Read Online Dutch Shoe Mystery by Ellery Queen - Free Book Online Page B

Velie seems bursting with information.”
    “Well, Thomas?” demanded the Inspector.
    “No one left the Hospital since 10:15 except Dr. Janney’s visitor. Cobb told us about this Swanson a few minutes ago outside,” Velie growled. “Got a list of some people who came into the building during that time, but we’ve checked ’em over and they’re all accounted for. Got ’em all in the building too—we haven’t let any one go out.”
    The Inspector beamed. “Excellent, Thomas, excellent! there you are, Ellery,” he exclaimed, turning to his son, “the Queen luck for you. Our murderer’s still in the building. Can’t get away!”
    “Probably doesn’t want to,” said Ellery dryly. “I shouldn’t be too hopeful about that. …And, dad—”
    “Well?” said the Inspector, suddenly glum. Janney looked up with a peculiar gleam in his eye.
    “A persistent idea has been buzzing about in my conk,” said Ellery dreamily. “Let’s assume, for the sake of argument and—” he bowed toward the surgeon—“and I should hope for the sake of Dr. Janney, that the gentleman who perpetrated this plot was not Dr. Janney but a rank and nervy impostor.”
    “Now you’re talking sense,” growled Janney.
    “And let us go further in our supposition,” continued Ellery, rocking on his toes and gazing at the ceiling, “by assuming that our slippery criminal, having a dark but valid reason for putting as much distance as possible between himself and the clothes which he wore, divested himself of these figuratively bloody garments and hid them somewhere. … Now we know that he hasn’t left the building. Is it too much to hope that by assiduously scouring the premises …”
    “Ritter!” barked the Inspector. “You heard Mr. Queen? Take Johnson and Hesse and start!”
    “I heartily detest,” grinned Ellery, “introducing a literary allusion at such a solemn moment—but Longfellow seems to have anticipated me. Remember? ’Till all that it foresees it finds. …’ And I sincerely pray you find, Ritter—if only for Dr. Janney’s peace of mind!”

Chapter Nine
IMPLICATION
    “A ND AGAIN,” SAID ELLERY , bowing deferentially to Dr. Janney as the door closed on the three detectives, “we return to the fountain-head of knowledge. Doctor … precisely who was your visitor?”
    Inspector Queen moved chairward. In walking across the room he trod softly, as if he were afraid of breaking a spell. Ellery stood in utter stillness—even the practical, unimaginative men circulating slowly about the room sensed something of the drama in his lightly worded question.
    Dr. Janney did not reply at once. He puckered his lip and frowned, as if within himself he was debating some abstruse problem known to him alone. And when he spoke his brow was untroubled.
    He said simply, “You’re making a fuss, Queen, about a very small matter. My visitor was a friend. …”
    “A friend by the name of Swanson.”
    “Exactly. He happens to be strapped financially, and he called upon me for a personal loan.”
    “Very laudable, very!” murmured Ellery. “He needed money, and he asked you for some. … Nothing mysterious about that, I agree!” …
    He smiled again. “Of course you gave it to him?”
    The surgeon stiffened. “Yes—my personal check for fifty dollars.”
    Ellery laughed outright, inoffensively. “Hardly an embarrassing touch, Doctor! You were lucky at that. … By the way, what is your friend’s full name?”
    He paused carelessly, as if his question were the most natural one in the world. Inspector Queen, keeping his eyes on Janney, explored his pocket and brought out a brown old snuff-box. Midway between the box and his nostrils, his hand stopped—waiting. …
    Janney’s rejoinder was curt. “I prefer not to tell you!” Inspector Queen’s hand continued its journey, performed its function and returned. He sniffed and rose, stepping forward with a mild look of inquiry on his placid features.
    But Ellery