Death Knocks Three Times Read Online Free PDF Page B

the young chap expected to inherit? He said not, but there was no need to believe him. The case against Bligh was founded on the fact that he did, in fact, come into everything the old boy left, and if the Colonel was coming to London it might have altered his whole way of life, including the way in which he meant to dispose of his money. Once away from the remote homestead, as one of the Sunday
    papers pathetically and inaccurately described it, he might strike fresh roots and it ‘ud be the poorhouse for Bligh. There was that to be considered. Most of the evidence depended on his word, and who was to say he hadn’t smashed the lid down on the old martinet’s skull and made sure of his own future?
    As for Crook, they wasted no time on him. There was no motive there, and they dismissed him summarily from the case.
    The verdict was what Crook had anticipated—death by misadventure—with insufficient evidence to throw responsibility on any one.
    Before he left for London—still at the expense of the unfortunate rogue responsible for his original journey north—Crook was approached by both his fellow witnesses.
    First came Bligh, more pasty-faced than ever and adopting a threatening attitude.
    “Now don’t you try and come the Mr. Clever over me,” he said in loud tones. “Oh, I know what every one’s saying, if they ain’t allowed to say it in court. Nice for Jimmy Bligh coming into all that cash—though most of the old man’s leavings are in land, and what’s land worth these days? Can’t even build on it if you want to. Can’t sow what you like, can’t let it go to pasture, can’t lease it. Sign on the dotted line all along. A perishing nuisance, if you ask me. And even if it was all cash, that wouldn’t help much. What’s a chap of my age want with a lot of money?”
    “Plenty of chaps ‘ull help you spend it,” Crook suggested.
    “Lots of wimmen, too, but I’ve done without ‘em for thirty years, and I’m not going to get tangled up with them now. I tell you, I was all set for the duration. ‘Ome, a boss I understood, as much time off as I wanted, and as much money as I could spend. Come to that, I was a lot better off last week than I’ll ever be again till I lie where the Colonel’s gone.”
    He stalked off without giving Crook a chance to reply, and his place was almost instantly taken by John Sherren.
    “That old chap’s nearly as crazy as my poor uncle,” he confided, falling into step. “D’you suppose any one’s satisfied with the verdict, bar Bligh, of course?”
    “You should have heard him five seconds ago,” said Crook, grimly. “You’d think he’d got twenty years hard labor instead of everydiing the Colonel’s left.”
    “He won’t be able to stay in these parts, of course,” acknowledged John Sherren. “Too many people thinking him just the man who was lucky enough to get away with murder, but with all that money he can settle nicely enough elsewhere. But nobody’s deceived. Nobody believes this just happened. You don’t yourself, do you?”
    “Not exactly,” agreed Crook, “but naturally it was impossible to bring in a charge of murder.”
    “I suppose you’re right. Mind you, I keep an open mind.”
    “Sure,” agreed Crook amiably. “Maybe the old man unhooked the lid himself and forgot about it. How long had you known the cash wouldn’t come to you?”
    “I gave my evidence in court,” said John in polite tones. “He did mention, though, that he wouldn’t care to put temptation in my landlady’s way, whatever you like to make of that.”
    Crook looked at him thoughtfully, as if making up his mind what he really thought about his companion, but whatever it was he kept it under his own hat.
    “Of course,” continued John in the same precise tones, “it was consistent of him, having lived a mysterious life, to die a mysterious death. I wonder if the truth will ever come out.”
    “Any time I like to open my mouth,” said Crook, pleasantly.