Free Dead Man’s Shoes by Leo Bruce

police which he did.”
    â€œYou said
one
of his suit-cases just now. How many had he?”
    â€œOnly just the two but the other one was locked that afternoon so I can’t tell you anything about that. Not that I’m the nosy sort but sometimes when a thing’s right in front of you, you can’t help taking a look if it’s the last thing you do. I’m sure I never want to know anyone’s business but it was lucky I did just happen to notice that passport because it’s helped the police ever so much or so Mr Slott told me. He’s the local policeman and not much Liked if the truth were known but that comes from him being funny with closing hours and that and getting a poor woman fined for …”
    â€œWhen this man, Leech or Larkin, quitted the room that afternoon did you find anything left behind?”
    â€œI don’t know whatever you mean because if I had of done I should have gone straight to Mr Habbard with it as well he knows.”
    Mrs Gunn’s wheezing voice grew indignant.
    â€œOh, I meant anything of no value at all that you would throw away.”
    â€œI always empty the waste-paper-basket and if there are any old papers and that of course I throw them away unless it’s a picture paper which my husband likes to have a read of when I get home.”
    â€œAnd were there?”
    â€œWhen this murderer left you mean? I wonder however you expect me to remember a thing like that when I dorooms every morning and anyone might leave anything for all I know….”
    â€œWere there, Mrs Gunn? Any papers left by the murderer?”
    â€œI wonder whatever makes you ask a question like that….”
    Carolus gave her a ten-shilling note.
    â€œJust curiosity,” he said. “I had a sort of idea there might be.”
    â€œWell if you want to know there was just one envelope but I didn’t say anything to the police about it because they didn’t ask me and I didn’t see why I should go out of my way when they’ve never done anything for me except get my brother into trouble that time when he’d had a couple …”
    â€œDid you keep this envelope?”
    â€œNot to say keep it I didn’t but I did slip it in my bag and take it home because of the stamps which my little boy is mad about changing and chopping with other boys half the time and sticking them in an all-bum as he calls it though I can’t think why he wants to use such vulgar language and when I saw this envelope with foreign stamps on it I thought to myself I thought young Perce will be ever so pleased with that when I get it home.”
    â€œAnd was he?” Carolus saw that the only way to get what he wanted was to allow a free rein to Mrs Gunn.
    â€œOh yes I should think he was! ‘Oh mum,’ he says, ‘they’re Moroccans,’ he says, and he starts taking them off the envelope….”
    â€œDid you notice that envelope?”
    Carolus was holding his breath.
    â€œOnly to see it was to someone called Larkin in Tangier.”
    â€œYou didn’t keep it?”
    â€œNo I popped it straight in the kitchen fire which was On that day because it heats the bath-water and it was my husband’s night to have a bath….”
    â€œI’m very much obliged to you, Mrs Gunn, for all you’ve told me. There’s nothing else you happen to remember about this man?”
    â€œNo, only that voice of his and the nasty way he had with people and his not remembering to leave anything for me and his kind of blinking at you as though he didn’t see well and his passport which I’ve told the police about, so I don’t think there’s anything else.”
    Carolus went downstairs and decided to look in on Habbard, the hotel manager, before going over to Barton Abbess Place.
    He found him in his office, a tall, important, youngish man in a new suit and a regimental tie.
    â€œD’you mind if I ask you one