Chapter 2 Chapter Two: The Last Voyage of the Argonaut
Such millionaires, in their late sixties, suddenly made a will, and hired detectives for undisclosed reasons, so the probability of their death must be very high.
Mr. Cadmus Cole is dead.
Mr. Ellery Queen expected Mr. Cadmus Cole to die, and not only to die, but to die under some suspicious and obscure circumstances.But at the same time, he never foresaw that he almost stepped through the pearly gate before his client.
This heavy blow came on the afternoon of the day when Xingzhang's check was cashed.
Mr. Quinn picked up the phone and called Lloyd Goossens (the lawyer), hoping to have an enlightening conversation.Goossens' secretary told him that the lawyer had left for London the night before on an urgent business, and when news of the news was duly received, Mr. Quin was overwhelmed by a pang of excruciating pain.
He put down the phone and felt a deep pain like being stabbed by a knife.
"It's really not going well." As he said, he rang the bell feebly and called Miss Penny.
For ninety minutes Mr. Quinn lay unconscious on the operating table while a prominent surgeon removed his rebellious, ruptured appendix.After the operation, the surgeon's expression was even more grim—Mr. Quinn had peritonitis.
All night, Officer Quinn and Beau paced up and down the corridor outside Ellery's room, in total silence.They could hear Quinn babbling loudly, full of whining and complaining.He seems to be speaking eloquently in front of some invisible object, pursuing the answers to various secrets.In his soliloquy, the words "Cole" and "fountain pen" were constantly mentioned, accompanied by inexplicable grunts, groans, and occasional wild laughter.
The sun is up.The surgeon, the resident physician, and several others found that Mr. Quinn was doing better.There was something in the patient's mind, the surgeon explained, that made him cling desperately to life because he had something to do, and that thing to do involved a bottle of running water. Pen and a guy named Cole.
"How could this be," said Beau hoarsely, "that a Cole can make people obsessed?"
Mr. Quinn is just lingering on the earth, while, at the same time, carelessly swaggers in and out on the threshold of the Pearly Gate.And when the news of Cadmus Cole's death came, he stopped lingering at once, and recovered himself so indomitably that even the doctors were astonished.
"Bo, for God's sake," pleaded the patient, "tell me!"
Beau began to tell.On the night of Cole's visit to "Ellery Quinn Company", the speedboat "Argo" left New York Harbor after completing the departure procedures.
On board the speedboat was Mr. Cole, the owner, Edmond de Carlos, his friend and partner, Herold Angus, the captain, and twelve crew members.
"Anyone else?" asked Mr. Quin eagerly.
"These are the people we know."
On June 13, the "Argo" anchored in Paria Bay outside Port of Spain. After replenishing fresh water and fuel, it continued to sail northwest and entered the Caribbean Sea.
On June 21, at sea 100 miles northwest of Puerto Galinas, the "Argo" also communicated with a passing tourist liner.Captain Angus and the captain of the liner exchanged greetings with the customary etiquette of navigators.
On June 30, exactly at eight strokes of midnight, the Argo, caught in a storm, radioed the usual "SOS" emergency signal to any ship with an accompanying medical officer.The signal sent stated that Cadmus Cole had an acute heart attack. Although Captain Angell had the medical equipment on board and could do some simple treatment, he felt that his master's condition was serious, so he needed to Professional medical officers will give guidance immediately.
The White Lady, about 200 miles northwest, responded immediately.The chief medical officer on board inquired in detail about the patient's pulse, respiration, blood pressure, and superficial symptoms by radio, and he also received a reply from the radio.
The doctor on the White Lady then recommended digitalis injections, ice packs, and other emergency measures.Captain Angus radioed him every five minutes about the patient's condition.At the same time, the tourist liner was heading for the Argonaut at full speed.
Still, that liner was too late.An hour and fifty minutes after the first SOS call, Captain Angus and Edmund de Carlos jointly sent a radio message announcing the death of Cadmus Cole , and thanked the "White Lady" for its assistance, and also announced that the millionaire's last wish before his death was to bury him at sea.
"Enough, enough," cried Mr. Quin, "no more!"
"Come on, don't get so excited," Beau reassured him. "Cole's been lying on the bottom of the Caribbean for a week in his shroud canvas cover."
"It's been a whole week!" sighed Ellery. "Is it July already?"
"Wednesday, July 5th."
"Then we have to talk to De Carlos, Angus, the radio operator, and the crew. Where are they now?"
"After Cole's death, two days later - it was last Sunday, the 'Argo' was in Santiago de Cuba. By Monday, Captain Angus and all crew were paid and discharged .”
"De Carlos?" Ellery asked after a deep silence.
"Yeah. De Carlos then stored the 'Argonaut' in a local dry dock, shipped some of Cole's personal effects back to the States, and got on a plane himself. He should be tonight Or to New York tomorrow morning."
Mr. Quinn fell silent, a frightening silence.After a while, he opened his mouth and said, "Huhuhuhuhu..."
"what?"
"Heart attack, what a coincidence, the ship just sailed to the Caribbean Sea, and it happened to catch up with a storm; without a qualified doctor's examination, it was assumed that the person was dead; without an autopsy, the Buried at sea; and the captain and crew were sent off before they could be questioned!"
"Think about it another way, my sage," said Beau, "because common people think about it that way. Has Cole's heart stopped beating? Because he's sixty-six years old." .Did he die at sea? Yes, it would be strange if he didn't die at sea, because he spent the last eighteen years on a speedboat. Why was he buried deep in the sea What? It is natural for a man who loves the sea to make such a request when he is dying."
"Then how do you explain that De Carlos fired Captain Angus and crew in Cuba?" Mr. Quinn asked deadpan.
"Of course, it's not impossible for him to let them fly the 'Argonaut' back north to the United States, but flying is always faster, and it's only natural that De Carlos wants to get back to New York as soon as possible. No, My friend, this arrangement is so natural and simple that it is not at all—”
"That's not the case," said Ellery, a little anxiously. "Cole made a will, hired us, he acted mysteriously, and died--for all that, Beau, one could think of a bad idea." Such a beautiful word, that is... murder!"
"In law, there is an old saying," Bo said calmly, "that is 'facts of crime'. If you can tell me how to find out the facts of crimes, I will give in to you. But , if we want to prove murder, we must have a body, can we get it? Where is the body? Yes, in the bottom of the Caribbean, fed the fish. Oh, no, sir, all we have is suspicion , in this business, doubts are not paid for."
"That's all right," said Mr. Quinn in a low voice. "Anyway, Cole has given us fifteen thousand dollars, which means that whoever murders Cole will have to go unpunished!"
"We have the money, but it's temporary. I didn't intend to tell you the bad news. I was afraid that your current physical condition would not be able to bear such a blow. I wanted to wait until you recovered. Ellery, we have to Return that money to Kerr's estate."
"What!" cried Mr. Quin. "Why?"
"Because Cole hired you, and whatever it is he wants you to investigate, in your present condition, it is impossible for you to investigate. The doctor told me that you must take at least six weeks' leave."
"Don't be a fool," Ellery said flatly. "You're 'Ellery Queen & Co.' and I'm not. You've got to investigate."
"No, I can't investigate." Bo looked worried. "Cole hired you himself, and you accepted it. This is a personal service contract. This kind of personal service contract cannot be assigned to another person. We don't want the fifteen thousand yuan, and we don't want to send it out." Good fortune."
"What are you talking about?" Mr. Quinn frowned, thinking hard.When he was young, he smiled happily, "Bo, who is the executor of his estate that Cole said?"
"Lloyd Goossens and this De Carlos."
"Do they both know you?"
"I don't know each other. I don't know them either. So what?"
"They don't know me either," Ellery laughed. "You see?"
"Okay, you liar!" Beau yelled. "Tell me how to cheat!"
"If Goosens calls for Ellery Queen, you answer it."
"I pretended to be you! Anyway, it doesn't matter whether it's Goossens or De Carlos, they can't tell who we are." Bo excitedly rushed over to hold Ellery's hand, "Great, you really are A genius!"
"Be gentle--watch out for my wounds. Of course we're criminally complicit in doing this, you know?"
"Really?" Beau scratched his head. "Let's see. Well, maybe we're committing a crime. But maybe I'd be timid if I knew what we were committing. All right." , I don't want to talk so much nonsense. Goodbye, Mr. Quinn!" Mr. Rumel said goodbye.
"Go away, Mr. Quinn!" said Mr. Quinn.
The next morning, Lloyd Goosens called.
Mr. Rummel pretended to be Mr. Quinn and took the subway to Park Street in the city center at the time agreed on the phone.
Goossens was in his thirties and nearly forties. He was dressed for a party, and his face was gray and tired, as if he lacked sleep.Beau had read what Winchell had written, and knew that Goossens was constantly at the various social events between Park Avenue and Fifty-second Street, sometimes with and sometimes without his Sociable wife.At the moment when he shook hands with Gussens, Bo couldn't help sighing in his heart, thinking: the feeling of being rich must be very comfortable.
"De Carlos just flew in from Florida," said the attorney, waving his smoking pipe and pointing towards the inner office. "I think you know him, Mr. Quinn?"
"Mr. Quinn" subconsciously looked around for Mr. Quinn, but then realized that he was Mr. Quinn, so he said: "The 'Chief of Internal Affairs', you mean him? By the way, Gussens , why make everything so mysterious?"
Goossens frowned: "Mysterious?"
"Cole didn't tell me what kind of case it was. It was a secret."
"I don't know why," said the lawyer, with a puzzled expression on his face. "He sent me a registered letter, which said he wanted to hire you, and also explained the agreement he made with you. It is very clear that now, in black and white, it is written into his will."
"You say there's nothing unusual about it?"
Goosens smiled and said, "There's a reason for that. Come in and meet the cabinet minister, and we'll talk about the whole situation."
Beau then met De Carlos and shook his hand.De Carlos is of medium build, with years of sea life, salty sea breezes and harsh sunshine giving him a reddish-brown complexion, wavy black hair and a pirate-like beard.Behind the silver-framed glasses, his big eyes looked so innocent, too innocent, Beau thought.
After bidding farewell to the two executors, Bo thought deeply.
In the hospital, Ellery was anxiously waiting for him, so he told Ellery everything about what had happened, and everything about De Carlos.
"He looks like a pirate, no wonder, he just came from the Caribbean!"
"Yes, yes. And what about the case?"
"Oh, yes," Bo stared out the window, "that mysterious case that made us obsessed. You have to be mentally prepared, don't be stimulated by hearing it. This case, or, that old guy Cole An eccentric lunatic; or, we've got a really nasty problem."
"That pirate you hate, did he say what the task assigned by the will is?"
"As long as we can find a pair of heirs whose whereabouts are unknown."
"Oh no," said Ellery, "that's too much. How is it possible. What does it say in the will? Have you read the will?"
"Yes, what's written in the will is weird." Beau then told Ellery the content of the will.
"But how come Cole doesn't even know where his heirs are?" Ellery asked after Beau had finished speaking.
Beau shrugged.Cole's ill-fated marriage at Windsor at the turn of the century made him even resent the whole institution of marriage.He had a younger brother, named Huntley, who sent him to New York to study fine art. In 1906, Huntley Cole quietly married his model Nadine Malloy in New York. In 1907, their child Margot was born.And Cadmus, when he heard of his brother's marriage, was indignant, and thought it an act of ingratitude.
Cadmus has since stopped sending money to Huntley, and has sworn to never speak to his brother again.Huntley went to Paris with his wife and young daughter.There, he painted for two years without any success. They lived in poverty, relying on his wife's meager income as a model.
"This Huntley," Beau explained, "is just too proud to ask his rich brother for help. His wife is different, because her young daughter is starving, So she wrote to Cadmus, begging him for help. Cadmus replied--and that's how we know about the branch of Huntley in Paris. Cadmus in reply To say that his brother did it to himself, and so on, are all hypocritical platitudes."
"Anyway, Cadmus rejected his younger siblings and made her die. Obviously, Huntley found out about this, because just after receiving Cadmus' reply, Huntley committed suicide. There is no news or record about what happened to Nadine and little Margot later. Therefore, one of our tasks is to find a way to find this thirty-year-old descendant. "
"In this case, if Margot Cole can be found, and she is also eligible to inherit the estate according to the will, then she is an heir. Then there is another one?"
"Yes, Cadmus and Huntley also have a younger sister named Monica. From the meaning in the will, one can imagine that when Monica heard the news that Huntley committed suicide in Paris, she decided that It was Cadmus who made it all up, and she immediately decided to leave her cold, heartless brother. So she left Cadmus, left the ancestral house in Windsor, and disappeared. This is Henry in 1909. Shortly after Terry's death.
"We only know a thing or two about what happened to her after she left Vermont. She had been down on her luck and barely getting by. So in 1911 she met a man named Sean in Chicago who An accountant or something. Sean married her. In 1918, Monica had a daughter, Callie, and around that time, her husband got spinal meningitis and died in a Chicago hospital.
"Her husband left her no money. In desperation, she wrote to her brother Cadmus, explaining what had happened, and begging him for help. This is exactly what Mrs. Huntley wrote nine years ago. It was the same situation at the time of the letter. Well, it turned out that Monica also received a reply, and the answer in the letter was almost the same as that received by Mrs. Huntley: since she gave up her rights and chose marriage , then go be merry. This was the last time Cadmus knew of the whereabouts of his sister and little Kelly, and Monica's letter was postmarked 'Chicago, September 8, 1918'. "
"There's nothing else about Monica, eh?" asked Mr. Quinn thoughtfully.
"Not at all. Of course, maybe she's dead. Anyway, Cole has left his huge estate, as I said, to his nieces and nieces—Margot Cole and Kelly Sean... As for when to inherit, how to inherit, and whether it can be inherited, I will talk about these."
"Is the strange old man out of his mind?" Mr. Quinn asked expectantly.
"This is unprovable. Goossens has also consulted a psychiatrist. After seeing Cole's photo, they all think that from a medical point of view, Cole's mind is healthy and not confused. Therefore, According to the law, he has the right to distribute his estate as he wants, even if the distribution method seems unreasonable or weird to others, it is the same. De Carlos should know the situation best, but he does not care about these opinions. He didn't think so. Of course, his attitude should be so, because Cole left him a million dollars in cash and gave him a house in that big mansion in Tarry City. You can live there."
"What happened when Cole died, did you ask De Carlos?"
Bo nodded: "However, he is a very calm and calm guy. He has never shown any expression or expression. No matter how you ask him, he is just like that. When it comes to dismissing all the crew, even Captain Angus And the radio operator didn't stay, and I sent him a fire."
"Are these two important?"
"The only three witnesses to prove the validity of Cole's signature on the will are Angus, the radio operator, and De Carlos."
"so what?"
"When the probate court examines the will, it is required that two witnesses who can prove the validity of the signature on the will must be presented, and these two witnesses must be examined. These two witnesses must be in their own country. must be qualified and able to testify. If any witness is absent, the Probate Court has the power to dispense with his testimony and pass the probate on the testimony of another witness. Thus, if An In the absence of Captain Gus and the transmitter, we have to rely entirely on the testimony of De Carlos."
Mr. Quinn frowned: "I'm not worried about that."
"Yes, we could do a test of the signature itself. Surely the probate court will require better proof of the signature, rather than just a single witness. The judge will require proof of the testator's handwriting , Angus, and others. There must be hundreds of thousands of autographs left by Cole, and they can all be tested."
"But I've got to go to the mountains!" murmured Mr. Quin unhappyly. "Oh, my damned appendix!"
Beau found two private detectives, told them the names and features of Captain Angus and the crew of the "Argo", sent them to Santiago, Cuba, and began a careful investigation.He also found a reliable firm in France and asked them to start looking for the whereabouts of Nadine and Margot Cole; and, in some newspapers in France and the United States, he also published many missing persons notices; Going after Kelly Sean's leads again.
Mr. Quinn, full of resentment and anger, reluctantly went to the Adirondacks.And despite being "exiled" to this secluded place, he can still pursue and pay attention to the lucky Mr. Edmond de Carlos from the gossip columnists in New York newspapers and people who are keen on other people's privacy in society whereabouts.As the co-executor of Cole's will and one of the future co-custodians of Cole's estate, although the will is still pending, he has allowed himself to live in the mansion in Tarry City as a beneficiary of the will.
The property was tended by a caretaker until Cole's death in early 1937. Apparently, Cole never considered hiring more people. All doors and windows were boarded up and the entire house was left to lie vacant .Now, as soon as De Carlos moved in, he hired some decorators and servants, and he enjoyed the splendor alone, as if he himself was the master of the manor.
Without hesitation, he immediately threw himself into the frantic pursuit of a life of pleasure.Images of him with a beard, scary teeth, and bushy hair kept popping up in newspapers every now and then.Overnight, he became the happiest man in New York, the number one benefactor and benefactor of all kinds of lonely women in the chorus, the most generous spender, and the most notorious nightclub and casino of all kinds regulars.
"It will go on like this," thought Mr. Quin with disgust, "and sooner or later his inheritance of a million will be unencumbered."
Edmond de Carlos was born on a coffee plantation in the interior of Brazil in 1889 to a Brazilian father and a British mother.He should be fifty years old now, Mr. Quinn, who is "exiled" in the mountains, thought, but, judging from the photos, this pirate looks younger.
Mr. Quinn suddenly decides that Mr. De Carlos should be put under surveillance.
At the same time, Bo was also running around, looking for those things that had become blurred after a long time.
At first it was only known that Monica Cole's husband, Sean, had died in a Chicago hospital.Taking this clue as a starting point, Bo followed the trail and first found an apartment where Monica lived in Chicago.Then a secretarial school was found, at which, apparently, the young widow had learned some practical lessons in order to support herself and her daughter in the absence of financial assistance from Cadmus Cole. livelihood skills.
Then St. Louis, Minneapolis, and finally New York, finding along the way they had rented boarding houses, studio apartments, an airy theater hotel, and a dance and drama school for children.
In the end, Bo Xunzong found Broadway, and went in and out of this place frequently with eager hopes.At last, in the old, curled archives of a theater firm, an old photograph of a pretty little girl named Kelly Sean was found.However, the clues along the way have been broken so far.
While Beau was investigating in New York, he learned from Lloyd Goossens that the probate court was satisfied with the proof of the signature of Cadmus Cole's will.Cole's autographs, for comparison with will signatures, are plentiful—on checks, on legal documents, on foreign or U.S. bank records, and all nearly two years old. signed ten years ago.The signature of Captain Angus was also corroborated by comparison with the handwriting in the Argonaut's logbook.What particularly attracted Mr. Rummel's attention to this logbook was that it contained a very detailed and meticulous record of Cole's final illness and all aspects of his death. The descriptions and explanations are almost flawless.
"Almost everything is in place," Goossens told Beau. "All the estates are ready to be cashed or distributed. In a few days, the court will issue a fourth subpoena. Quinn, the two How did you find the little girl?"
Beau made some progress again, and a new clue led him to search westward, but when he found Cincinnati, the clue was interrupted again.
"I don't understand why this girl, Kelly Sean, doesn't respond to my missing person advertisements," Beau complained to Ellery on the long-distance call, "unless she has left the United States, or has Dead. Even so, with so many advertisements in the newspapers, even if she is in Africa or dead, she should be found."
Mr. Quinn was thinking: "It is clearly recorded in the file that Monica Sean once trained her daughter in dancing and acting, right? Then, if you try it from a professional point of view—"
"Listen, you smart fellow," cried Beau, "I've got enough of the agents and theater managers of the New York theater world, and they're threatening that if I try to go after them again, They just got me. It would be too bad to have me back, really!"
"So," Mr. Quinn asked tactfully, "in America, if a mother has a child who is really talented or imagines talented, if the mother has high ambitions, she will definitely set the ultimate goal where is it?"
"Oh, what a fool I am!" exclaimed Beau, as if suddenly relieved, "then goodbye!"
Ten days later, Ellery received a telegram from Hollywood:
"Kelly Has Found Kiss You Exclamation Point Bo"
Notes:
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