Murder on Charing Cross Road Read Online Free PDF Page B

he repeated the footpad’s demand for the mysterious “it”, even after he had the purse and watch.
    “It seems an unlikely way to go about getting a story,”Luten said, still far from convinced.
    “Can you think of any other reason?”
    “But why search Coffen’s house?”Luten asked.
    Prance was having trouble with this detail himself. “We’re friends. We were together yesterday afternoon. In fact I noticed someone watching me when I was having a word with an old friend, Harry Bolton, and Coffen was in my rig, waiting for me. It’s possible I was having Coffen look over my outline. He gave me the idea of the tiger in my gothic, you recall. I told several people about it.”
    “True,”Coffen said. “I remember, it was when we were haring after Russell, the fellow who was blackmailing Lady Dunn. Speaking of Harry Bolton, did you get the invitation, Luten? Black was to take it to you.”
    “Invitation? I heard nothing about it,”he said, glancing to his wife.
    “Evans mentioned it,”Corinne said. “Black brought it over last night after we had left for dinner. We went on to Jergen’s party and I didn’t get it until this morning. It’s with the rest of the mail. I haven’t opened it yet.”
    “I asked you to deliver it,”Prance said to Coffen. “Harry said it was urgent.”
    “And I asked Black to take it,”Coffen said.
    Luten's brow wrinkled as he listened to their explanations. “Where does Bolton come into all this?”he demanded.
    “He gave Prance the invite yesterday afternoon, said it was urgent since the party was that same night. Last night. Prance gave it to me. I knew you were going to Jergen’s do and didn’t figure it was important. I was visiting Black and he offered to deliver it, which he did. He figured you’d be home between dinner and going to Jergen’s do and wanted to deliver it in person.”
    “Bolton said it was urgent?”Luten asked.
    “He thought so,”Prance said, “but it was just an invite to some do his aunt, Lady Hastings, was having. Forgot to send you an invite and felt bad about it.”
    “I don’t recognize the name. Do we know a Lady Hastings?”Corinne asked Luten.
    Luten didn’t answer her question, but said, “I’d best go home and have a look at the — er, invitation.”
    He darted next door, studied the message for several minutes, frowning at it, then went back to Prance’s house. Luten said, in a worried tone, “You said someone was watching when Bolton gave you this envelope, Reg. What did this fellow do when you and Coffen left? I’m wondering if he followed Bolton —or you.”
    “I didn’t really notice,”Prance said.
    “Me neither,”Coffen said. “I didn’t notice anyone at all.”
    “Can you describe him, Reg?”Luten asked.
    Prance wracked his brain, but all he had noticed was that someone —a man —no. It was two men were loitering about, watching them.
    “Ask Black,”Coffen suggested. “He’d have been at the window. He’d know if Prance and me were followed.”
    “A good idea,”Luten said, and sent a footman off to fetch him.
    Black was simply delighted to receive an invitation to join the Brigade at Prance’s house and hastened across the street at once. He had seen all the darting back and forth and was on thorns to know what was going on. He assumed it had to do with Prance’s beating last night and fervently hoped he was about to be consulted. Perhaps it all had to do with some new case they were involved in. One look at Sir Reginald’s dismantled drawing room and he felt his prayer had been answered. He was invited to sit down, which was as good as saying they needed his help. A butler was not usually invited to sit down with his employer.
    Luten said, “Did you happen to notice Sir Reginald and Pattle when they arrived home yesterday afternoon, Black?”
    “I did,”Black said at once. “Sir Reginald went into his house and Mr. Pattle crossed the street to his own place. Might I ask why it’s