The Golden Gizmo

wouldn't hurt the girl; it would hurt him, Toddy, if he didn't.

If, on the other hand, she had given him a warning or a threat, the chinless man should still be told. He and Chinless were riding the same boat temporarily. What hurt one was very apt to hurt the other.

So he had every reason to speak of this, the girl's attempt to make him leave. But he couldn't quite make up his mind to do it. He still hadn't when, a moment later, Alvarado and the dog came in.

15

The dog came directly to Toddy and hunkered down in front of him. With the air of one nagged by a worrisome problem, he gazed studiously into Toddy's face.

'Nrrrah?' he said. 'Nrrrah… t'ee?' Obviously the song both haunted and tantalized him. He could neither forget it nor recall the melody.

Toddy grinned despite, or, perhaps, because of his own serious situation. It was a relief to encounter something in this house so wholly undevious and understandable. He was humming the refrain of the hymn when a curt command from Alvarado interrupted.

Lugubriously, the dog moved away. Chinless dropped into a chair, rubbing his hands. He was feeling very pleased with himself, Chinless was. His shark's grin stretched from ear to ear.

'You have had some rest? Ah, yes, I can see you have. I see,'-he took an exaggerated sniff of the air-'that you have not been alone either. The girl lost no time in approaching you.'

'Maybe.' Toddy couldn't smell any perfume and he didn't think Alvarado could. It wouldn't mean anything, anyway, since she'd been in the room all evening. 'Maybe,' he said casually. 'She could have been in while I was asleep.'

Alvarado chuckled. 'I understand. It has been years since such matters interested me, but I understand well. She is an attractive girl. You have lost your wife-'

'Just,' said Toddy, 'just a few hours ago.'

'My apologies. My remarks were entirely out of order.'

'All right,' said Toddy.

'In rejoicing one is apt to become tactless, and I have reason to rejoice, Mr. Kent. We both do. The police may not be on your trail yet, but they soon will be. There is no question about it.'

Toddy stared at him incredulously. 'That's supposed to be good, is it?'

'Oh, very good. It-wait, please. I shall be glad to explain. I could not seriously doubt your story tonight; not after it had been confirmed by two men who obviously hated you. But my believing was not enough. My principles would demand more than that. So, I got more, much more than I expected.'

He chuckled gleefully again, then hurried on at Toddy's frown. 'I registered for a room at the hotel in the same wing yours is in. It was my intention to persuade the bellboy to let me look into yours-perhaps on the pretext that I smelled smoke coming from it. I had no way of knowing what I would find, if anything, but I felt certain that-'

'Get on with it,' Toddy broke in impatiently. 'You did get in. What did you find?'

'But I did not get in. Such was not necessary. The door was open and there were men inside. Detectives, beyond a doubt. I could only see one of them, and I could overhear only a snatch of their conversation. But that was sufficient. They were looking for your wife. Patently, they had been informed of her disappearance.'

'But'-Toddy frowned-'that means the body is gone.'

'Yes, it is very strange,' murmured Alvarado, lowering one eyelid in a wink. 'Very, very strange. Who would have a motive for removing the body? Not the murderer, certainly. To do so would conflict with his reason for committing the murder. So…'

'You're forgetting just one thing,' said Toddy. 'I didn't know the body was missing. I thought it was still there in my room.'

'Did you, Mr. Kent?'

'Yes!' snapped Toddy, and then he shrugged and lowered his voice. 'Let it ride. Let's have the rest of it.'

'Good,' Alvarado nodded sagely. 'The point is a delicate one and there is really no point in discussing it. What matters is that your wife was killed-and I know the identity of her murderer. Please!' He held up his hand. 'We can have no great amount of time to act. You had best let me explain in my own way.

'When I first missed the watch this afternoon, I notified our gold-supplier immediately. I did so reluctantly. As I have indicated, the man is no friend of mine. I detest him, in fact, and the feeling is reciprocated. Under the circumstances, however, I had no choice. He has many contacts in the gold trade; you might try to dispose of the watch. Such a potentially disastrous attempt had to be stopped at all costs.'

'I don't see-'

'You will, Mr. Kent. Not only is this man my enemy, but he has long been anxious to withdraw from this organization. He will not say so, of course. He is afraid to. He knows that when we are willing to dispense with a man's services we also dispense with him- permanently. As long as our organization was functioning, and unless we chose otherwise, he would have to remain part of it.

'So this afternoon, today, he saw his opportunity. We presented it to him, you and I. By killing your wife, he would force you into summary action against me to establish your own innocence. Inevitably the facts of our organization would be brought to light. It would be impossible for us to operate, if ever, for a very long time… That is why your wife was killed, Mr. Kent. So that this man might avenge himself upon me and free himself of an association which has become distasteful to him.'

Toddy frowned dubiously. 'I don't know,' he said, slowly. 'It seems to me like he had his own neck out pretty far.'

'Not in his opinion. Like many persons who confess to cleverness, he is inclined to overlook the fact that others may be shrewd also. He felt certain, no doubt, that I would never see through his plan.'

'Only you and they know who he is, is that right?'

'That is correct.' Alvarado smiled sympathetically. 'You have a right to know also, and you shall very shortly. I must lay the matter before my superiors and wait for their instructions, but that is a mere formality. The man will pay for his crime. There is not the slightest doubt about it.'

'How?'

'Well'-the chinless man pursed his lips-'I imagine he will become conscience-stricken, Mr. Kent. Remorse will compel him to confess to the murder-in writing, of course-after which he will commit suicide.'

He grinned mirthlessly. Toddy hesitated.

'I still don't see,' he said. 'I don't see why your people would go to such trouble to soak the guy. My wife meant nothing to them. He tried to get you, but you were trying to get him, too. He's never said he wanted to pull out of the racket, and-'

'I will tell you why,' Alvarado interrupted. 'Our work is sponsored by my government. It is a poor government, financially speaking, and an unpopular one; a ragged pariah among the commonwealth of nations. It must have gold to survive. It can get gold in this way. Lately, there have been indications that it might be able to secure loans from this country. There is much sentiment against them here, but there is some cause for hope. Can you imagine what would become of that hope if I, an agent of this already unpopular power, was charged with murder? With specifically the murder of a woman and an American citizen?'

'Yes,' Toddy nodded, 'I can.'

'You Americans are a peculiar people, Mr. Kent. You are undisturbed by what amounts to mass murder, but let one of you be killed- -a woman, in particular-and your entire nation is one voice demanding vengeance… That is why this man will be severely and promptly punished. For actually jeopardizing the security of my government for his own purposes.'

'Can you prove that he did?'

'I shall be able to. Within the next twenty-four hours, I hope. And please do not ask me how; I cannot tell you. In the meantime…'

'I'd better hide out?'