Chapter V: The Mysterious Lady Caller

Jack Marston labored under extreme terror in the presence of the dead girl--so much so that Nick spent five minutes getting the lad’s mind in condition to answer questions coherently. Then he began on the lad cautiously.

“How long have you been office boy for Bridgely & Byke, Jack?” asked the detective.

“Nearly two years.”

“What are your hours?”

“I get here at eight o’clock, and this time of year go home generally at five.”

“The office is closed up at that time?”

“The janitor generally takes it to clean up. Sometimes he don’t get in till later.”

“Do you lock up when you go away?”

“No, the janitor does that.”

“Who leaves the first generally?”

“Mr. Byke, when he’s here.”

“And when he’s not here?”

“Why, Mr. Gay. Mr. Gay has been out a good deal since Mr. Byke went to Europe. He went away to-day about eleven o’clock, and told me he wasn’t coming back, but he did come, late as it was.”

“Are you always the last to leave?”

“No, sir! Sometimes Mr. Redway stays here later than five, but he never keeps me.”

“And Miss Langdon?”

“She always left when I did--at five o’clock. The elevator stops running then.”

“But she didn’t leave at five to-day?”

“I guess not, sir.”

“How does it come you returned to-day after your hour for going home?”

“Mr. Redway sent me on an errand.”

“What kind of an errand?”

“To take his watch to a jeweler’s on Broadway to be cleaned.”

“What time was that?”

“Ten minutes before five.”

“And told you to come back?”

“No, sir; he said I needn’t come back. But the jeweler’s place was closed on account of a death in the family and I came back with the watch.”

“Did you give him the watch?”

“No, sir, I forgot it. I was so scared.”

“Where is it?”

“In my pocket.”

“Let me see it.”

The boy handed to Nick a magnificent gold hunting case watch. Merely glancing at it, Nick said:

“I’ll return this to Mr. Redway. You needn’t tell him that the jeweler’s place was closed.”

“But----”

“No buts about it, lad. I am Nick Carter, and represent Superintendent Byrnes, and this is the coroner. You do what I tell you and no harm shall come to you.”

Nick saw he was dealing with a naturally bright, quick-witted and honest lad.

“Now, then, Jack, tell me. Who was here in these offices when you left to take Mr. Redway’s watch to the jeweler’s?”

“Nobody, except him and Miss Langdon.”

“That was ten minutes before five.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You are sure that he didn’t follow you to the street?”

“Not that I saw. He had just come in from the street about ten minutes before.”

“Oh!”

“Yes, sir, he went out with a lady, and was gone nearly half an hour.”

“Who was she?”

“I don’t know. I never saw her before.”

“What kind of looking lady was she?”

“Young and very handsome.”

“Whom did she ask for when she came?”

“For Mr. Redway.”

“Did she not give a name?”

“No, sir. I asked her for her name. But she replied with a question, ‘Is he in there?’ Then she walked back, opened the door, came in here and shut it.”

“Before the door closed I heard Mr. Redway say, ‘What--you here?’”

“Where was Miss Langdon?”

“Out at lunch.”

“What time was that?”

“When the lady came?”

“Yes.”

“About half-past two o’clock.”

“And how long did she stay?”

“Till a quarter past four.”

“Was in there all that time with Mr. Redway?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Did no one disturb them?”

“No, sir. Mr. Redway gave me orders soon after the lady went in that he was not to be disturbed by anybody. So I sent several parties away.”

“But Miss Langdon?”

“She came back about a quarter of three and sat out there in the big office with me till the lady went away.”

“Didn’t she appear to be curious about the strange visitor?”

“Not one bit till the lady went out and she saw her. Then she got somewhat excited.”

“She saw the woman as the latter went out?”

“Yes, sir. Miss Langdon was in the big office as Mr. Redway and the lady went through on their way to the elevator. Mr. Redway said to me as he passed, ‘I’ll be back soon, Jack,’ and accompanied the lady downstairs.”

“I don’t believe either of them saw Miss Langdon, who was sitting in the corner, sort of behind the door.”

“And you say the sight of the strange woman excited her?”

“Very much. As soon as they were on the elevator she began asking questions about the woman, and seemed to be very much worked up, though up to that time she scarcely seemed to give the lady visitor a thought.”

“Was Miss Langdon inclined to grow excited?”

“No, sir. On the contrary, she was nearly always quiet and easy-going.”

“What did she do till Mr. Redway returned?”

“Walked around in that office there nervously, and seemed as if she couldn’t wait till he got back.”

“Well, when he came back--what then?”

“He went right back to the office, and left the door open behind him. Miss Langdon shut it herself.”

“Ah! that is interesting. Go on.”

“I didn’t hear much that was said, though I might had I cared to listen, for Miss Langdon’s voice was raised to a high pitch.”

“Did you hear anything?”

“Yes. I couldn’t help it. She almost shrieked the words.”

“What words?”

“Why, these: ‘If I was sure of it, her life wouldn’t be worth a penny.’”

“Were they still quarreling when you were sent out with Mr. Redway’s watch?”

“No, sir. At least, she seemed to have cooled off considerable.”

“When you came in what was Mr. Redway doing?”

“Washing his hands in that stationary basin over there,” said Jack, pointing to a lavatory behind a screen in one corner of the office.

“What did he say?”

“He seemed very much surprised and somewhat confused. I saw Miss Langdon lying on the desk that way, and, remembering the scene between them, I asked:

“‘Why, Mr. Redway, what ails her?’

“He said: ‘Jack, she has met with an awful accident.’

“Then I went up, and as soon as I saw she was dead I ran as fast as I could downstairs and met Mr. Gay coming up.”

“Did you ever see this pistol, Jack?”

“Yes, sir, often.”

“Where?”

“In Mr. Redway’s desk over there.”

“When did you see it last?”

“Yesterday.”

“Where?”

“In Miss Langdon’s hands.”

“What was she doing with it?”

“Loading it.”

“What for?”

“She said Mr. Redway had loaned it to her to shoot a cat.”

Nick’s mind instantly reverted to Redway’s evasive words about shooting cats.

“But she didn’t use it, I guess?” ventured Nick.

“I don’t know, but I reckon she tried it.”

“Why?”

“The pistol was not there last night after she went away.”

“Are you sure?”

“Quite sure. I went to the drawer for some blanks, and the pistol was gone, though the box of cartridges was still there.”

“Did you see the pistol this evening?”

“I haven’t seen it since till now.”

“It was on the floor, almost at the touch of Miss Langdon’s hand.”

“The one which hung down--had the glove on?”

“Yes.”

“You are mistaken, sir.”

“What do you mean?”

“I noticed the hand with the glove on when I went to look at her. There was no pistol near it.”

“You may not have noticed it.”

“I would have seen it if it had been there,” insisted Jack.

With a caution to the lad to keep sealed lips for a day or two Nick dismissed him.