Most Unethical
CONSTABLECLIFFORDlounged at the table in the police-station office, a cigarette in his mouth, an empty glass beside him, and the bottle sent over by Bony standing on a pile of papers. The tide had ebbed only an inch. Within the building it was very quiet; without, the silent night was disturbed by the raised voices of men. On Irwin coming in, the slightly envious Clifford asked:
“Bony still on his feet?”
“Too true. Took the postmaster home. Phew! That beer would make a cat sick.”
“Better try the whisky.”
“Thanks. What a man has to do for duty’s sake! He’s coming now.”
They watched the doorway, saw Bony enter. He was carrying a postal mail-bag on his back. Permitting the bag to slip to the floor with a thud, he regarded each with twinkling eyes, sat down and poured himself a drink… of soda water.
“Pleasant evening?” he asked Irwin, mildly.
“Very. You have a good time?”
“In spots. What gives?”
“You told me to concentrate on Linton, and especially a lead connectingBundred withStenhouse,” he said. “A good deal of old stuff comes into the picture again. Two years ago, a bag of registered mail matter was stolen between Agar’s Lagoon and Broome. Checking showed it was put on an aircraft here, but the bag wasn’t on the plane when it arrived at Broome. Stenhouse investigated, and Linton, whose headquarters are in Broome, flew out to take a hand. They never located that lostmail, and no article of it has subsequently turned up, so that it can’t be proved whether the bag was stolen, or what happened to it.”
From Irwin, Bony transferred his gaze to Clifford.
“We investigated at the Broome end,” Clifford said. “It was possible for that mail to have been stolen in transit from the post office to the aerodrome, or from the plane at several points at which it touched down between Agar’s Lagoon and Broome. As Irwin said, the check points were at both aerodromes. Stenhouse was unable to discover anything at this end.”
Irwin took up the story.
“According to Linton, DaveBundred had on several occasions prior to the disappearance of that mail-bag been reprimanded for slight neglect of duty, due toBundred being drunk and his wife having to deal with the mail. Linton insists that the lapses from compliance with regulations were not serious, but could have been taken advantage of by a clever thief to steal the bag of registered mail. He could find no dereliction of duty in connection with the actual loss of the bag.”
“You state thatStenhouse worked with Linton on that investigation,” Bony said. “Did you see his report to Inspector Walters, Clifford?”
“The report stated thatBundred was questioned, and that he gave all possible assistance. It also stated the length of timeBundred had been here, that his background was sound, that his character was good. A good character was also given to the man who contracts to carry mail and passengers between the airport and Agar’s Lagoon.”
“H’m! Anything more, Irwin?”
“Well, Linton says he’s convinced, in view ofBundred’s long service, that he’s honest enough, and that only of late years has he grown careless. If it wasn’t that Agar’s post office would be difficult to re-staff, he would have recommended the transfer ofBundred to a southern office where he’d have less responsibility.”
“I think a transfer is warranted,” observed Bony. “I wonder if it would be possible to obtain quickly a list of the lostitems? ”
“I asked Linton that, and he said he could supply a copy of the list from his files at Broome.”
“Good! When is Linton returning? Did he say?”
“Day after tomorrow.”
“Get a copy of that list… posted in a plain envelope.”
Irwin said, “You have any luck?”
“As the children say, I’m getting warm. I’ve never failed to finalize an investigation, and I shall not fail to prove who killed ConstableStenhouse and Jacky Musgrave. And why? I shall succeed because I have no respect for rules and regulations, and, when engaged on a murder hunt, I have no scruples and no ethics.”
“You’re telling me,” growled Irwin.
“I am reminding you,” Bony said, blandly.“Tired yet of gallivanting over the scenery with me, Irwin?”
“No, I’m liking it.”
“Then we’ll be off again in the morning as soon as you are ready. We’ll need plenty of spare supplies, for we have to go on walkabout like Pluto’s Mob. Where are you sleeping, Clifford?”
“Here at the station. In the roomStenhouse occupied.”
“Then you can take charge of this bag of mail and return it to the postmaster tomorrow. Tell him I had to alter my plans and will not be able to deliver it. You should see that my receipt for the registered stuff is cancelled.”
Bony up-ended the bag and emptied the contents on the table. He proceeded to sort it, watched by the now silent men, going through the letters and making two piles of them, then dealing with the packages and parcels. He replaced everything in the bag with the exception of one parcel addressed to Ezra Breen.
“I was happy to learn this evening that many of the younger folk in this great North-West are seeking to elevate their minds by the study of serious literature. In my youth we wasted vital time reading novels and comics.” Bony smiled, and Clifford really did look like the child waiting for the rabbit to emerge from a hat. “Ezra Breen, for one, expends the midnight oil gathering knowledge from medical and anthropological text-books, thathe might improve the quality of the beef they send to Wyndham.”
“What are you doing?” sharply demanded Irwin.
“Just having a peep into Ezra’s latest acquisition.”
“But you can’t do that, Bony. You can’t open other people’s mailed parcels. It’s registered, too.”
Busy with string knots, Bony looked up from his task.
“But I’m not doing any harm, Irwin,” he said, disarmingly. “Just want to take a look. Books have always been a weakness with me… especially good books. I like the scent of new books, and the feel of fine-quality paper. Just a little peep, and then I’ll remake the parcel and no one will ever know.”
“It’s against regulations,” Irwin objected. “If you must examine the contents of that parcel, then the addressee should be present, or we should obtain permission from the PMG.”
“Useless… both proposals. The addressee would rightfully decline to have his parcel opened by others in hispresence, or by himself in the presence of others.”
The string was untied, and, deliberately provocative, Bony studiously examined the gummed address label bearing the printed information that the parcel had been dispatched by V. Solly, Bookseller, Peppermint Grove, WA. Despite his protest, Irwin’s expression was of intense expectancy. Carefully unfolding the brown wrapping paper, Bony disclosed a new book having dark blue covers and in gilt lettering the title.
“H’m!” murmured Bony.“Useful knowledge on spraying heifers. Lawton’s Gynaecology, Volume one, Tenth Edition. Brand-new, too. I like the colour of the covers.”
Slowly he raised the cover and gently lifted the first few pages. There was disclosed a ragged hole gouged into the centre, and in the hole was a wad of bank-notes. Irwin’s breath hissed between his teeth, and Clifford exclaimed:
“What the hell!”
Bony proceeded to count the money with irritating deliberation, and with exasperating silence. Then, with continued deliberation, he replaced the notes, closed the book, and read and re-read the title, as though the damned title would supply the answers to questions seething in the minds of those two policemen.