Wiliam Monk 01 - The Face of a Stranger

else lived there. And of course there's Yeats himself. Did you see him?"
    "No, he wasn't in, and anyway I'd rather find out a little about him before I face him with it."
    "Yes, yes of course. If he knew anything, he's bound to deny it, I suppose." But the anticipation was building in Evan's face, his voice; even his body was tightening under the elegant coat as if he expected some sudden action here in the police station. "The cabby was no good, by the way. Perfectly respectable fellow, worked this area for twenty years, got a wife and seven or eight children. Never been any complaints against him."
    "Yes," Monk agreed. "Grimwade said he hadn't gone into the building, in fact doesn't think he even got off the box."
    "What do you want me to do about this Yeats?" Evan asked, a very slight smile curling his lips. "Sunday tomorrow, a bit hard to turn up much then."
    Monk had forgotten.
    "You're right. Leave it till Monday. He's been there for nearly seven weeks; it's hardly a hot trail."
    Evan's smile broadened rapidly.
    "Thank you, sir. I did have other ideas for Sunday." He stood up. "Have a good weekend, sir. Good night."
    Monk watched him go with a sense of loss. It was foolish. Of course Evan would have friends, even family, and interests, perhaps a woman. He had never thought of that before. Somehow it added to his own sense of isolation. What did he normally do with his own time? Had he friends outside duty, some pursuit or pastime he enjoyed? There had to be more than this single-minded, ambitious man he had found so far.
    He was still searching his imagination uselessly when there was a knock on the door, hasty, but not assertive, as though the person would have been pleased enough had there been no answer and he could have left again.
    "Come in!" Monk said loudly.
    The door opened and a stout young man came in. He wore a constable's uniform. His eyes were anxious, his rather homely face pink.
    "Yes?" Monk inquired.
    The young man cleared his throat. "Mr. Monk, sir?"
    "Yes?" Monk said again. Should he know this man? From his wary expression there was some history in their past which had been important at least to him. He stood in the middle of the floor, fidgeting his weight from one foot to the other. Monk's wordless stare was making him worse.
    "Can I do something for you?" Monk tried to sound reassuring. "Have you something to report?" He wished he could remember the man's name.
    "No sir—I mean yes sir, I 'ave something to ask you." He took a deep breath. "There's a report of a watch turned up at a pawnbroker's wot I done this arternoon, sir, an'— an' I thought as it might be summink ter do with your gennelman as was murdered—seein' as 'e didn't 'ave no watch, just a chain, like? Sir." He held a piece of paper with copperplate handwriting on it as if it might explode.
    Monk took it and glanced at it. It was the description of a gentleman's gold pocket watch with the initials J.G. inscribed ornately on the cover. There was nothing written inside.
    He looked up at the constable.
    "Thank you," he said with a smile. "It might well be-right initials. What do you know about it?"
    The constable blushed scarlet. "Nufflnk much, Mr. Monk. 'E swears blind as it was one of 'is reg'lars as brought it in. But you can't believe anyfink 'e says 'cause 'e would say that, wouldn't 'e? He don't want ter be mixed up in no murder."
    Monk glanced at the paper again. The pawnbroker's name and address were there and he could follow up on it any time he chose.
    "No, he'd doubtless lie," he agreed. "But we might learn something all the same, if we can prove this was Grey's watch. Thank you—very observant of you. May I keep it?"
    "Yes sir. We don't need it; we 'as lots more agin 'im." Now his furious pink color was obviously pleasure, and considerable surprise. He still stood rooted to the spot.
    "Was there anything else?" Monk raised his eyebrows.
    "No sir! No there in't. Thank you, sir." And the constable turned on his heel and marched out, tripping on the doorsill as he went and rocketing out into the passage.
    Almost immediately the door was opened again by a wiry sergeant with a black mustache.
    "You o'right, sir?" he asked, seeing Monk's frown.
    "Yes. What's the matter with—er." He waved his hand towards the departing figure of the constable, wishing desperately that he knew the man's name.
    " 'Arrison?"
    "Yes."
    "Nothin'—just afeared of you, that's all. Which in't 'ardly surprisin', seein' as 'ow you tore 'im off