A. Merritt's Fantasy Magazine, April 1950 — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

THE NINTH LIFE 55 broke in desperately, “I’ve got a rotten head after a sleepless night, and—Cramp- ton, you said. Is he going down there to consult about it?” “No. He told me he’s going to see if he can get Parkoot to let him have a mas- ter key to make search of—well, of a cer- tain flat at Gravenor Mansions. Failing that, he’s applying for a search warrant. But seeing how this might hit Mr. Briggs, and being able to spare the time, I’m going down to this Barnby-under-Hedlington to assure myself that the police down there don’t jump too quickly at too many con- clusions—for Mr. Briggs’ sake.” “Stout feller—when are you starting?” “Somewhere about twelve. I must look up a train—”’ ~ “Don’t! Tl call for you at twelve and run you down by car.” “Well... yes, I could do that,” Tott assented, rather dubiously. “But I thought you said you were busy.” “T am. I shall have to make holes in the atmosphere before twelve, but I'll call for you then. Must get a move on here, now. See you at twelve, and beat any train you can catch to the nearest station.” E COULD not beat the Cheltenham Flyer, he knew, but, if Tott went by it, he would still be three-quarters -of an hour or more distant from Barnby when he got out at Cheltenham. Half-past ten, now—he had an hour and twenty minutes before going to pick up Tott. Of course that second case was a coin- cidence! It could be nothing else. But, strive as he would to convince himself of this, a second passenger arrived with him in the taxi at Gravenor Mansions, and his name was Fear. In the entrance hall of the Mansions he faced Parkoot, just emerging from one of the lifts, and asked: “Inspector Cramp- ton? Have you seen anything of him yet?” “T’ve just taken him up, Mr. Green,” the man answered. “Then, if you will, take me up too,” They went up, and emerged to go along the spacious corridor to a door which Parkoot opened with his key. A uniformed constable faced them, in the luxuriously furnished lounge which gave access to the other rooms of the flat, and he fore- stalled his query. “I understand Inspector Crampton is here. Will you tell him Mr. Green would like to see him for a moment?” “Just hold on a minute—I'll see.” “You needn’t wait, Parkoot,” Gees said, and inwardly reflected that it was unusual, to say the least, for the care- taker of the place to let even a police inspector make a search of one of the tenants’ apartments without witnessing his operations. But, with no demur, Parkoot retired and closed the door again, just as Crampton appeared, with yet another uni- formed man looking over his shoulder. ~ “Ah! Good morning, Mr. Green. Got © another line for us?” Gees shook his head. “No more than to tell you this is a waste of time,” he answered, “What do you expect to find here?” Crampton’s mouth closed, trapwise. Then he opened it again to ask, stiffly: “T conclude you have got wind of the second case ?”’ “Why should that second case bring you in here?” Gees countered. “Because both the man and woman who were in this flat at the time Parkoot’s child was abducted went to Barnby-under- Hedlington, and the second case followed on their arrival. Which may be a coinci- dence, and may not. I prefer not to take any chances on it.” “And as I asked before—what do you expect to find here?” Over his shoulder Crampton spoke an answer to a question— “Yes, carry on, Sergeant.” Then, with chill quietness: “T understand, Mr. Green, you spent some considerable time on the Force. That being so, your own common sense ought to” tell you the answer to that question.” “Ah! Yes, I suppose it ought,” Gees admitted equally coolly. “Have you any objection to.my knowing—as a decidedly interested party, I may tell you—to my knowing the result of your search?” “Tnterested? In what way interested?” Crampton demanded sharply. “I must refer you to Inspector Tott for an answer to that.”’ “Well—” Crampton glanced at his wrist watch— “you may wait here till we have finished, if you like consider- ing—’’ he appeared to relent slightly from his stiffness— “the line on the case you os (e(6) micboo <i ©)