Murder on the Celtic (29 page)

“No wonder she wanted revenge.”

“She wanted Pooley hurt but not killed. Since she'd visited his house often while his wife was away, she knew exactly where he kept his valuables. When she teamed up with Hammond,” said Genevieve, “she was able to give him precise instructions about where to go.”

“He claims that Pooley disturbed him during the burglary,” said Dillman, “but I'd question that. My feeling is that Hammond killed him out of spite, having already set up his escape on the
Celtic.
They brought a small fortune on board with them.”

“And added to it while they were here,” noted the purser. “The captain sends you his warmest congratulations. You not only solved a murder, you returned every item of stolen property to its rightful owner. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has been singing your praises ever since,” he went on, “though he is sad about Ruggles.”

“The barber who recited Sir Arthur's poems?” said Genevieve.

“That's him. He was sorely tempted. Ruggles was so guilt-ridden that he confessed to Sir Arthur. It all started when he gave David Lowbury a haircut.”

“Edward Hammond,” corrected Dillman.

“He knew him as Lowbury at the time. Nobby Ruggles yields to none in his worship of Sir Arthur, so he naturally began to talk about him to his customers. Lowbury was very interested, especially when Ruggles told him that he kept an album of cuttings about his hero.”

“I bet that Lowbury — Hammond, that is — asked to see it.”

“He did,” said Rutherford. “And there were several photographs of Sir Arthur. Some of them showed him holding his copy of
A Study in Scarlet.
The captions always explained that he never gave a lecture on Sherlock Holmes without it.”

“In other words,” Genevieve remarked, “Hammond knew that the novel would be in his cabin.”

“And having talked to Frank Spurrier, he had some idea of its value. When he mentioned a figure to Ruggles, the barber was amazed. He has a first edition of
Songs of Action,
it seems, an anthology of Sir Arthur's poems. Since he left the army,” continued the purser, “Ruggles has fallen on hard times. Barbers are not well paid. Having heard that an author's signature added to the value of any book, he got his copy of
Songs of Action
autographed, then took it to Lowbury's cabin to offer it to him.”

“But he wasn't there,” said Dillman. “He was skulking in steerage. And I doubt if Jane Lowbury opened the door to him.”

“She didn't, Mr. Dillman. She told him to go away. Ruggles was chastened. That book of poetry is the only thing of value he owns, yet, in a weak moment, he had been ready to part with it. He felt ashamed.”

“Is that why he owned up to Sir Arthur?”

“Apparently.”

“Then it was very noble of him.”

“Sir Arthur felt the same,” said Rutherford. “He even invited him in to recite one of the poems. Nobby Ruggles will brag
about that for the rest of his life. I, of course, would prefer to brag about the way that George Dillman and Genevieve Masefield cleaned up the crime spree on the
Celtic
.”

“That won't be possible,” said Dillman seriously. “Trumpet our success and we'd never be able to work for the White Star Line again. Every villain would know who we were and take steps to avoid us.”

“I accept that. It's such a pity we can't divulge details of the crimes to Sir Arthur. Think of the novel he could write about it.”

“That's exactly why he must never know,” said Genevieve.

“No,” added Dillman. “As far as he's concerned, this voyage was all about two séances, a performing barber and a missing copy of A
Study in Scarlet.
There's enough material there for a good author.”

CONRAD ALLEN
is the author of seven previous mysteries in this series featuring sleuths George Porter Dillman and Genevieve Masefield investigating murder aboard some of the most famous luxury liners of the early twentieth century, including the
Lusitania, Mauretania, Minnesota, Caronia, Marmora, Salsette,
and
Oceanic.
He lives in England.