The Clock Ticks On

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

DAY BY DAY, he had set down in his diary the slow growth in his mind of his doubts and misgivings about Gerry Cloan. Back in his cabin with the door fastened, he drew from his pocket the little book stamped with his initials, T. D.— his mother’s present. Throwing himself full length on his bunk, he turned to a date in April and began to read:

April 9. Had a word with Cloan at magistrates’ court, first chance I have had. Gave him some gum. Brown-haired Irish type, quiet and probably slow-witted. Nice-mannered. Not highly educated. Said he was ‘raised’ on Ohio farm: fields ten times size of ours. Never been to England before: thinks it ‘kinda cute.’ Seems restless and unhappy. Doesn’t suggest killer type, but that Lombroso stuff all bunk, anyway. Before I could switch talk round to murder, they fetched him away.

April 12. Resumed inquest. Coroner completely gaga. Manderton ran him from start. ‘Wilful murder’ against C. Uncle G. unbearably cockahoop at lunch. Thinks Priory job organized in New York, like robberies at Cannes and Biarritz last winter. Mem. look them up. Marvellous beer at ‘Crown.’

April 14. Finger-prints wash-out. Back in town. Thinking over Priory job. Cloan must be pretty stout chap to have pulled it single-handed. Good organization, too, to get safe combination, break into house and out again and smuggle swag away.

April 15. Thinking about that safe. Cartwright doesn’t see how Cloan could have got hold of combination which known only to self and Mrs. Cannot remember whether he or Mrs. ever worked combination in C.’s presence, but unlikely, though C. often came to them in library for orders. Manderton thinks object C.’s trip to town to get combination from accomplice as well as arrange about fence.

April 18. Safe-makers’ report. Safe old-fashioned model. Might have been opened by touch.

April 20. C. at Yard. Watched him waiting corridor, but didn’t speak. Certainly not my idea of armed burglar. Looks absolutely despairing like man stunned by misfortune. Manderton very stuffy as C. won’t talk. M. says typical of American gunmen’s code of honour. Files on Cannes and Biarritz cases on M.’s desk. Borrowed them.

April 22. Mugged up Cannes and Biarritz cases. Princesse Montegattino’s villa Cannes entered Sunday afternoon last Jan. while lady at races and staff off. Princesse recently returned from U.S. American maid detained, but released, as clear record. Police suggest gigolo, as Princesse given to whoopee. Safe opened clean. No arrest. Pearls not recovered. In Biarritz case (Feb.) Mrs. Gregson (American) also just back from U.S. bringing valuable jewellery she had inherited. Safe in dressing-room opened during night without scratch. Evidence (candle) thief worked several hours: house entered through basement window. Mrs. G. entertained largely and police suspect gentleman crook, though no evidence against known criminals at Biarritz. No arrests. Jewelery not recovered. Hablard, Paris Sûreté, whom I met on Legendre extradition, investigated for insurance. Wrote him.

April 26. Manderton says French police think same man behind Cannes, Biarritz job. Suspect a friend (probably lover) of Cannes lady, Hungarian calling himself Count Valda who went Egypt from Monte Carlo two days after robbery and disappeared. Sûreté theory is that Valda identical with one Ramiro Gutierrez, alleged Argentine, frequent visitor to Mrs. Gregson’s at Biarritz, who eventually vanished, ostensibly to return Argentine. A woman who accused Gutierrez of blackmail put Sûreté on him, but never caught. Valda known to associate with American crook on Continent. No trace of him in England.

April 30. Letter from Hablard, very ‘mon vieux-ish.’ Calls Valda an ‘ace’ (un as). Highly expert safe-manipulator. Better than Danny McClintock whom we sent up for seven years last year. Indications V. author of interrupted attempt on safe at Duchesse de Carmay’s (American born) at Aix last summer. Hablard says Biarritz safe unquestionably opened by touch, Cannes probably the same. Valda not Princesse de M.’s lover: H. says Riviera police always use this let-out when English or American women are robbed. Sûreté has no photo of Valda, not even positive of real nationality. Good linguist and expert at disguise.

May 2. Cloan at Yard. He puzzles me. I can’t see him deliberately croaking anybody; looks too good-natured. This job certainly resembles Valda’s handiwork. But we found no trace of any accomplice at Priory. Left Hablard’s letter for Manderton.

May 4. Manderton knew all about Valda. Already had him in mind. I suggested he might have used Cloan as inside worker. But M. insists no evidence of more than one man on job.

May 6. Still wondering about Cloan. If he didn’t have combination, he must have opened that safe by touch.

May 8. If Cloan opened that safe without the combination, I’m the Queen of Spain. Manderton had some papers for him to sign today, couldn’t go himself so sent me. Five minutes with C. in visitors’ room at prison. I looked at his hands. Danny McClintock whom I finger-printed last year had hands like a woman, small and slender. C.’s are big and strong and horny. He might blow a safe, but never work the tumblers. He looked utterly wretched. I tried to make him talk about the case, but he shut up like an oyster. When I persisted, he said savagely, ‘Get out. I’m spilling nothing, see?’ A warder told me he never speaks. Mem. Is he shielding someone?

May 12. What about the brother, Ed? A notorious gunman and probably quick on the trigger. Could he have been in on this? Sounded Manderton. M. says Ed recognized in Albany (New York State) few days before the murder and still at large. You can’t beat Uncle G.— he thinks of everything.

May 16. This damned case on my mind. Why won’t C. try and clear himself?

May 17. To Assizes with Manderton. Big crowd. Counsel for Crown very effective. Packett K.C. defending says C. refuses give evidence on own behalf. Packett cross-examined me regarding prints. Short and sweet, as there warn’t none. C. didn’t seem to know what it was all about. His eyes are tragic.

May 18. Cloan sentenced to death. Jury out 1 hour 45 mins. C. never budged muscle. Very game. His eyes met mine as Judge put on cap, but he gave no sign of recognition. His face ghastly, not with fright, but despair. I shall dream of it.

May 19. I can’t believe C. is psychologically type to have pulled daring job like this single-handed. The man who killed Cartwright’s butler, instead of tying him up and gagging him, was a ferocious brute totally unlike this quiet, rather self-effacing young American. But how to make Manderton see it? I can’t forget those eyes...

With a quick gesture Dene closed the book and, swinging his legs to the floor, began to undress. Everything in the cabin was oscillating: the Megantic was at full speed again. In shirt and trousers he knelt on the bed and gazed out of the porthole. The night was clear and dark, now, and the stars were shining. Head back, he drank in the pure air. The wind on his face, the movement all about him, gave him at once a sense of exhilaration and of solace. With every hour he slept the great ship would be bringing him nearer to the unknown city where Hermann Rontz awaited him, this enigmatic stranger who held the life of a human being in his hands.

Seventy-two hours!