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.He was still searching his imagination uselessly when there was a knock on the door, hasty, but not assertive, as though the person would have been pleased enough had there been no answer and he could have left again."Come in!" Monk said loudly.The door opened and a stout young man came in.He wore a constable's uniform.His eyes were anxious, his rather homely face pink."Yes?" Monk inquired.The young man cleared his throat."Mr.Monk, sir?""Yes?" Monk said again.Should he know this man? From his wary expression there was some history in their past which had been important at least to him.He stood in the middle of the floor, fidgeting his weight from one foot to the other.Monk's wordless stare was making him worse."Can I do something for you?" Monk tried to sound reassuring."Have you something to report?" He wished he could remember the man's name."No sir—I mean yes sir, I 'ave something to ask you." He took a deep breath."There's a report of a watch turned up at a pawnbroker's wot I done this arternoon, sir, an'— an' I thought as it might be summink ter do with your gennelman as was murdered—seein' as 'e didn't 'ave no watch, just a chain, like? Sir." He held a piece of paper with copperplate handwriting on it as if it might explode.Monk took it and glanced at it.It was the description of a gentleman's gold pocket watch with the initials J.G.inscribed ornately on the cover.There was nothing written inside.He looked up at the constable."Thank you," he said with a smile."It might well be-right initials.What do you know about it?"The constable blushed scarlet."Nufflnk much, Mr.Monk.'E swears blind as it was one of 'is reg'lars as brought it in.But you can't believe anyfink 'e says 'cause 'e would say that, wouldn't 'e? He don't want ter be mixed up in no murder."Monk glanced at the paper again.The pawnbroker's name and address were there and he could follow up on it any time he chose."No, he'd doubtless lie," he agreed."But we might learn something all the same, if we can prove this was Grey's watch.Thank you—very observant of you.May I keep it?""Yes sir.We don't need it; we 'as lots more agin 'im." Now his furious pink color was obviously pleasure, and considerable surprise.He still stood rooted to the spot."Was there anything else?" Monk raised his eyebrows."No sir! No there in't.Thank you, sir." And the constable turned on his heel and marched out, tripping on the doorsill as he went and rocketing out into the passage.Almost immediately the door was opened again by a wiry sergeant with a black mustache."You o'right, sir?" he asked, seeing Monk's frown."Yes.What's the matter with—er." He waved his hand towards the departing figure of the constable, wishing desperately that he knew the man's name." 'Arrison?""Yes.""Nothin'—just afeared of you, that's all.Which in't 'ardly surprisin', seein' as 'ow you tore 'im off such a strip in front o' the 'ole station, w'en that macer slipped through 'is fingers—which weren't 'ardly 'is fault, seein' as the feller were a downright contortionist.'Arder to 'old then a greased pig, 'e were.An' if we'd broke 'is neck we'd be the ones for the 'igh jump before breakfast!"Monk was confused.He did not know what to say.Had he been unjust to the man, or was there cause for whatever he had said? On the face of it, it sounded as if he had been gratuitously cruel, but he was hearing only one side of the story—there was no one to defend him, to explain, to give his reasons and say what he knew and perhaps they did not.And rack and tear as he might, there was nothing in hismind, not even Harrison's face—let alone some shred about the incident.He felt a fool sitting staring up at the critical eyes of the sergeant, who plainly disliked him, for what he felt was fair cause.Monk ached to explain himself! Even more he wanted to know for his own understanding.How many incidents would come up like this, things he had done that seemed ugly from the outside, to someone who did not know his side of the story?"Mr.Monk, sir?"Monk recalled his attention quickly."Yes, Sergeant?""Thought you might like to know as we got the mags-man wot snuffed ol' Billy Marlowe.They'll swing 'im for sure.Right villain.""Oh—thank you.Well done [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]