Danger Point

Chapter 19

DALE JERNINGHAM sat on the far side of his own writing-table and faced the Inspector across it. They had never met before, but whereas Inspector March knew a good deal about Tanfield and Mr. Dale Jerningham, he himself was, as far as Dale was concerned, merely the new Inspector from Ledlington, and until this moment nameless. He sat with formal dignity in Dale’s writing-chair with a notebook open before him and a fountain pen in his hand. It was a well shaped, well kept hand, very strong. It went admirably with the rest of him. He was tall and well set-up – a noticeably good-looking man with clear blue eyes and fair hair burnt brown. When he spoke he used the unaccented English of the English public school.

“Well, Mr. Jerningham, I shall be very glad of your assistance. It’s a question of this man Pell. I believe he was in your employment?”

Dale said, “Yes.”

“And you dismissed him about a fortnight ago?”

“Rather over a fortnight ago.”

“Without notice?”

“He had a month’s wages.”

“May I ask why you dismissed him?”

Dale shifted in his chair. The change of position brought his left arm up over the back of it. He said with a kind of careless stiffness,

“Why does one dismiss anyone? It didn’t suit me to keep him.”

The Inspector appeared to consider this. In his own study Mr. Jerningham could give or withold information as he chose, but in a Coroner’s court he would be obliged to speak. He said gravely,

“Of course if you prefer not to make any statement until the inquest you are quite within your rights.”

He saw Dale frown, and thought his shot had gone home.

“I have not the slightest objection to making a statement.”

Mr. Jerningham could be haughty when he liked. He was being haughty now.

Inspector March permitted himself an inward smile.

“Thank you. I am sure you will understand that we want as much information as possible about this man Pell.”

Dale nodded.

“Naturally. I dismissed him on this girl’s account. I had no fault to find with his work – he is a very good mechanic. But he had been passing as a single man, and when it came out that he was married I had a complaint from the elder Miss Cole about his intentions to her niece.”

“Miss Cole asked you to dismiss him?”

“No – she wouldn’t do that. But she was very upset. She had just heard of his having a wife over at Packham – he comes from there. The Coles have been tenants of my family for a great many years, and I felt bound to do something about it. I gave the man his money and told him to clear out.”

“Did you know that he had got a job up at the aerodrome?” said the Inspector.

Dale’s shoulder lifted.

“Yes – it was none of my business. He’s an excellent mechanic.”

“Miss Cole did not make any further appeal to you?”

Dale shook his head.

“She came to see my wife yesterday afternoon.”

“Didn’t you see her yourself?”

“No.”

“And later in the evening Cissie Cole came here also – to see Mrs. Jerningham?”

“I believe she did.”

“You didn’t see her?”

“No.”

The Inspector sat back. Mr Jerningham had found his tongue, but was not very free with it. He said,

“Would you mind telling me what you yourself did during the rest of the evening?”

“Certainly. My cousin, Lady Steyne, drove me up to the aerodrome. I had fixed up to do some night flying.”

“Do you remember what time it was when you left the house?”

“About ten minutes past nine, I think.”

“Was Cissie Cole still here?”

“I don’t know – I suppose she was. We were having coffee on the terrace, and my wife had not come back. She was fetched away to see Cissie.”

“You didn’t happen to pass the girl in the drive then, or see her later?”

Dale shifted again. His arm came down. He said,

“Certainly not.”

“Did you go straight to the aerodrome?”

“Well, no, we didn’t. It was a lovely evening, and we drove about a bit.”

“Did you go in the direction of Tane Head?”

“Yes – in that sort of direction.”

“And did you stop your car and walk up on to the headland?”

Dale made an abrupt movement.

“Look here, Inspector-”

He met a very steady, intelligent gaze. Inspector March said equably,

“Lady Steyne’s car was seen standing by the track which leads on to the headland from Berry Lane. You will understand that I am anxious to know who else was on the cliffs last night. How long were you there?”

Dale Jerningham sat forward.

“I don’t know – some time – we walked about a bit.”

“Did you go right up to the headland?”

“Yes, I think we did.”

“Did you see anyone whilst you were there?”

“There were some children in the lane.”

“No one else?”

Dale was silent.

“Mr Jerningham, if you did see anyone, it is a serious matter for you to withhold the fact.”

There was a moment of doubt and something like strain. Then it gave. Dale said,

“I appreciate that. It is just because it may be serious that I hesitate. You see, the person I saw was Pell.”

The Inspector looked at him keenly.

“Where did you see him?”

“He was coming down from the headland. He passed us and got on his motorbike and rode away.”

“What time was that?”

“I don’t know – somewhere well before ten. There was still some light.”

“Did he see you?”

“I don’t know. We saw him.”

The Inspector was silent for a while. If Pell had a motor-bike, there would have been time to pick Cissie up at the gates of Tanfield Court or on the road into the village. There would have been time for him to reach the headland with her, leaving his machine in the lane or on the track to the cliff. There would have been time-

He asked suddenly, “Where was the motor-bike?”

“Up along the track,” said Dale.

“How far from the lane?”

“Half way to the cliff.”

“Was he in a hurry?”

“In the devil of a hurry. That is why I wasn’t sure whether he had seen us. He came running down the track, flung himself on the bike, started up, and went tearing away like mad.”

Inspector March wrote that down. He was thinking, “Well – ce n’est que le premier pas qui coûte. One minute he won’t say anything because the man is a poor devil who’s been in his employ, and the next he’s positively offering me the rope to hang him with.” He looked up and asked,

“You didn’t see any sign of the girl?”

“No.”

“Or hear any cry?”

“No- nothing. There are always seagulls.”

“What did you do after that, Mr. Jerningham?”

“I think we walked up towards the cliff.”

“And you neither saw nor heard anything of an unusual nature?”

“No.”

“And when did you reach the aerodrome?”

Dale leaned back.

“About eleven o’clock.”