The Green Mandarin Mystery Read online

  Ellis and Baine had their heads close together over a particularly intriguing device that Ellis had recently invented when the telephone shrilled and brought an impatient frown to the detective’s sharp featured face.

  “See who that is, Gerry,” he said. “I’m busy, don’t forget. So are you!”

  “Right!” answered Baine quickly. He left the lab and hurried to where the phone was situated in the lobby outside that connected with the house itself.

  When he returned a few minutes later his face was grave. Ellis looked up with a half scowl. He knew there was something serious in the wind by the expression Baine wore. An instinct told him he was going to be drawn away from his present work and diverted on to something more worldly.

  “It’s a man from the Home Office, Chief,” said Baine. “He sounds awfully worried. You’d better have a word with him yourself because he wouldn’t take ‘No’ for an answer from me. Something to do with this Green Mandarin flap that’s going on.”

  Ellis laid aside the minute working parts of his latest invention and frowned.

  “The Green Mandarin…” he mused. “Yes, I thought we’d be hearing something of that before long.” He sighed. “Oh well, I suppose I’d better listen.” He looked regretfully at his work bench and shrugged his narrow shoulders. “Let’s hope it doesn’t take long,” he added.

  Cosmo Carrondell was brisk when he answered Ray’s hello.

  “They tell me you’re a very clever detective, Mr. Ellis,” he began. “If that’s the case I want to employ you to find my daughter. She’s disappeared and this ridiculous Green Mandarin business is behind it. When can you get to London?”

  Ellis frowned. He had heard of Carrondell, but this was his first personal contact with the man. He decided he was not impressed.

  “I’m sorry,” he said rather bleakly, “but right now I’m extremely busy. Nor am I for hire as you seem to think. It is true that I sometimes take an interest in assisting to solve a crime, but with me such affairs are secondary to my real work. I’m a scientist, Carrondell, not a ‘dick’! That’s just a hobby, you understand?”

  Cosmo Carrondell immediately realised he had adopted the wrong approach—an unusual mistake with him. He at once changed his tune and acted contritely. “I beg your pardon,” he said quickly. “It seems I was given the wrong impression. You must forgive me if I seem a little distracted, but my daughter has been claimed by this peril that goes under the guise of the Green Mandarin. As one of the most brilliant detectives in the country I feel sure you will understand why I have turned to you when the police fail to find her for me.” He broke off. Then: “My daughter, as you may or may not know, was a scientist like yourself. It would therefore not only be me you would assist if you took up the case, but the world of science as well.”

  Ellis hesitated for a moment before answering. There were aspects of this Green Mandarin business that had already attracted his curiosity. Should he have a crack at doing what the police force had so far failed to do? It was a big temptation, and Carrondell’s plea was effective.

  “I suppose I could spare a few days to look into it,” he said slowly. “You’re in London, I take it?”

  Carrondell said he was. There was a note of elation in his voice. Ellis decided that although the man might be interested in locating his daughter he was much more delighted at having brought him, Ellis, into the case. He smiled rather sourly and informed Carrondell that he would call at his address the moment he got to London.

  Carrondell thanked him profusely. Ellis rang off and stood with his hand on the receiver for nearly half a minute before turning away and going back to the lab to join Baine. He was thinking. If the police really were in trouble over the Green Mandarin business it would be worth while taking a hand. His name need not appear in connection with the case if he did succeed in solving it.

  He grinned as Baine turned round.

  Baine said: “You look as if you’ve smelt the scent, Chief! Do I go and get the kite ready?”

  Ellis frowned thoughtfully before replying. Then: “I haven’t been following this Green Mandarin business very closely,” he mused. “Is it true that all the victims of disappearance have been scientists?”

  Baine gave a decisive nod. “You might be the next yourself,” he said quietly. “I’d certainly like to get to the bottom of this thing.” He smiled apologetically. “In fact I was even going to suggest that we tried a short time before that fellow called us!”

  “Oh you were, were you!” grunted Ellis. “Well, Gerry, I think I’m as keen as you are now. There’s something about this Green Mandarin business that suddenly fascinates me.”

  “I’ll go and get the plane out,” said Baine. He did not wait for his chief to reply, but hurried from the lab in case Ellis changed his mind.

  Living in such an isolated place Ellis found it very useful to keep his own private aircraft on the island. It was a helicopter of the latest design, and as well as being fitted with all the most up-to-date aids to flying was equipped with several of Ellis’s own inventions. They were mostly under test, and being a man who guarded his secrets well till he was sure of their worth, he would never allow anyone to use or examine the craft except Baine.

  When Baine had left Ellis started gathering a number of things together and putting them in a small suitcase. The diversity of his luggage would have puzzled many people, but he never took anything with him on a journey unless he felt it would be useful. Most of his equipment for this trip was scientific apparatus that was still on his own private secret list. His inventions ranged considerably, but the majority of them were aimed at trapping or detecting criminals in various ways.

  When he had all he needed he glanced round, then left the big laboratory and entered his own apartment in the house itself. A pair of pyjamas, a toothbrush and a razor were all he collected for personal luggage. By that time the sound of the helicopter warming up reached his ears. He smiled in a satisfied manner and picked up the hat he never wore. On second thoughts he put it back on its hook and took down a dilapidated raincoat instead. Then he walked outside and across a windswept stretch of ground towards a concrete hangar, the double doors of which stood open. As he approached Baine taxied the helicopter out and waited for him. It was a sleek-looking machine, and assisted by several of Ellis’s inventions and gadgets was considerably swifter than its parent production model.

  “O.K.!” said Ellis, climbing in and shutting the door. “I’ve locked the house. Let’s go!” There was a light of excitement in his eyes as Baine turned into wind and opened the throttle. With a suddenly increased roar the aircraft moved a yard or two forward and soared aloft. Ray Ellis, famous detective and scientist, was bound for London.

  Chapter 3

  Flying Start

  Ellis was silent for some time after Baine had taken off and set course for London. There were a number of things milling through his mind that demanded decisions and careful thought. He realised that he should have taken more interest in the advent of the Green Mandarin. Had he done so he might have been able to prevent some of the later disappearances of valuable people.

  Not until Cosmo Carrondell had called him had he really opened his eyes to what was going on. Now he would have to make up for lost time in no uncertain manner. He hoped that his friend the Commissioner would co-operate in giving him all the available data to work on, though he believed it to be little enough. He also hoped that the Commissioner would not consider he was poaching on police preserves when he showed up and explained the position. It might be best to say that Carrondell had employed him unofficially to find his daughter.

  But the main and most important question was how to set about finding the people who were missing. Where the police had failed Ellis was going to meet all kinds of difficulties. And they must be overcome. Failure was unthinkable. Ellis did not fail when he put his mind to some particular task.

  After nearly an hour’s flying time, during which he had been staring through the perspex screen
of the plane, Ellis spoke to Baine. The cabin was perfectly soundproof, thanks to certain of the famous man’s inventions which he hoped would eventually bring added comfort to aircraft travel.

  “I think that instead of going directly to Carrondell’s place I’d better have a word with the Commissioner at Scotland Yard for a start,” said Ellis musingly. “Can you radio ahead and make the necessary arrangements?”

  Baine grinned. “My pleasure, Chief!” he answered. “You can relax and get some sleep if you want to. I’ll wake you later.”

  Ellis smiled thinly. He knew he could rely on Baine, but there were too many thoughts in his active brain for sleeping. In actual fact Ellis slept very little. It was always a matter of amazement to his assistant that he could carry on so unendingly with no apparent ill-effects. But, being well trained, he never mentioned such things. Baine knew how to handle Ellis in all his moods without appearing to do so, which was the prime secret of his value to the scientist-detective.

  Ellis himself, of course, never realised that. It was one of the few things he was ignorant about, which was perhaps just as well for his own peace of mind.

  The helicopter droned quietly across a sun-lit countryside and headed south for the city of London. South for the sun, thought Baine with another grin. He was a good-looking young man, with crisp, curly hair that was nearly black. His shoulders were broad and well proportioned. He enjoyed his life.

  *

  It was the hour preceding dusk when Ellis and Baines were shepherded into the main building at Scotland Yard and taken through endless corridors to the Commissioner’s Office.

  The Commissioner, warned of his visitor, was there to meet them with a smile and a handshake. He and Ellis knew each other well, for this was by no means Ellis’s first visit to Scotland Yard.

  After the two visitors were seated, they eyed each other for a moment before anyone spoke. Then it was the Commissioner who broke the silence.

  “At a rough guess, Ray,” he began, “I should say you are here following a phone call from Mr. Cosmo Carrondell relating to the Green Mandarin. Any assistance I can give you is yours of course. That goes without saying, because although I hate to admit it we are not making very much headway ourselves.”

  Ellis heaved a sigh of relief. “Thanks,” he said. “I was afraid I might be stepping on someone’s toes by taking the business up on Carrondell’s behalf.” He smiled. “Can’t say I like the man much, but I’d certainly like to have a crack at finding all these missing scientists and what-have-you.”

  The Commissioner looked grave for an instant. He shot a glance at Baine before switching it to Ellis again.

  “I wish you luck,” he said slowly. “You’ll certainly need it, let me warn you!”

  Ellis grew brisk. He realised what a strain the Commissioner must be labouring under with all these unsolved disappearances to haunt him. The worry was plain to see in his face.

  “May I borrow the relative files?” he asked. “I’m not making any promises, mind, but I’ll do my best to help.” He paused. “Carrondell wanted to hire me professionally, but of course I turned it down. Any results I get—if I get them—will be passed on to you. That’s an understood thing. The usual arrangement.”

  A trace of the Commissioner’s gratitude showed in his features for a moment, then he rang a bell and had the Green Mandarin files brought in for Ray’s perusal. The detective did not open them on the spot, but took them carefully and handed them over to Baine with a nod.

  “Now that I have your all-clear, Commissioner,” said Ellis, “I’ll go along and see Carrondell and just say I’m on the job. If I can I want to steer clear of him as much as possible. I’ve a hunch we shan’t get on very well unless I’m careful what I say!”

  “You’ll manage,” answered the Commissioner grimly. “You always do!”

  Ellis and his assistant left the office and made their way outside to the street. Baine with the files under his arm.

  “Cosmo Carrondell,” mused Ellis thoughtfully. “I don’t think we’ll call on the gentleman yet awhile, Gerry. Let’s go along to the flat and stick our noses into these files for a time. Tomorrow will be early enough to have a word with Carrondell. All the information regarding his daughter’s disappearance will be there in the police record. Carrondell would only annoy me this evening!” He turned his head and grinned good-humouredly. Baine gave a smile. He had a feeling that the Green Mandarin, whoever the Green Mandarin might be, was in for a beating once Ellis really got down to facts.

  The London flat which Ellis kept as a “pied-a-terre” was simply furnished and strictly bachelor in conception. Here it was that a taxi dropped them after leaving Scotland Yard. Situated as it was, the flat was conveniently central, which Ellis had found extremely useful on previous occasions. And it was only a short drive from his private aircraft hangar where they had left the helicopter.

  While Baine got a hasty picnic meal together—Ellis would never have bothered to eat if Baine hadn’t made him—Ellis settled down in a deep-seated armchair and opened the first of the files relating to the Green Mandarin cases. He frowned a lot as he read through the evidence, but when he had finished there was a speculative glint in his eyes that boded little good for someone. Munching sandwiches as he read, Ellis covered the entire recorded parts of the case in an hour. As he finished one file he handed it on to Baine, whose brain was as quick in the up-take as that of his chief. Between them they soon had all the available data at their fingertips—a matter of vital necessity when coming to a fresh case already well advanced as this one was.

  At the end Ellis sat back and eyed Baine thoughtfully.

  “What do you make of it?” he demanded.

  Baine did not answer immediately. He was formulating thoughts in his mind and turning them around before putting them into words. At length:

  “There’s something mighty queer going on,” he said. “For one thing every single one of these people is or was connected with science in one form or another. Then there is the fact that they fade out for no apparent reason other than some mysterious entity’s call on their services.

  “As far as we know they are all loyal subjects of this country, so it isn’t a matter of them being spies. If they were they wouldn’t advertise their own disappearance.

  “No, I should say myself that there’s someone behind this who is in need of scientific personnel for reasons unknown. Exactly how he has persuaded all these different people to join him I fail to understand—unless it’s by means of blackmail of course—but he’s certainly been quite efficient in hiding them once he has them.”

  Ellis nodded when Baine stopped. “And we’ve got to find them,” he murmured seriously. “You notice from one of the files that a note left by someone stated that what they were doing was for the good of mankind. Now it’s that sort of thing that worries me. It all depends on what the Green Mandarin considers is good and what is bad. If the man is a criminal then his ideas are sure to be bad. It worries me, Gerry, but I realise there are certain types of person who would fall for a line of talk and be hoodwinked into throwing up their normal lives in exchange for some mumbo-jumbo mystery that is probably as rotten as the man who originates it.”

  Baine appeared sceptical at first. “The mumbo-jumbo would have to be pretty strong to take in some of these missing people,” he grunted. “They aren’t all head-in-the-cloud story book scientists, you know! Take this last girl to vanish, Fleurette Carrondell. From what I’ve heard of her she’s a pretty hard-headed sort. Out for what she can get and it’s too darned bad if she treads on the man who gives it to her—or anyone else come to that! You may be right, of course, Chief; in fact I can’t see any other solution, but it’s going to take a lot of sorting out to discover where we are.”

  Ellis stretched and yawned. “Yes,” he agreed. “I’m afraid you’re right. I suggest we grab some sleep and start fresh in the morning. My brain’s a little fagged after absorbing all that stuff!” He jerked his thumb at the Green M
andarin files with a distasteful gesture.

  Baine rose to his feet and gathered the files neatly together. A glance at his watch showed him that the hour was later than he had imagined. He and Ellis had been in the flat most of the evening. After their prolonged hours of work in the island laboratory, and the flight down to London, even Baine decided that a spell of rest would not come amiss—especially if they were to move around very much on the case that now engaged their attention.

  But neither Ray Ellis nor his assistant was destined to enjoy an undisturbed night after all.

  Hardly had they turned in before the telephone rang.

  Baine gave a grunt of resignation and threw back the bed clothes, fumbling on the floor with his toes for a pair of slippers. He left his room, passed Ellis’s, and groped into the lounge, feeling his way and switching on lights as he went. The phone was on a desk near the window. Baine picked it up and silenced the insistent clamour of the bell.

  After listening for a moment or two his eyes narrowed slightly and a slow kind of grin spread across his face.

  “Thanks very much,” he said quietly. “I’ll pass it on to Ellis. He’ll probably come along right away. Maybe this is just what we want for a flying start!”

  “It’s a headache to us!” grunted the policeman at the other end. “However, you know best.”

  Baine replaced the receiver thoughtfully. He turned as Ellis himself came in, glancing at Baine with an inquiring lift of his eyebrows.

  “What was that?” he asked. “Something good, huh?”

  “Perhaps,” answered Baine. “Professor Borring has just been reported missing. That was Scotland Yard letting us know at once. I said we’d be right down.” He paused. “It’s another Green Mandarin job, of course.”