Chief Inspector.” He rose from his desk and crossed over to shake hands, “Any good news to bring me?”
“Afraid not, sir. I just came along to ask one or two further questions. Purely routine.”
“Questions?” Mackinley motioned to an armchair and then pushed over the cigar box as Hargraves seated himself.
Hargraves shook his head. “Thanks, but no. Now, I have to ask you if—”
“Don’t you fellows at the Yard do anything else beside ask questions?” Mackinley growled. “This vanishing gold business is urgent—desperately so.”
“Quite so,” Hargraves said quietly. “I assure you I am doing my best endeavors, but I can also understand your anxiety. The fact remains you’ll have to trust the police because you can’t do anything without them.... Now, to a few questions. Have you any particular enemies?”
“I have a few—naturally.” Mackinley paced around the office with hands in trousers pockets.
“I’d like their names and addresses,” Hargraves said. “Have no fear but that everything will be treated confidentially.”
Mackinley went to the desk, scribbled on a memo pad, and then handed it over.
“There they are, and not the least bit of use to you, I’m afraid?”
Hargraves glanced down the list. Quite a few of the names were those of men famous in Throgmorton Street and on the stock exchange. He smiled to himself and then asked another question:
“Anybody else, privately, who thoroughly dislikes you?”
“Privately?”
“As apart from your business life. I mean. This is not an attempt to pry into your domestic affairs, but it’s possible there is something—or somebody.”
Mackinley shrugged. “Nothing specific, I’m afraid. I’ve a wife who doesn’t think I pay enough attention to her; a daughter who makes full use of the fact that I’m her wealthy father—and finally there’s young Jeff Cole.”
“Cole?”
“Judy’s so-called fiancé. Come to think of it, he doesn’t like me a bit, but that’s only because I strongly disapprove of his association with Judith.”
“Could I ask you to be more explicit,” Hargraves urged, making shorthand notes on the list of addresses Mackinley had given him.
“Explicit? In what way?”
“Your daughter and this Mr. Cole. Why do you disapprove of him?”
The Mackinley jaw set doggedly. “He isn’t high enough in the world for her. Not enough influence or background. Think of it! The daughter of Joseph Mackinley married to a garage proprietor. It isn’t to be thought of.”
“I’d rather like to see this Jeff Cole,” Hargraves said thoughtfully. “What’s his address?”
“He runs the Apex Garage on Morton Street—not far from here. He’s there pretty well all day so you’ll find him easily enough. But remember—this bank robbery is a secret! Nobody must know.”
“Sooner or later somebody’s got to,” Hargraves answered bluntly. “I’ll be as discreet as possible. But first I’d like a few words with your daughter. When’s a good time to catch her?”
“She ought to be at home now— And don’t go telling her more than you have to. I’ll do that myself.”
Hargraves rose to his feet. “Your family is bound to know in the end, Mr. Mackinley, but I’ll be as careful as I can. I’ll have a chat with her and let you know when anything develops.”
Mackinley hesitated over adding something, but he did not say it.
Hargraves left the office and went on his way, making his first call the Mackinley mansion.
A maidservant answered the door to him, and showed some astonishment as Hargraves showed his warrant card.
“I’m Chief Inspector Hargraves. Is Miss Judith Mackinley at home? I need to speak to her—urgently.”
The maid confirmed that Judith was at home, just as Mackinley had intimated she would be. She invited him into the house and ushered him into an enormous lounge.
He was asked to wait whilst the maid informed Mackinley’s daughter of his visit.
Moments later, with an air of considerable surprise, Judith herself came sweeping prettily into the enormous lounge.
“You—you want me, Chief Inspector?” She seemed quite unable to credit the fact, even when Hargraves again displayed his warrant card.
“I think perhaps you can help me, Miss Mackinley.”
Hargraves motioned her to a chair.
“Help you?” Judith sat down slowly. “But—but what have I done? Is it some parking offence that you’ve come about? Something I have done with the car, and shouldn’t have?”
“Nothing like that,” Hargraves smiled. He sat down himself and then looked at the girl steadily. He decided he liked what he saw.
“This concerns a matter connected with your father’s bank, Miss Mackinley. You don’t know about it yet, but it is inevitable that you must.”
The brown eyes opened wide. “The bank? But I don’t know anything about the bank, except that father owns it.”
“Quite so. To cut the preamble, Miss Mackinley, fifty million in gold has been stolen from the bank and it’s my job to find out who stole it and how it was done.”
“Oh!”
“I must ask you to treat the information in confidence, though I have no doubt your father will tell you the full facts later on.” He looked at the girl steadily.
“Your father wanted to tell you himself later on, but in my position I can’t make a move without revealing why I want information. That being clear, might I ask if you know anybody who has an intense dislike of your father?”
“Well—er—quite a few people, really. In his business he is bound to have some enemies.”
“Just so. He has supplied me with the names of certain business people who might wish him ill. I am concerned with—shall I say, private enemies. Those disliking him for purely domestic and social reasons.”
Judith relapsed into thought. “Only one person I can think of, but the dislike is all on daddy’s side, not Jeff’s.... I’m talking about Jefferson Cole, my fiancé.”
“Yes?” Hargraves said encouragingly.
“It’s nothing much, really, but daddy doesn’t like Jeff—so, of course, it’s mutual.”
“I see. Might I inquire the reason
