The Roman Hat Mystery (30 page)

Broadway and its threaded canyons were deserted in the chill wind of the morning as the two men walked briskly down 47th Street towards the Roman Theatre. A drab-coated man lounged on the sidewalk before the closed glass doors of the lobby; another leaned comfortably against the high iron fence which cut off the left alley from the street. The dumpy form of Louis Panzer was visible standing before the central door of the theatre, in conversation with Flint.

Panzer shook hands excitedly.
“
Well, well!
”
he cried.
“
So the ban is to be lifted at last! . . . Exceedingly happy to hear that, Inspector.
”

“
Oh, it isn
’
t exactly lifted, Panzer,
”
smiled the old man.
“
Have you the keys? Morning, Flint. Rest up any since Monday night?
”

Panzer produced a heavy bunch of keys and unlocked the central door of the lobby. The four men filed in. The swarthy manager fumbled with the lock of the inside door and finally managed to swing it open. The dark interior of the orchestra yawned in their faces.

Ellery shivered.
“
With the possible exceptions of the Metropolitan Opera House and Titus
’
Tomb, this is the most dismal theatorium I
’
ve ever entered. It
’
s a fitting mausoleum for the dear departed . . . .
”

The more prosaic Inspector grunted as he pushed his son into the maw of the dark orchestra.
“
Get along with you! You
’
ll be giving us all the
‘
willies.
’
“

Panzer, who had hurried ahead, turned on the main electric switch. The auditorium leaped into more familiar outlines by the light of the big arcs and chandeliers. Ellery
’
s fanciful comparison was not so fantastic as his father had made it appear. The long rows of seats were draped with dirty tarpaulin; murky shadows streaked across the carpets, already dusty; the bare whitewashed wall at the rear of the empty stage made an ugly splotch in the sea of red plush.

“
Sorry to see that tarpaulin there,
”
grumbled the Inspector to Panzer.
“
Because it will have to be rolled up. We
’
re going to conduct a little personal search of the orchestra. Flint, get those two men outside, please. They may as well do something to earn the city
’
s money.
”

Flint sped away and returned shortly with the two detectives who had been on guard outside the theatre. Under the Inspector
’
s direction they began to haul the huge sheets of rubberized seat covers to the sides, disclosing rows of cushioned chairs. Ellery, standing to one side near the extreme left aisle, withdrew from his pocket the little book in which he had scribbled notes and drawn a rough map of the theatre on Monday night. He was studying this and biting his under-lip. Occasionally he looked up as if to verify the layout of the theatre.

Queen bustled back to where Panzer was nervously pacing the rear.
“
Panzer, we
’
re going to be mighty busy here for a couple of hours and I was too shortsighted to bring extra men with me. I wonder if I may impose upon you . . . . I have something in mind that requires immediate attention
―
it would take only a small part of your time and it would help me considerably.
”

“
Of course, Inspector!
”
returned the little manager.
“
I
’
m only too glad to be of assistance.
”

The Inspector coughed.
“
Please don
’
t feel that I
’
m using you as an errand boy or anything like that, old man,
”
he explained apologetically.
“
But I need these fellows, who are trained in searches of this kind
―
and at the same time I must have some vital data from a couple of the District Attorney
’
s men who are working downtown on another aspect of the case. Would you mind taking a note for me to one of them
―
name of Cronin
―
and bring back the parcel he gives you? I hate to ask you to do this, Panzer,
”
he muttered.
“
But it
’
s too important to trust to an ordinary messenger, and
―
ding it all! I
’
m in a hole.
”

Panzer smiled in his quick birdlike fashion.
“
Not another word, Inspector. I
’
m entirely at your service. I
’
ve the materials in my office if you care to write the note now.
”

The two men retired to Panzer
’
s office. Five minutes later they reentered the auditorium. Panzer held a sealed envelope in his hand and hurried out into the street. Queen watched him go, then turned with a sigh to Ellery, who had perched himself on the arm of the seat in which Field had been murdered and was still consulting the penciled map.

The Inspector whispered a few words to his son. Ellery smiled and clapped the old man vigorously on the back.

“
What do you say we get a move on, son?
”
said Queen.
“
I forgot to ask Panzer if he had succeeded in reaching this Mrs. Phillips. I guess he did, though, or he would have said something about it. Where in thunder is she?
”

He beckoned to Flint, who was helping the other two detectives in the back-breaking task of removing the tarpaulin.

“
I
’
ve one of those popular bending exercises for you this morning, Flint. Go up to the balcony and get busy.
”

“
What am I supposed to be looking for today, Inspector?
”
grinned the broad-shouldered detective.
“
Because I hope I have better luck than I did Monday night.
”

“
You
’
re looking for a hat
―
a nice, shiny top piece such as the swells wear, my boy,
”
announced the Inspector.
“
But if you should come across anything else, use your lungs!
”
Flint trotted up the wide marble staircase towards the balcony. Queen looked after him, shaking his head.
“
I
’
m afraid the poor lad is doomed to another disappointment,
”
he remarked to Ellery.
“
But I must make absolutely certain that there
’
s nothing up there
―
and that the usher Miller who was guarding the balcony staircase Monday night was telling the truth. Come along, lazybones.
”

Ellery shed his topcoat reluctantly and tucked the little book away in his pocket. The Inspector wriggled out of his ulster and preceded his son down the aisle. Working side by side they began to search the orchestra pit at the extreme end of the auditorium. Finding nothing there, they clambered out into the orchestra again and, Ellery taking the right side and his father the left, began a slow, methodical combing of the theatre premises. They lifted the seats; probed experimentally into the plush cushions with long needles which the Inspector had produced mysteriously from his breast pocket; and kneeled to examine every inch of the carpet by the light of electric torches.

The two detectives who had by now completed the task of rolling up the tarpaulin began, on the Inspector
’
s brief command, to work through the boxes, a man to each side of the theatre.

For a long time the four men proceeded in silence, unbroken except for the somewhat labored breathing of Inspector Queen. Ellery was working swiftly and efficiently, the old man more slowly. As they met near the center after completing the search of a row, they would regard each other significantly, shake their heads and continue afresh.

About twenty minutes after Panzer
’
s departure the Inspector and Ellery, absorbed in their examination, were startled by the ringing of a telephone bell. In the silence of the theatre the clear trill of the bell rang out with astonishing sharpness. Father and son looked at each other blankly for an instant, then the old man laughed and plodded up the aisle in the direction of Panzer
’
s office.

He returned shortly, smiling.
“
It was Panzer,
”
he announced.
“
Got down to Field
’
s office and found the place closed. No wonder
―
it
’
s only a quarter of nine. But I told him to wait there until Cronin comes. It can
’
t be long now.
”

Ellery laughed and they set to work again.

Fifteen minutes later, when the two men were almost finished, the front door opened and a small elderly woman dressed in black stood blinking in the brilliant arc lights. The Inspector sprang forward to meet her.

“
You
’
re Mrs. Phillips, aren
’
t you?
”
he cried warmly.
“
It
’
s mighty nice of you to come so soon, madam. I think you know Mr. Queen here?
”

Ellery came forward, smiling one of his rare smiles and bowing with genuine gallantry. Mrs. Phillips was representative of a lovable old womanhood. She was short and of motherly proportions. Her gleaming white hair and air of kindliness endeared her immediately to Inspector Queen, who had a sentimental weakness for middle-aged ladies of presence.

“
I certainly do know Mr. Queen,
”
she said, extending her hand.
“
He was very nice to an old woman Monday night . . . . And I was so afraid you
’
d have to wait for me, sir!
”
she said softly, turning to the Inspector.
“
Mr. Panzer sent a messenger for me this morning
―
I haven
’
t a telephone, you see. There was a time, when I was on the stage . . . . I came just as soon as I could.
”

The Inspector beamed.
“
For a lady it was remarkably prompt, remarkably prompt, Mrs. Phillips!
”

“
My father kissed the Blarney Stone several centuries ago, Mrs. Phillips,
”
said Ellery gravely.
“
Don
’
t believe a word av
‘
im . . . . I suppose it will be
au fait
if I leave you to tackle the rest of the orchestra, Dad? I
’
d like to have a little chat with Mrs. Phillips. Do you think you
’
re physically able to complete the job alone?
”

“
Physically able
―
!
”
snorted the Inspector.
“
You plump right down that aisle and go about your business, son . . . . I should appreciate your giving Mr. Queen all the help you can, Mrs. Phillips.
”

The white-haired lady smiled and Ellery, taking her arm, led her off in the direction of the stage. Inspector Queen, looking after them wistfully, shrugged his shoulders after a moment and turned back to resume the search. A short time later, when he chanced to straighten up, he espied Ellery and Mrs. Phillips seated on the stage conversing earnestly, like two players rehearsing their roles. Queen proceeded slowly up and down the rows, weaving in and out among the empty seats, shaking his head dolefully as he approached the last few rows still empty-handed. When he looked up again the two chairs on the stage held no occupants. Ellery and the old lady had disappeared.

Queen came at last to LL32 Left
―
the seat in which Monte Field had died. He made a painstaking examination of the cushions, a light of resignation in his eyes. Muttering to himself he walked slowly across the carpet at the rear of the theatre and entered Panzer
’
s office. A few moments later he reappeared, only to make his way to the cubicle which was used as an office by the publicity man, Harry Neilson. He was in this compartment for some time. He came out and visited the cashiers
’
offices. Shutting the door behind him when he had finished, he wended his way down the steps on the right of the theatre leading to the general lounge, on the floor below the orchestra. Here he took his time, delving into every corner, every niche in the wall, every waste container
―
all of which he found to be empty. He speculatively eyed the large bin standing directly under the water fountain. He peered into this receptacle and pottered away, finding nothing. Thereupon with a sigh he opened the door on which was gilt-lettered, ladies
’
rest room, and went inside. A few moments later he reappeared to push his way through the swinging doors marked gentlemen.