hartigan sat awkwardly and looked in awe at what he considered ” luminaries”. The inspector's appearance somewhat disappointed him. He looks ordinary!
”Well,” says Crome. ”You have information that deserves to be notified to us, which you feel has something to do with the case. Just direct call.”
Tom started out nervous.
”Surely there is this possibility is completely meaningless. Just a personal guess. Maybe I'll just waste your time.”
Again Inspector Crome sighed imperceptibly. How much time has been wasted trying to convince people!
”You are the one who understands most about it. Just reveal the facts you know, Mr. Hartigan.”
”Hm, look, Sir. I have a girl, so, and her mom rents out a room. The Camden Town. Upstairs in the back of his house was a room rented to a man named Mr. Cust has been over a year.”
”Cust hm?”
”Betul, Sir. A middle-aged man who was a bit dazed and flabby and probably a bit effeminate, I guess. The type of person who even kills flies does not want to, so roughly and in a dream I certainly would not suspect something is not right, if only something did not happen a bit strange.”
In a confused manner and by repeating his words two or three times, Tom explained his meeting with Mr. Cust at Euston Station as well as regarding the incident of the ticket that fell.
”So, Sir, you see how funny it is. Lily, that's my maiden name, sir she's very sure that Mr. Cust mentioned Cheltenham, and his mother said the same thing he clearly remembered talking about it the morning Mr. Cust will go. Of course I didn't notice it at the time. Lily my girl said her wish was for Mr. Cust didn't find it difficult because the ABC was headed for Doncaster and he said, which happened to be because of Mr. Cust also traveled to Churston at the time of the latter's crime. Laughing, I asked him if Mr. Cust had also been at Bexhill before, and he answered, he had no idea where the man had gone, but as far as Mr. Cust went to the beach where he didn't know for sure. Then I said to him, It would be strange if Mr. Cust the ABC and he said Mr. Poor Cust wouldn't even want to kill a fly that was the story at the time. We don't talk about it more
far away. But I did think about it, sir in my subconscious mind. I began to suspect Mr. Cust by reason, although seemingly harmless, it could be that he is a bit crazy.”
Tom sighed, then continued. Inspector Crome is now listening attentively.
”Then after Doncaster's murder, sir, all the newspapers contained the necessary information about where AB Case or Cash is now and the fact that it gives a suitable picture. On the first night of my leave, I went to see Lily and asked for Mr.'s name. Custs. At first he did not remember, but his mother remembered. He said his name was AB. Then we continued talking about it and remembered whether Cust had indeed left at the time of the first murder in Andover. But, sir, it's not so easy to remember what happened three months ago. We kept looking at him and his end-we succeeded because of Mrs. Marbury has an older brother who came from Canada on June 21. The plan for his arrival was sudden and Mrs. Marbury wanted to make a bed for her, and Lily suggested that Bert Marbury wear the bed. Cust because he was traveling. Mrs however. Marbury disagreed because she said it was unfair to her room tenants, and that she always wanted to be fair and honest. And finally we managed to confirm the date because the Bert Marbury ship arrived at Southampton dock on that day.”
”Already?” abugn.
”That's everything, sir. I hope you don't think that my caption is useless.”
Tom's face was a little red.
”Same as no. You're right to have come here. Of course the fact that it is still a blur the dates could have been just a coincidence, as well as the name. But this makes me need to speak to Mr. Custs. Is she home now?”
”Ya, Sir.”
”When is he back?”
”On the night of Doncaster's murder, sir.”
”What's he doing since then?”
”Most stay at home, Sir. According to Mrs. Marbury he looks very strange. He bought a lot of newspapers going early in the morning to look for the morning newspaper and went again after dark to buy the afternoon newspaper. Mrs. Marbury said Mr. Cust also speaks a lot of himself. In his opinion, he's getting weird.”
”Where to address Mrs. Marbury?” Tom gave it to her.
”Thank you. Maybe I'll come today. I don't think I need to tell you to be careful when you meet Cust.”
He got up and shook hands.
”You can feel satisfied for doing things
the right thing to meet us. Good morning, Mr. Hartigan.”
”How, Sir?” jacobs asked who re-entered the room moments later. ”According to you the description is useful?”
”That's the way it is,” Inspector Crome said. ”That's when reality was like what the young man said. We haven't been successful with those stocking factories. It's time we found something. Oh yes, please take the Churston.” case archive
He studied the archive for a few minutes. ”Ah, here it is. There were among the statements made to Torquay police. A young man named Hill. He left Torquay Pavillion after watching Not a Sparrow and saw a man with suspicious gestures. The man spoke to himself. Hill heard him say ’An idea.’ Not a Sparrow, the movie that played in Regal, Doncaster, bu-right?”
”Betul, Sir.”
”Maybe there's a hint there. At that time it was not yet seen but the possibility of the modus operandi idea of the next crime was on that person. We have Hill's name and address, don't we? His description of the man is hazy, but is quite similar to the depiction of Mary Stroud and Tom Hartigan.”.
He nodded while thinking.
”We are starting to warm up,” Inspector Crome said a bit less precisely because he himself is always a bit cold, his attitude and behavior.
