Red Aces by Edgar Wallace

all moonshine – hullo!”
    He saw the door of the drawing-room opening and gasped at the sight of Mr Reeder.
    “It wasn’t moonshine, my young friend,” said Mr Reeder. “In fact, I – er – have interviewed a garage keeper who filled up the tank of the lady’s car, and incidentally saw the lady.”
    He turned to the room and beckoned Ena. Kenneth stared at her.
    “Well?” she said defiantly. “Do you think you’ll know me again?”
    “I know you now!” he said huskily. “You’re the woman who cashed the cheque!”
    “That’s a damned lie!” she screamed.
    “S-sh!” said Mr Reeder, shocked.
    “I’ve never seen him before!” she added, and Margot gasped.
    “But you told me–”
    “I’ve never seen him before,” insisted the woman.
    “You’ll see him again,” said Mr Reeder gently. “You on one side – the wrong side – of the witness box, and he on the other!”
    Then she lost her head.
    “If there was a swindle, he was in it!” she said, speaking rapidly. “You don’t suppose any clerk would pay out six hundred pounds to somebody he had never seen before unless he had his instructions and got his corner! How did I know the cheque was forged? It seemed all right to me.”
    “May it continue to seem all right,” said Mr Reeder piously. “May you be consoled through the long period of your incarceration with the – er – comfort of a good conscience. I think you will get three years – but if your previous convictions influence the judge, I fancy you will get five!”
    Ena collapsed.
    “You can’t charge me,” she whimpered. “I didn’t forge anything.”
    “There is a crime called ‘uttering,’” said Mr Reeder. “‘Uttering – knowing to be forged.’ Will you take the young lady’s arm, Mrs Grible? I will take the other – probably we shall meet a policeman en route . And did I say anything about ‘conspiracy’? That is also an offence. Mind that mat, Mrs Grible.”
     
10
     
    >There was some rather heavy play at Mr Machfield’s private establishment – heavier than usual, and this gave the proprietor of the house cause for uneasiness. If Mr Reeder had reported his visit that afternoon to the police, and they thought the moment expedient, there would be a raid tonight, and in preparation for this all the doors leading to the mews at the back were unfastened, and a very powerful car was waiting with its engine running. Mr Machfield might or might not use that method of escape. On the other hand, he could follow his invariable practice, which was to appear amongst those present as a guest: a fairly simple matter, because he was not registered as the proprietor of the house, and he could trust his servants.
    Certainly the car would have its uses, if everything went right and there was no untoward incident. Just lately, however, there had been one or two little hitches in the smooth running of his affairs, and, being superstitious, he expected more.
    He looked at his watch; his appointment with Ena was at midnight, but she had promised to ’phone through before then. At a quarter to nine, as he stood watching the players, there came a newcomer at the tail of three others. He was in evening dress, as were the majority of people round the board, and he looked strangely out of place in those surroundings, though his blue chin was newly shaved and his black hair was glossy with pomade, and in the lapel of his coat he wore a dazzling gardenia.
    Mr Machfield watched him wander aimlessly around the table, and then caught his eye and indicated that he wished to see him. Soon afterwards he walked out of the room and Mr Kingfether followed.
    “You’re rather silly to come tonight, K,” said Mr Machfield. “There’s just a chance of a raid – Reeder was here this afternoon.”
    The manager’s jaw dropped.
    “Is he here now?” he asked, and Mr Machfield smiled at the foolishness of the question.
    “No, and he won’t be coming tonight, unless he arrives with a flying