Call Mr. Fortune : A Thriller

[Dark Saint Alaick]

"You washed him before, I see. Any one else touched him but you?"
"Only carrying him, sir. I've been with him the whole time. I found him."
"Oh. Lying on his face, I suppose?"
"No, sir. On his back. Just like he is now."
"Oh. Notice anything?"
"No, sir, I wish I had. I'd like to have the handling of the bounder that did it."
"Well, well, we mustn't get excited. Preserve absolute calm. Holt. He's well liked, is he?"
"Why, sir, we'd do anything for him. He - oh, he's a gentleman."
"Quite so. You mustn't leave him a moment. No one - see, no one - is to come into the room. I'll be back soon."
"Very good, sir. Beg pardon, sir." The good Holt flushed. "What's the verdict?"
"It's not all over yet!" Reggie went downstairs.
And it appeared to him that he interrupted the Archduke and the Archduchess in a quarrel. But the Archduke was very pleased to see him, effusive in offering a chair, and so forth. Reggie was not gratified. "I must have nurses, sir," he announced. "I should like another opinion."

[Dark Saint Alaick]

"You see!" the Archduchess cried. "It is as I told you. This boy!"
"The Archduchess is naturally anxious,'* the Archduke apologized. "By all means nurses. But another opinion - you must have confidence in yourself, my good friend."
"I have. But I want Sir Lawson Hunter to see the case."
The Archduke shrugged. "It is serious then, Dr. Fortune? We do not wish a great noise. Is it not so, Ianthe?"
"I would give my soul to be quiet," she cried.
"Quite," said Reggie.
"Very well. Discretion, then, you understand, my good friend."
"I'll telephone to Sir Lawson at once."
"Indeed? It is serious, then?"
"It's a bad concussion." Reggie bowed and made for the door.
"You - Dr. Fortune -- " the Archduchess cried. "Will he - what will happen?"
"There's no reason we shouldn't hope, madame," Reggie said, and paused a moment watching them. Emotion plays queer tricks with faces. They were both in the grip of emotions.
Sir Lawson Hunter is rather fat and his legs are rather short. His complexion is greyish and his eyes look boiled. People call him dyspeptic, though his capacious stomach has never known an ache: or imagine that he drinks, though alcohol and physicians are his chief abominations. His European reputation as a surgeon has been won by knowing his own mind.

[Dark Saint Alaick]

Reggie met him at the door and took him upstairs before that puzzling pair, the Archduke and the Archduchess, had a sight of him. "Glad you could come, sir. It's an odd case."
"Every case is odd," said Sir Lawson Hunter.
"He was knocked down by a car. The -- "
"If he was, I can find it out for myself. Damme, Fortune, don't bias me. Most unprofessional. That's the worst of general practice. You fellows must always be saying something."
Reggie held his peace. He knew Sir Lawson's little ways, having been his house surgeon. The faithful Holt was turned out of the room. Sir Lawson Hunter went over the senseless body with his usual speed and washed his hands.
"Splendid animal," he remarked. "They run to that, these Pragas. I remember his uncle's abdominal muscles. Heroic. Well. He was walking. A big car driven fast hit him from behind on the right side, fractured two ribs, and knocked him down. Impact of his head on the road has caused a serious concussion. That car should have stopped."
Reggie smiled. "Oh, one of the odd things is that it didn't."
"There's a damned lot of road hogs about, my boy." said Sir Lawson heartily. He was himself fond of high speed. "Well. They sent out, I suppose. Found him lying on his face unconscious."
"No, sir."
"What?" Sir Lawson jumped. "He was lying on his back." "Oh, that's absurd."
"Yes, sir. But I've seen his valet who found him."
"These fellows have no observation," Sir Lawson grunted, but there was some animation in his boiled eye. "Damme, Fortune, he ought to have been on his face."

[Dark Saint Alaick]

"Yes, sir."
"Miracles don't happen."
"No, sir."
"Now these abrasions on the legs. As if the car had been driven at him again while he lay. A queer thing. Or have there been two cars at him? "
"And there is this too, sir." Reggie held out the sliver of steel.
" I saw the puncture. I was coming to that. Humph! Whoever put this in meant business."
"And didn't know his job. It slipped along the bone and missed everything."
Sir Lawson turned the thing over. "A woman's hatpin. About half a woman's hatpin."
"Fresh fracture. Broke as it was pushed in."
"They're a wild lot," said Sir Lawson, and smiled. "You have no nerves, Fortune?"
"I believe not, sir."
"This ought to be the making of you. You want shaking up. You must stay in the house. By the way, who's in the house?"
"The Archduchess, of course -- "
"Ianthe. Yes. Aunt's in a mad-house. Ianthe. Yes. Crazy on motoring. Drives her own car. And have you see Ianthe - since?" Sir Lawson nodded at the body on the bed.

[Dark Saint Alaick]

"She is very excited."
"Is she really?" Sir Lawson laughed. "Is she, though? How surprising!''
"She is surprising, sir."
"What? What? Be careful, my boy. Handsome creature, isn't she?"
"Yes, sir." Reggie declined to be amused. "The Archduke Leopold is staying with them."
"Leopold. He's the dandy entomologist. He's tame enough. Well, he's the head of the house after this fellow. Better tell him." He blinked at Reggie. "You have nurses you can trust? Well, we'll stay in the room till one comes, my boy. Our friend of the hatpin won't miss a chance. These Royal families they're a criss-cross of criminal tendencies. Hohenzollerns, Hapsburgs, Pragas, Wittelsbachs - look at the heredity."
"There was another running-down case here tonight. The man was killed - fractured skull. He was left on the road too. And another queer thing - he was much the same build as the Archduke Maurice."
"Good Gad!" Sir Lawson was startled out of his omniscient manner, an event unknown in Reggie's experience. "There's something devilish in it. Fortune. One murder-the wrong man dead - and then try again at once the same way. Imagine the creature looking at that poor dead wretch and jumping on the car again to drive it on at the other man. Diabolical! Diabolical!"
"I don't think I have much imagination, sir," said Reggie, who was not impressed by ineffective emotion.
There was a gentle tap at the door, a nurse came and was given her instructions, and the two men went down to the Archduke Leopold.
He had changed his clothes. He was now in a claret-coloured velvet which did violence to his complexion and his pale beard. He sat in the smoking-room with a book on the entomology of Java and a glass of eau sucree. He smiled at them and waved them to chairs.

[Dark Saint Alaick]

" I have to tell you, sir, that your brother lies in grave danger," said Sir Lawson.
Reggie looked at him sideways.
"Ah, the concussion! It is serious, then? I am deeply distressed."
"The concussion is most serious. There's another matter. In your brother's chest above the heart, at which it must have been aimed, we have found-this."
" Mon Dieu! It is a hatpin-a woman's hatpin. But it is incredible! It is murder."
"Attempted murder."
"But what do you suggest, sir? Do you accuse some one?"
"Not my function. That pin was driven at your brother's heart by some one. Can you tell me any more, sir?"
The Archduke buried his face in his hands. "I will not believe it," he muttered - "I will not believe it." After a little he controlled himself. "Gentlemen, you have a right to my confidence. I will tell you everything. I trust you to do all that is possible for my poor brother and for the honour of our family, which to him, as to me, is dearer than life. You know that he is the heir to the throne of Bohemia. My uncle, the Emperor, has long been vexed with his living in England. I came here to persuade my brother to go back to his country. My poor brother had made his home here at the wish of the Archduchess, who dislikes the duties of royalty. He was passionately, madly, in love with her. But, alas! in these love marriages there is often difficulty. They were not of the same mind upon many things, and the Archduchess is of a vehement temper. I fear - but you will forgive me if I say no more. I take one small thing. My brother loved to go walking. The Archduchess is passionately fond of her motor-car, drives it herself, loves wild speed. My brother detested motor-cars. I fear that my coming gave them cause for fresh quarrels. My brother was ready to go back to Bohemia. The Archduchess was violently opposed to it. I confess to you, gentlemen, I have feared some scandal, "some madness. I thought she would leave him. But this - it is appalling."

[Dark Saint Alaick]

"The Archduchess was out in her motor-car tonight?" Sir Lawson said.
"Yes. Yes. It is true. But this - must we think it?"
"We have to think of nothing but our duty to our patient," said Sir Lawson.
The Archduke grasped his hand. "You are right. I thank you. I shall not forget your fidelity."
The Archduchess whirled into the room. She, as Reggie remarked, had not cared to change her clothes. She had not even touched her hair, which was escaping in a wild disorder from under her hat. "They will not let me see him," she cried. "Leopold -- "
"It is by my instructions, madame," Sir Lawson said. "I am responsible for the Archduke's safety."
She bit her lip. "Is he so hurt?" she said unsteadily.
"He lies in very grave danger, madame. I permit no one in his room."
She stared at him, her throat quivering, her great eyes bold and bright. Then with a little shrug she turned away and, plucking at the gold things which jingled from her waist, took out a cigarette and lit it. Reggie saw one of those foreign matches with the violet heads.
Sir Lawson made his bow, and Reggie went with him to his car. "Why did you tell them that the Archduke was in grave danger?" he said.
"He'll be safer if they believe he is going to die," said Sir Lawson.
"Oh, do you think so?" said Reggie, as the car shot away.
Then he made an excellent supper and slept sound.

[Dark Saint Alaick]

He found his patient peaceful in the morning. No sign of consciousness yet, but more colour in the cheeks, a deeper breathing and a stronger pulse, more warmth. "The Archduchess has come twice in the night to ask about him, doctor," the nurse said. "I told her he was no better."
'' Did she make a noise?'' Reggie frowned.
"No, she was very good."
Reggie went out to take the air, and the air is not bad on the Westhampton heights. He made a good pace under the great beeches of Boldrewood, and came out on the open road across the heath. Just there he had found the dead man. A dull red stain could still be seen. It was farther on that the Archduke was struck. Just beyond the turn to Brendon. He found the place. There was a loosening of the road, as if a heavy car had been brought up sharply or made a violent swerve. He walked to and fro scanning the ground. Another of those foreign matches.
He was just picking it up when a motor-car stopped a few yards away. Two men jumped out and came towards him. One was middle-aged and singularly without distinction. The other had a youthful and very jaunty air, and it was only when he came near that Reggie saw the fellow was old enough to be his father. An actor's face, with that look of calculated expression, and an actor's way of dressing, a trifle too emphatic. His present part was the gay young fellow.
"Dr. Fortune, I think? " He smiled all over his face.
"I am Dr. Fortune."
"Reconstructing the crime, eh? Oh, you needn't be discreet. I'm Lomas - Stanley Lomas - Criminal Investigation Department, don't you know? Sir Lawson Hunter came round to me last night. Patient's doing well, I see. That's providential. Just a moment - just a moment." He skipped away from Reggie to his companion, and they went over the ground. But Reggie thought them very superficial. Lomas skipped back again. "He didn't bleed, then. The other man did, though - the man you found."
"In the middle of the road. And I found him dead in the gutter."

[Dark Saint Alaick]

"It's quaint what the criminal don't think of. I'm surprised every time. Did you find anything here?"
Reggie held out his match. "There were two more like that by the other man."
Lomas turned it over. "Belgian make. You buy them all over the Continent, don't you know."
"The Archduchess carries them."
"Now, that's very interesting. If you don't mind I'll walk up to the house with you." Upon the way he praised the beauties of nature and the quality of the morning air.
As they came to the door of Boldrewood a big car passed them with the Archduchess driving alone. Lomas put up his eyeglass. "She's not overcome with grief, what?"
"Not quite."
"Might be bravado, don't you know."
"I don't know."
"It takes some of them that way," Lomas said pensively. He turned on the steps of the house and looked after the car as it wound in and out among the beeches. " Striking woman. Yes. I'll come up to your room, if you don't mind."
"I thought you wanted to say something," Reggie said.
Lomas did not answer till they were upstairs. "Well, no. Not to say anything," he resumed, and lit a cigarette. " I want another opinion, as you fellows say. Sir Lawson Hunter has made up his mind."

[Dark Saint Alaick]

"Oh, he always does that."
Lomas lifted an eyebrow. "Well, look at it. Somebody in a car laid for our Archduke. The other poor devil was cut down by mistake. And the somebody had nerve enough to go on. That's striking. The Archduchess comes of pretty wild stock. In love or out of love she wouldn't stick at a trifle. You find her matches by each body. You find a hatpin in the Archduke. That's a blunder, what? Yes, but it's a woman's blunder. She finds he isn't quite dead after all her trouble, she is desperate, and - wild." He made a gesture of stabbing.
"So you've made up your mind too, Mr. Lomas? "
Lomas blew smoke rings. "I'm wasting your time, doctor. I want to know - has it occurred to you - the Archduchess and the Archduke Leopold - working it together? If she's fallen in love with Leopold. That straightens it out, don't you know."
"Guess again," Reggie said.
Lomas lit another cigarette. "Well, that's what I want to know. You saw them together just after the crime." He lifted an eyebrow.
"Nothing doing," said Reggie.
"I'm afraid so. I'm afraid so. It's a disturbing case, doctor. Nothing doing, as you say. If I had all the evidence in my hands, I expect there's no one I could touch. You can't indict royalty. The Archduke's smash - well, let's say it's all in the family. But this poor devil they killed! Who's to pay for him? These royal dagoes come over and run amuck on an English road, and I can't touch them. Disheartening, what? That's the trouble, doctor."
Reggie nodded and, as his breakfast made its appearance, Lomas rose to go. He would not have even coffee. "Better get busy, don't you know. We must see if we can put the fear of God into them. If they'll go scurrying back to Bohemia it's the best way out." He skipped off, his jauntiness put on again like a coat.