John Carr - The Judas Window

'You found Mr Fleming quickly?'

'Yes, he was just coming down the steps of his house.'

'He returned to the house with you?'

'Yes, and we found Dyer coming from the back of the hall with a poker in his hand. Mr Fleming said: "What is happening?" Dyer said: "It is very quiet in there."'

'The three of you went to the study door, I understand?'

'Yes, and Dyer knocked. Then Mr Fleming knocked and hit harder.' 'And then?'

'Well, we heard steps, like, inside; and then someone started to draw the bolt.'

'You are positive that the door was then bolted, and that the bolt had to be withdrawn?'

'Yes, to judge by the sound of it. It worked about a bit, you know; and slid, and the door thumped a little.'

'How long a time should you say elapsed between the time of the knocking and the time the bolt was drawn?'

T don't know. Perhaps it was not very long, but it seemed like ages.'

'A full minute, should you say?'

'Maybe.'

'Please tell the jury what happened then.'

She did not tell the jury. She looked at her hands on the edge of the rail. 'The door opened a few inches, and someone looked out. I saw it was that man. Then he opened the door and said: "All right; you had better come in." Mr Fleming ran in, and Dyer walked after him.'

'Did you go into the room?'

"No, I stayed by the door.'

'Just say exactly what you saw.'

'I saw Avory lying beside the desk, on his back, with his feet towards me.'

'Have you seen these photographs?' He indicated. 'I think you nodded, Miss Jordan? Yes. Thank you. Just take that in your hand, if you will.'

-The yellow booklet was handed up to her.

'Look at photograph number 5, please. Is that how he was lying?'

'Yes. I think so.'

'Believe me, I deeply ... yes, you may hand it down. How near the body did you go?'

'No nearer than the door. They said he was dead.'

'Who said he was dead?'

'Mr Fleming, I think.'

'Do you recall anything the accused said?'

'I remember the first part of it. Mr Fleming asked him who did it, and the accused said: "I suppose you will say I did it." Mr Fleming said: "Well, you have finished him; we had better send for the police." I remember what I saw very well, but I cannot remember much of what I heard. I was not feeling quite right.'

"What was the accused's demeanour?'

'Very calm and collected, I thought, except that his neck-tie was hanging out over his overcoat.'

"What did the accused do when Mr Fleming spoke of sending for the police?'

'He sat down in a chair by the desk, and got a cigarette-case out of his inside pocket, and took out a cigarette and lighted it.'

Mr Huntley Lawton put the tips of his fingers on his desk, remained quiet for a moment, and then bent down to confer with his leader; but I thought that this was a conference for emphasis. The end of that recital was like coming up from under water: you could feel the air drawn into your lungs. At one time or another everyone in court, I think - except the judge - had glanced at the prisoner; but it was a quick and unpleasantly furtive look, which made you glance back from the dock again. Mr Justice Rankin finished making his neat notes, the pen travelling steadily; he looked up, and waited. The witness now had an air of feeling that she must remain in the box for ever, and of trying to prepare herself for that.

Mr Huntley Lawton had only one more thrust. A quick rustle, as of settling back, went through the court when he addressed the witness again.

'I believe, Miss Jordan, that soon after the discovery of the body you were sent in the car to bring back Dr Spencer Hume from St Praed's Hospital in Praed Street?'

'Yes, Mr Fleming took me by the shoulder and said to drive over there and get him quickly, because if he had an operation or anything they would not give him a message.'

'You are unable to tell us anything more of the subsequent events of that night?' 'No.'

'Is this because, on the way back from the hospital, you were taken ill with brain fever and were not able to leave your room for a month?'

'Yes.'

Counsel moved his hand over the white sheets of the brief. 'I ask you to consider carefully, Miss Jordan. Is there anything further you can tell us, anything at all, that you heard the accused say? Did he say anything when he sat down in the chair, and lighted his cigarette?'

'Yes, he answered something: a question or a statement, I think.'

'What was the question?'

'Someone said: "Are you made of stone?"'

'"Are you made of stone." And he answered?'

'He said: "Serve him right for doctoring my whisky."'

For a brief space of time counsel remained looking at her. Then he sat down.

Sir Henry Merrivaie rose to cross-examine for the defence.

III

'In the Little Dark Passage'

JUST what line the defence would take nobody could tell: there was a frail ghost in insanity or even manslaughter: but, knowing H.M., I could not believe he would try anything so half-hearted as that. It was possible that his first cross-examination might give some indication.

He rose majestically - an effect which was somewhat marred by the fact that his gown caught on something, probably himself. It tore with a ripping noise so exactly like a raspberry that for one terrible second I thought he had given one. He squared himself. However rusty his legal talents had become, it was in cross-examination, where leading questions are permitted and almost anything within reason may be brought up, that his usual rough-and-tumble tactics would be most deadly. But that was the trouble. This woman had won the sympathy of everyone, including the jury: to pitch into her would have been unwise. We need not have been uneasy. After one malevolent glance over his shoulder at the torn gown, showing the glasses pulled down on his broad nose, he addressed her as gently as Huntley Lawton - if a trifle more abruptly. His big voice put the witness and the court at ease. It was in a tone of sit-down-and-have-a-drink-and-let's-ta lk-th is-th i ng-over.

'Ma'am,' said H.M. off-handedly, 'do you believe Mr Hume heard something bad against the accused that made him change his mind all of a sudden?'

Silence.

'I don't know.'

'Still, though,' argued H.M., 'since my learned friend has sort of eased the question in, let's deal with it. As he said, if Mr Hume changed his mind, it must 'a' been because he learned something from someone, mustn't it?'

'I should certainly have thought so.'

'Yes. And, conversely, if he hadn't heard anything, he wouldn't have changed his mind?'

'I suppose not. No, certainly not.'

'Now, ma'am,' pursued H.M. in the same argumentative way, 'he seemed to be in the best of spirits on Friday evening, when he arranged for you and Dr Hume to go to Sussex next day? Hey?'

'Oh, yes.'

'Did he go out of the house that night?' 'No.'

'Receive any visitors?' 'No.'

'Did he get any letters, phone calls, messages of any kind?'

'No. Oh, except Mary's telephone-call in the evening. I answered the phone and talked to her for a minute or two; and then he came to the phone; but I don't know what he said.'

'And at breakfast next mornin', how many letters did he get?'

'Just that one, with Mary's writing.'

'Uh-huh. Consequently, if he heard anything against the accused, he might have heard it from his own daughter?'

There was a slight stir. Sir Walter Storm made as if to rise; but instead fell to conferring with Huntley Lawton.

'Well, I - I don't know. How can I?'

'Still, it definitely was after readin' that letter that he seemed to show his first tearin' antagonism towards the accused, wasn't it?'

‘Yes.'

'The whole thing seemed to start then and there?'

'From what I saw of it, I thought so.'