Terror by Night Page #4

the Edinburgh Police

to check up on that

mathematics professor.

Interesting.

Now what?

Well just a coincidence.

What's a coincidence?

The fact that this

fellow Kilbane,

happens to be a professor

of mathematics.

Oh.

Come again Mr. Holmes.

Lestrade did you

ever hear of

Colonel Sebastian Moran?

Well of course I did.

What about him?

Well then as you know,

Colonel Sebastian Moran

was the most sinister,

ruthless and diabolic,

clever henchmen

of our late but

unlamented friend,

Professor Moriarity.

I've never seen him

but I've been conscious

of his presence

more than once.

As a matter of fact,

he was directly

responsible

for what very nearly

turned out to be

my premature death

on three

separate occasions.

Very pretty, Mr. Holmes,

what's all that got

to do with all this?

Possibly nothing.

However, his specialty

was spectacular

jewel robberies

and for relaxation

he was addicted to the

study of mathematics.

Are you referring that

this Professor Kilbane

is Colonel

Sebastian Moran?

That he murdered

young Carstairs

and stole the diamond?

Well what

about this woman,

this Vivian Vedder,

what about her?

No one's above suspicion.

And Lady Margaret,

she might have a motive

for wanting the Star

of Rhodesia stolen.

She wasn't very concerned

over the death of her son.

And this friend of

Doctor Watson's,

this Major Duncan Bleek,

might suggest it's

sensible to suspect him.

No.

As far as we know

only

four persons knew

the Star of Rhodesia

was on this train,

yourself,

Doctor Watson,

the murdered...

the dead lad

and myself.

And Lady Margaret.

And Lady Margaret.

I'll have another talk

with her ladyship.

Lady Margaret do you

mind if I come in?

Well Holmes?

You can leave it

open, will you?

Lucky beggar.

Who's a lucky beggar?

Duncan Bleek.

Been playing

cards with him.

He won all the

way across,

however the expression is.

Have you been with

him all this time?

Yeah, just left him.

He introduced me to

a new fangled game.

Gin Rummy he called it.

It's American I believe.

Sort of bookkeeping

connected with it.

You ever hear of it?

Still looking for the

murderer, Inspector?

Impossible fellow.

Vanished into thin air.

There you are.

Where on Earth

have you been?

I asked you

where'd you been.

Well

what's happened?

I've been observing

the landscape

from the dark end

of the corridor.

I just been along there,

I didn't see you.

The door was shut.

Naturally

I was on the outside.

The outside?

Yes.

You must try it sometime.

Lets go take a look

at that coffin.

Do you remember

I was interrupted

the last time?

Sorry.

I'm Sherlock Holmes.

Do you mind if I

inspect the coffin

you're taking to Scotland?

No one is allowed

in here Mr. Holmes.

I'll take the

responsibility, excuse me.

Did it ever occur

to you Watson

that this is a very

unusual coffin?

I don't know, a

trifle ornate perhaps.

I wasn't thinking of

the fittings as the...

do you mind if we open it?

It's forbidden sir.

Sorry.

Come on Watson.

But you can't do that sir.

We'll have to.

Excuse me please.

Poor old lady.

As I thought.

Swallow.

The body only comes

down to about here.

Well you think there's

a secret compartment

underneath?

There has to be.

Empty.

Yes but it's been

recently occupied.

Lets ask Lestrade

to come in here

he's with Lady Margaret.

Right back Holmes.

Have you let anyone

else in here?

No.

Mathematics hey?

Gives me something to do.

Come quick.

What is it?

It's the coffin.

Holmes found a

false bottom in it.

There's enough room for

the murderer to hide in.

What is all

this Mr. Holmes?

There's where

your murderer's

been hiding Lestrade.

Then it's just a question

of finding him isn't

it Mr. Holmes?

Not him, them.

Huh?

This affair's obviously

the work of two men.

The one who planned

and the other who

hid in the coffin

and at prearranged time

emerged to

commit the murder

and affect the robbery.

What are you

talking about?

Colonel Sebastian Moran.

You got that man on

the brain Mr. Holmes.

My dear Lestrade,

I accepted this case

because I was

virtually certain

that Colonel

Sebastian Moran

could not resist such

a tempting morsel

as the Star

of Rhodesia.

I'm convinced that

he's the brains

behind this case

and that he's

on this train.

Oh and how would you

go about finding out,

which one of

the passenger's

is this Colonel

Sebastian Moran?

If he is one of

the passengers.

Well I suggest you start

by questioning Ms. Vedder.

It might prove

interesting.

Huh?

Oh.

Who's there?

Ms. Vedder, I want to

ask you a few questions

and I must warn you,

anything you say may

be used against you.

Oh?

Now about your mother.

It isn't your mother

after all is it?

Perhaps if you explain.

That coffin,

we've examined it.

And found the

secret compartment.

Oh come on, let's have it.

Have what?

Your story.

If you insist.

A man approached me

and ask me to take a

coffin to Scotland.

He offered me a

hundred pounds.

Were you aware

that the coffin had a

secret compartment?

I was.

What story did this

person tell you

to account for a man being

concealed in the coffin?

That someone had

to leave London.

Foreign agents were

watching the trains.

Foreign agents.

All right.

Maybe I didn't believe

that foreign agent story.

You realize, of course,

this makes you

an accomplice?

What was the name of the

man who approached you?

I don't remember.

Ms. Vedder,

the man who engaged you

to take this

coffin to Scotland

was it by any chance

this man here?

I say old man aren't

you making a mistake?

My dear Watson,

just what do you know

about Major Duncan Bleek?

I've known him for years.

He's a member of my club.

I say is this a joke?

Does the name,

Colonel Moran,

mean anything to you sir?

Colonel Moran?

Yes, Colonel

Sebastian Moran.

Why I'm afraid it doesn't.

Good heavens you

don't think that I...

No no no of course not,

you have the

perfect alibi,

Doctor Watson.

Yes yes yes of course.

Good heavens gentlemen,

you are at perfect liberty

to search my compartment

or to search me.

And if you find

the diamond I...

No that won't

be necessary.

The Star of Rhodesia

has not been stolen.

What's that Mr. Holmes?

An imitation was stolen

I have the real one.

You've got it?

My dear Lestrade,

surely you didn't think

I would allow

Lady Margaret

to retain the

genuine diamond.

When I felt

reasonably certain

that an attempt would

be made to steal it

I have had it in

my possession

almost from the moment

I boarded the train.

Confound it, Mr. Holmes,

you had no

right to do that.

This is a police matter

come on let me have it.

My job was to see that

it wasn't stolen,

it wasn't.

Look I don't know what

this is all about

but I do know that

I never seen

this gentleman

before in my life.

I shall have to ask you

to remain in

your compartment

until we reach Edinburgh.

Inspector Lestrade?

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