A. Merritt's Fantasy Magazine, April 1950 — page 28: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

28 A. MERRITT’S FANTASY got Inspector Tott, who demanded very irritably what he wanted. “To stand you lunch at the Junior No- mads, Inspector,” he answered. “Today, one-fifteen. Can do?” : “Can not do, thanking you all the same, Mister Green,” Tott snapped at him. “T told you when I came to see you that this was not an affair for any official action, and that’s that.” “Then why were you hanging around the Gravenor last night ?”’ Gees demanded. “None of your business.” Gees laughed. softly into the transmit- ter. “Don’t hang up for a second, [nspec- tor. You heard about the missing child, of course?” “Being investigated by that division.” “Has Parkoot—I believe that is the name—has he been to Wimbledon yet to see if he can identify the body found last night ?” “Here! What on earth are you getting at?’ Tott demanded sharply. “One-fifteen, at the Junior Nomads. Change your mind, Inspector,” Gees sug- gested. “TI really need official backing for something I want to do in that case, not the other.” “All—right, Mr. Green,” Tott an- swered, after a long pause. “But if you are thinking of leading me up on some blasted—” Gees mumbled his entire innocence of subtlety, hung up and emerged from the booth to gaze at a “Lunch Edition” poster, sight of which prompted him to buy a copy. The late news column gave him: SUITCASE MYSTERY The body of a male child found in a suit- case just after midnight on Wimbledon Common has been identified by Mr. Edwin Parkoot, of Gravenor Mansions, as that of his son Ernest, whose disappearance was reported to the police yesterday afternoon. It is understood that figures on the suit- case indicate that it was purchased recently, and inquiries are being pursued with a view to tracing the purchaser. “Bah!” said Gees to himself. He handed it back to the man from whom he had bought it. “Finished with it,” he said. “You can have it.” He walked on toward Charing Cross. “Oh, Lord, be good to them, somehow!” he murmured. “It must be hell to lose a child any way, but that way—be good to them somehow !” | “This is Mr. Green, Crampton.” Tott introduced the quietly dressed man who joined them after lunch. “Inspector Crampton, Mr. Green. And I might tell you, Crampton, that what he’s got to say might be worth hearing, though he’s got no official standing. He was in the Force for two years some while ago, and a damned nuisance he was, too, but he’s got an indirect line on this kidnapping busi- ness that neither you nor I has a chance of getting. It’s your case, so I’m hand- ing him over to you, as he asked.” “Yes, I know your agency,” Crampton said. “And you think you might be able to give us a helping hand over this Par- koot business ?”’ “Well, thank you very much, Mr. Green, for my good lunch, and I'll leave you to Crampton,” Tott put in. “See you soon, Crampton.” “YT don’t know that I can give you much, Inspector,” Gees said, “but I may clear up a point or two. Is it possible to have a word with Parkoot, or is he—”’ “He’s cold fury,” Crampton said, “and only too anxious to get his hands on whoever did it, poor chap. She’s down and out—you can’t see her. But you want—”’ “To find out things,” Gees finished. “Can you come along with me and see Parkoot? He’ll be at the Gravenor ?” “We'll go right along,” Crampton promised. ‘“But—” as they went toward the street—‘‘do you mind telling me where you come in? I mean—what’s your angle on a case like this?” “A possible lead to an inquiry of my own,” Gees answered, “and since my inquiry couldn’t possibly be a police affair —at least, for the present—lI shall have to ask you to leave it at that.” “What's good enough for Inspector Tott is good enough for me,’ Crampton said. Mss BRANDON’S description was enough to convince Gees that it was Philip Vincent who swung the heavy door for them when they reached the Gravenor ; and he noted Vincent’s respectful salute to the inspector. He halted just inside, the door to watch it slowly close against the whe (aol gael exoye) SS ic o} 1