The sound aroused me
in a moment, and walking out into the little ante-room in which the
instrument was placed, I took it up--anticipating Coates, who had
immediately come in from the garden where he was engaged at the time.
"Hello!" I said.
A voice with which I was unfamiliar, a man's voice speaking rather
thickly, replied:
"Is that Mr. Addison?"
"Yes."
"I have just arrived from Crossleys with Inspector Gatton. He requests
me to ask you to meet him by the police-box at the corner of the high
street immediately."
"Very good," I said. "I will come."
"And," continued the voice--"could you spare Coates with the car for
an hour?"
"Certainly," I replied. "For what do you want him?"
"If he will take the car to Denmark Hill Station and be there by a
quarter past eight," continued the voice, "Detective-Sergeant Blythe
will meet him. There is a large box," he added, "which Inspector
Gatton wishes to have taken to your house."
"Very well," I said. "Coates will start in ten minutes' time, and I
will come along immediately to meet Inspector Gatton."
I replaced the telephone upon the little table and went out into the
garden, whither my man had returned.
"Coates," I said, "get out the Rover."
Coates immediately ceased his gardening operations and stood upright
in an attitude of attention.
"Very good, sir."
"You will just have time to get ready at the garage and return here to
admit Sir Eric Coverly at eight o'clock.
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