The Wreck Of The Mary Deare

The wait seemed a long one. There was no news. All we could learn was that enquiries were being made at Patch’s lodgings. ‘A fat lot of good that will do,’ was Hal’s comment. ‘A warrant and the police is the only thing now.’ We had nothing to say to each other as we waited. He had accepted Patch’s guilt as proved. Others took the same view. Scraps of comment came to me from the waiting crowd. ‘Wot I say is, he’s no better than a murderer… You can always tell, old boy. It’s the eyes that give them away every time … And what about Dellimare and that poor Captain Taggart?… ‘Course ‘e did. Wouldn’t you do a bunk if you’d killed ‘alf the crew …’ And all the time I was trying to reconcile the sort of man they thought he was with the man I had known on the Mary Dears.

At length the crowd began to drift back into the courtroom. As they did so a rumour ran from mouth to mouth — Patch hadn’t been seen since the previous evening. Bowen-Lodge and the assessors entered and there was silence as Holland rose to say that he regretted he was not able to produce his chief witness.

‘Have the police been requested to take action?’ Bowen-Lodge asked.

‘Yes. A search has been instituted.’ There was a moment’s silence as Bowen-Lodge fiddled with the papers on his desk.

‘Would you care to re-examine any of the witnesses?’ Holland asked.

Bowen-Lodge hesitated. He was looking over the available witnesses and for a moment I thought his cold, searching gaze was fixed on me. Finally he leaned over in conference with his assessors. I felt the shirt sticking to my body. What the hell was I going to say if he recalled me? How was I going to explain my failure to tell them the ship was on the Minkies?

The minute I was kept in suspense seemed a long time. And then Bowen-Lodge said, ‘I don’t think there is any point in recalling any of the witnesses now, Mr Holland.’ He looked up at the court. ‘In view of the fact that the Mary Deare has been located, the assessors and I are agreed that no further purpose can be served by continuing this Investigation, particularly as the chief witness is no longer available. I am, therefore, adjourning the Court indefinitely pending examination of the wreck. All witnesses are released. You will be notified in due course should further evidence be required of you. Thank you, gentlemen, for your attendance.’

It was over, the Chairman and assessors gone, the courtroom emptying. As I made my way towards the door, Higgins stepped forward, blocking my path. ‘Where is ‘e?’ he demanded. ‘Where’s ‘e gone?’

I stared at him, wondering why he should be so worked up over Patch’s disappearance. He ought to have been pleased. ‘What’s it got to do with you?’ I asked him.

Beady eyes searched my face, peering at me over sagging pouches. ‘So you do know, eh? I said you would.’

‘As it happens,’ I said, ‘I don’t know. I wish I did.’

To hell with that!’ The violence inside him bubbled to the surface. ‘You think I don’t know what yer up to — you with your boat lyin’ in Lulworth, waitin’ for ‘im. Well, I tell yer, if that’s yer game, wotch a’t, that’s all.’ He stared at me, his small eyes narrowed, and then he turned abruptly and left us.

As we walked down the corridor, Hal said, ‘You’re not going to be a fool and try and slip him out of the country, are you?’ He was looking at me, his face serious, a little worried.

‘No,’ I said. ‘I don’t think it ever occurred to him that that was a way out.’

He nodded, but I don’t think he was convinced. He would have pressed the point further, but as we went out into the sunshine, he was greeted by a man in a reefer with a little pointed beard and greying hair. He had a high, rather strident voice, and, as I waited, I heard him say to Hal, ‘Oh, not your type, Colonel — definitely not.’ There was something about a motor boat, and then: ‘… rang up about an hour and a half ago. They had her on charter a month back… Yes, old Griselda. You remember. Dry rot in the keel and rolls like a bastard.’ He went off with a high-pitched laugh and Hal rejoined me. Apparently the man was a yacht broker down at Bosham. ‘Odd place, this, for him to do business,’ Hal said. And then he added, ‘I wonder if it’s the Dellimare Company, chartering a boat to go out and see what the French salvage people are up to. I wouldn’t be surprised.’

We started to walk to the car and he went on talking, giving me some advice about not leaving it too late. But I was thinking of Higgins. Why had Patch’s disappearance scared him?

‘John. You’re not listening.’

‘No. I’m sorry.’

‘Well, that’s not surprising. Nobody listens to advice.’ We had reached the car. ‘But if it comes to a criminal case, see that you give them the full story, just as it happened. Don’t leave it to be dragged out of you in cross-examination. They’ll play hell with you and you may find yourself in real trouble.’

‘All right,’ I said.