“If your demeanour means anything,” Marcsaid, “the news is not good.”
“I may’ve done the lad in,” Cobb sighed.
***
As was his custom, Marc sat silently and listened toCobb go over in minute detail his interviews with Tobias Budge, SirPeregrine Shuttleworth, Andrew Dutton, Horace Fullarton and CyrusCrenshaw. Later, after Cobb left, Marc would make copious notes onthe case and, as soon as he could thereafter, run them past Bethfor her comments and insights.
“So you can see, major,” Cobb finished up,“them stories all seem to fit with the times Gillian Budge give methis mornin’ – if they’re all tellin’ the truth, which ain’tlikely.”
“One of them isn’t, that’s for sure.”
“Well, we oughta remember that Fullarton’salready lied to you when he told you he didn’t see anythin’ in thealley through the coatroom window.”
“True. But of all the club members he isclosest to Brodie. I’m inclined to believe he thought it best forBrodie if he said nothing to me. After all, when I informed him ofthe arrest and impending charge, he did not know of Brodie’s ownsigned statement or that Brodie’s walking-stick was the murderweapon.”
Cobb looked skeptical, but all he said was,“So you still figure it was one of them swells who done it?”
“One of them, or Tobias Budge, has tobe the killer. I don’t for a second believe somebody unknown to usjust happened to wander into that alley and club Duggan todeath.”
“But I can’t find even a tiny disagreement inthese statements. Can you?”
“Not yet. But taken together, as you’vesummarized them, they do spell trouble for Brodie tomorrowmorning.”
Cobb sighed. “I was hopin’ I was wrong aboutthat.”
“The magistrate is sure to see thingsthis way,” Marc said, and Cobb settled back for a lawyerlysumming up. “Dutton leaves about nine-forty or so and claims tohave seen or heard nothing. Fullarton leaves about nine-forty-fiveand hears the first part of the altercation between Duggan andBrodie. Minutes later, Crenshaw says he saw a man leaning over anunconscious body. Budge, rummaging about the cellar, also observessome sort of struggle and then, some minutes later, sees a stickbeating down on the prone victim. Shuttleworth leaves last, just intime to spot a youthful, slim figure hot-footing it up thealley.”
“But none of ‘em will swear it was Brodiethey saw,” Cobb suggested.
“True. But Brodie’s own statement appears toconfirm the sequence of events in these witness-accounts, exceptthat Brodie conveniently omits reference to the clubbing thatfollowed the punch.”
“Jesus,” Cobb hissed. “It’s worse’n Ithought. I wish I’d never gone up there. If only one of them’d seenBrodie throw his punch an’ skedaddle – ”
“Perhaps one of them did, and isn’t saying,for obvious reasons. And you had no choice in the matter, did you?”Marc smiled. “You’ve become a first-class interrogator, and I’mproud of you.”
“Fat lot of good it’s done,” Cobb said,trying not to be too pleased with the compliment.
“You’ve done your job, Cobb, now it’sup to me to do mine.”
“But you can’t go to Thorpe in the mornin’an’ claim them Shake-spear-carriers all had good reason towant to kill a fella they didn’t know the name of till lastnight.”
“True. Until we can prove they had amotive, like ruthless and continuing blackmail, I can’t even hintat such a possibility.”
“But even with all the statements jibin’, youfigure it has to be one of them?”
“Certainly. Dutton could have heard theargument if he had decided to go back there, then hung about longenough to figure out who Duggan was, and made his move.”
Cobb grinned. He too had thought of that.
“Similarly, Fullarton admits he heard theexchange down there. If he deduced Duggan’s identity and role, allhe had to do was step into the shadows and wait for his chance.Likewise, Crenshaw could have seen Brodie crouched over Duggan and,instead of leaving, he goes out to help. But Brodie has alreadystarted to run. It’s also possible, Cobb, that Duggan came to – forCrenshaw or any of the others – and stupidly assumed he’d beendiscovered by another one of his victims. A quick exchange ofviews, a threat perhaps, and a deadly response with a handy weapon.You see, even Shuttleworth could have come across Duggan in thismanner.”
Cobb was impressed. “What about Budge?”
“Well, he was the only person who could haveseen and heard everything. In his cellar, I’ll bet he could hearthe club members exiting down the stairs right over his head. He’dknow when the coast was clear. Moreover, as we surmised fromDuggan’s list, Budge was likely a recent target and may havealready guessed who his blackmailer was.”
“An’ he had a handy exit to boot.”
“But, as you say, I can’t propose thesepossibilities without a demonstrable motive. And if we were to bewrong, even about one of those men whose initials appear onDuggan’s list, the consequences of a false accusation would becruel and unjust.”
“But Budge’s got his own separate motive,ain’t he – besides the blackmail? Duggan insulted one of hisbarmaids.”
“Right. And Budge may be all I’ve got todefend Brodie with in the morning.”
At the door, Cobb said, “You wouldn’t believewhat that barren-ette fella did.”
“Lampooned your Roman nose?”
“Tried to make an ass outta me.”
Cobb told Marc about Sir Peregrine’s requestthat he join the acting troupe and read for the part of Bottom theweaver.
Marc chuckled, despite his weariness. “Andwhat did you tell him?”
“Whadda you think?” Cobb grinned.
***
It was a sober group who met in James Thorpe’schamber at ten o’clock Friday morning. Cobb’s “notes” had beentransferred to paper by Gussie French and delivered to themagistrate by nine. Thorpe and Alf McGonigle, a crown attorneyinvolved in the current assizes, perused them carefully and,because the Attorney-General himself was in the building, had beenable to confer with him just before ten. When they got back fromhis office, they found Sturges, Cobb, Marc and Brodie alreadyseated – awaiting the verdict. Except for McGonigle, everyone inthe room knew everyone else.
With nothing more than a nod of greeting tothose sitting opposite him, Thorpe began: “Alf and I have gone overthese witness-statements recorded by Constable Cobb, and matchedthem scrupulously with Mr. Langford’s own sworn account of eventsin the alley behind The Sailor’s Arms. We have also conferred withthe Attorney-General. And unless there is material evidenceforthcoming that would contradict these testaments, the Crown willlay a charge of murder – cold-blooded, brutal murder – uponBroderick Langford.”
Brodie flinched but made no other response.Marc had had fifteen minutes to prepare the lad for thiseventuality.
“We haven’t found anything further,” Sturgessaid.
“But there is one other possibility in thiscase,” Marc said, and he was sure he saw relief in Thorpe’s face.McGonigle remained impassive.
Marc then broached the plausible theory thatTobias Budge, known to have a temper and known to have had a publiccontretemps with Duggan, took advantage of a situation he was in aperfect position to observe and assess: by killing Duggan andletting Brodie take the blame.
“But according to the constable’s report,Budge denies ever entering the alley,” Thorpe said reasonably.
“That is true, sir,” Marc said. “All I’msuggesting is that such a possibility deserves furtherinvestigation and that, pending such an investigation, Mr. Langfordshould be released under habeas corpus. He can always bere-detained later.”
“You’re suggesting that a mere dust-up in apub, a near-daily occurrence in a place like The Sailor’s Arms, isa more powerful motive than attempted blackmail?” McGonigle said.“A motive freely admitted by Mr. Langford?”
“Given Budge’s temperament and – ”
“I’m sorry, Marc,” Thorpe said. “It’s notenough. I’m ruling that Mr. Langford be bound over for trial.”