Queen’s Bureau of Investigation Read Online Free PDF Page A

his teeth, “one of the English faculty at the lunch today. Get him. ”
    When Inspector Queen returned to the dean’s office guiding the agitated elbow of Professor Gorman, he found Ellery waiting behind the dean’s flower vase as if it were a bough from Birnam Wood.
    The couch was empty.
    â€œWhat did the ambulance doctor say, Ellery?”
    â€œConcussion. How bad they don’t know yet.” Ellery rose, fixing Professor Gorman with a Macduffian glance. “And where did you find this pedagogical louse, Dad?”
    â€œUpstairs on the seventh floor, teaching a Bible class.”
    â€œThe title of my course, Inspector Queen,” said the Professor furiously, “is The Influence of the Bible on English Literature. ”
    â€œTrying to establish an alibi, eh?”
    â€œWell, son,” said his father in a troubled voice, “the professor’s more than just tried. He’s done it.”
    â€œEstablished an alibi?” Ellery cried.
    â€œIt’s a two-hour seminar, from six to eight. He’s alibied for every second from 6 P.M. on by the dozen people taking the course—including a minister, a priest, and a rabbi. What’s more,” mused the Inspector, “even assuming the 7:15 on the dean’s broken watch was a plant, Professor Gorman can account for every minute of his day since your lunch broke up. Ellery, something is rotten in New York County.”
    â€œI beg your pardon,” said a British voice from the anteroom. “I was to meet Dr. Hope here at eight o’clock.”
    Ellery whirled. Then he swooped down upon the owner of the voice, a pale skinny man in a bowler hat carrying a package under one arm.
    â€œDon’t tell me you’re Alfred Mimms and you’re just bringing the Bacon!”
    â€œYes, but I’ll—I’ll come back,” stammered the visitor, trying to hold on to his package. But it was Ellery who won the tug of war, and as he tore the wrappings away the pale man turned to run.
    And there was Inspector Queen in the doorway with his pistol showing. “Alfred Mimms, is it?” said the Inspector genially. “Last time, if memory serves, it was Lord Chalmerston. Remember, Dink, when you were sent up for selling a phony First Folio to that Oyster Bay millionaire? Ellery, this is Dink Chalmers of Flatbush, one of the cleverest confidence men in the rare book game.” Then the Inspector’s geniality faded. “But, son, this leaves us in more of a mess than before.”
    â€œNo, dad,” said Ellery. “This clears the mess up.”
    From Inspector Queen’s expression, it did nothing of the kind.
    â€œBecause what did Doc Hope reply when I asked him what happened?” Ellery said. “He replied, ‘Book taken.’ Well, obviously, the book wasn’t taken. The book was never here. Therefore he didn’t mean to say ‘book taken.’ Professor, you’re a communicant of the Matthew Arnold Hope Cult of Spoonerisms: What must the dean have meant to say?”
    â€œâ€˜Took … Bacon’!” said Professor Gorman.
    â€œWhich makes no sense, either, unless we recall, Dad, that his voice trailed off. As if he meant to add a word, but failed. Which word? The word ‘money’—‘took Bacon money.’ Because while the Bacon book wasn’t here to be taken, the ten thousand dollars Doc Hope was toting around all day to pay for it was.
    â€œAnd who took the Bacon money? The one who knocked on the dean’s door just after seven o’clock and asked to be let in. The one who, when Dr. Hope unlocked the door—indicating the knocker was someone he knew and trusted—promptly clobbered the old man and made off with his life’s savings.”
    â€œBut when you asked who hit him,” protested the Inspector, “he answered ‘Gorman’.”
    â€œWhich he couldn’t have meant, either, since the professor