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.”167The lawyer’s eyes narrowed.“That is a threat of personal violence, one presumes?” he said, and in spite of the effort to appear unconcerned his voice trembled.“Threatened men live long, Inspector Wembury, and I have been threatened all my life and nothing has come of it.The Ringer threatens me, Johnny threatens me, you threaten me – I thrive on threats!”The eyes of Alan Wembury had the hard brightness of burnished steel.“Meister,” he said softly, “I wonder if you realise how near you are to death?”Meister’s jaw dropped and he gaped at the young man who towered over him.“Not at my hands, perhaps; not at The Ringer’s hands, nor John Lenley’s hands; but if what I believe is true, and if I am right in suspecting the kind of villainy you contemplate tonight, and you carry your plans through, be sure of one thing, Maurice Meister – that if The Ringer fails, I shall get you!”Meister looked at him for a long time and then forced a smile.“By God, you’re in love with Mary Lenley,” he chuckled harshly.“That’s the best joke I’ve heard for years!”Alan heard his raucous laugher as he went down the stairs, and the echo of it rang in his ears all the way down Flanders Lane.He had a call to make – a lawyer friend who lived in Greenwich.His interview with that gentleman was very satisfactory.168CHAPTER 44Alan Wembury came into the charge-room and glanced at the clock.He had been gone two hours.“Has Mr.Bliss been in?” he asked.Bliss had vanished from the station almost as dramatically as he arrived.“Yes, sir; he came in for a few minutes: he wanted to see a man in the cells,”said Carter.Instantly Alan was alert.“Who?” he asked.“That boy Lenley.I let him have the key.”What interest had the Scotland Yard man in Johnny? Wembury was puzzled.“Oh – he didn’t stay long?”“No, sir.Above five minutes.”Alan shook his rain-soddened hat in the fireplace.“No messages?”“No, sir: one of our drunks has been giving a lot of trouble.I had to telephone to Dr.Lomond – he’s with him now.By the way, sir, did you see this amongst Lenley’s papers? I only found it after you’d gone.”He took a card from the desk and gave it to Wembury, who read:“Here is the key.You can go in when you like – No.57.”“Why, that’s Meister’s writing.”“Yes, sir,” nodded Carter, “and No.57 is Meister’s own property.I don’t know how that will affect the charge against Lenley.”As he read a great load seemed to roll from Alan Wembury’s heart: everything his lawyer friend had said, came back to him.“Thank God! That lets him out! It was just as I thought! Meister must have been very drunk to have written that – it is his first slip.”“What is the law?”Wembury was no lawyer, but when he had discovered that the arrest had been made on Meister’s property, he had seen a loop-hole.Johnny Lenley went at Meister’s invitation – it could not be burglary.Meister was the landlord of the house.169“Was there a key?” he asked.“Yes, sir.” Carter handed the key over.“It has Meister’s name on the label.”Alan sighed his relief.“By gad! I’m glad Lenley is inside, though.If ever I saw murder in a man’s eyes it was in his!”Carter put a question that had been in his mind all the evening.“I suppose Lenley isn’t The Ringer?” he asked, and Alan laughed.“Don’t be absurd! How can he be?”As he spoke he heard his name called, and Lomond ran into the charge-room from the passage leading to the cells.“Is anything wrong?” asked Alan quickly.“What cell did you put Lenley in?”“Number eight at the far end,” said Carter.“The door’s wide open – it’s empty!”Carter flew out of the room.Alan picked up the ’phone from the sergeant’s desk.“By God, Lomond, he’ll be after Meister.”Carter came into the room hurriedly.“He’s got away all right,” he said.“The door is wide open, and so is the door into the yard!”“Two of my men, Carter,” said Wembury quickly, and, then the number he had asked for came through.“Scotland Yard?… Give me the night officer… Inspector Wembury speaking.Take this for all stations.Arrest and detain John Lenley, who escaped tonight from Flanders Lane police station whilst under detention.Age twenty-seven, height six feet, dark, wearing a–”“Blue serge,” prompted Sergeant Carter.“He’s a convict on licence,” continued Wembury.“Sort that out, will you?Thank you.”He hung up the receiver as a detective came in.“Get your bicycle and go round to all patrols.Lenley’s got away.You can describe the man.”To the second man who came in:“Go to Malpas Mansions – Lenley lives there with his sister.Don’t alarm the young lady, do you understand? If you find him, bring him in.”When the men had hurried out into the thick night, Alan strode up and down the charge-room
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