Presently came the voice of the
operator: "Have they answered yet?"
"No."
"I will ring them again."
Kerry's anxiety became acute, almost unendurable; and when at
last, after repeated attempts, no reply could be obtained from
his home, he replaced the receiver and leaned for a moment on the
desk, shaken with such a storm of apprehension as he had rarely
known. He turned to the inspector in charge, and:
"Let me have that envelope I left with you," he directed. "And
have someone 'phone for a taxi; they are to keep on till they get
one. Where is Sergeant Durham?"
"At the mortuary."
"Ah!"
"Any developments, Chief Inspector?"
"Yes. But apart from keeping a close watch upon the house of
Zani Chada you are to do nothing until you hear from me again."
"Very good," said the inspector. "Are you going to wait for
Durham's report?"
"No. Directly the cab arrives I am going to wait for nothing."
Indeed, he paced up and down the room like a wild beast caged,
while call after call was sent to neighbouring cab ranks, for a
long time without result. What did it mean, his wife's failure
to answer the telephone? It might mean that neither she nor
their one servant nor Dan was in the house.
Pages:
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112