Major Whitworth journal is very spotty from this point forward.

Fortunately, another writer of the time -- the biographer of a person not yet introduced who is likely already familiar to readers -- amply fills us in on what transpired in the ensuing weeks.

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Detective Sergeant Charlie Chan of the Honolulu Police sat casually on a crate not far removed from where the gangplank of the Queen Ann-Marie should fall watching the great white ship slowly glide into her berth and be tied into place.

While Charlie’s primary role with the police was as its rising star homicide detective, homicides were relatively rare in Honolulu and watching who arrived and left the island was a duty which fell to him as part of his job and which had often been helpful in his primary role.

Chan was a small man in terms of height as was typical of his race but a large man in girth typical of his eating habits. His lively small dark eyes filled with interest as they did for every arriving ship but moved to a small twelve year old boy dressed in the pinstripes and cap of the All Chinese Tiger baseball team complete with a first baseman’s glove on this right hand who he saw was truly awed by this up close view of the great white Dutch ship docking.

The boy’s name was Mark Chan, Charlie’s Number One Son fresh from his team‘s practice. Mark had almost been excited to silence when Charlie had invited him along. This, of course, was impossible. Still Charlie thought as he heard the comments and viewed his small boy’s wonder, “The pleasure is all mine.”

Charlie had already well surveyed the welcoming crowd and noted many familiar faces including Henry Ascot and his wife, Christine, a former star of New York and London stages. He wondered idly who the very wealthy Ascot’s who lived in what Charlie thought of as “the grand villa on the beach” considered of such importance as to put in a personal appearance at their arrival. Such duties usually were left to chauffers and such by the city’s elite set.

Soon the plank was lowered and the usual blend of tourists, businessmen, and immigrants had filed off to be greeted by friends and loved ones or whisked away by the staff of various hostelries that waved the signs to attract their arriving patrons. The throng had turned to a trickle and the Ascots still waited. “Can rich and famous be stood up?” Charlie laughed silently to himself.

Then a final and most extraordinary group appeared at the top of the gangway. A group lead by a rather tall, beautiful blonde woman leading two giant lizards. Charlie shifted his eyes for a moment and saw this group was of interest to the Ascots and moved to the side of Henry Ascot to join them in receiving this unlikely crew. Henry turned to shake Charlie’s familiar hand and then back to the new arrivals now almost ashore.

Suddenly one the approaching lizards spoke to no one in particular, “Have those damned Chinese here too. Look at the claw on the little one.”

Charlie’s first thought was a ventriloquist in the group but then came the second lizard’s voice, “A fucking fat one too.” Charlie tried to concentrate on the introductions while the rude lizard babble continued but it was too distracted and puzzled for the task. Neither Ascot seemed shocked though they too were assailed with rude words. In a rare moment of confusion Charlie bowed and withdrew to a small distance wishing all a most pleasant visit as he backed away.

“Most honorable number one son, did you observe something most strange?”

“You mean the taking lizards, pop?”

“Yes, the talking lizards. Please to do me the kindness of corroborating my story when I share it with your most honorable mother tonight. Without such I believe she will for the first time in many years of most pleasant marriage question my honesty.”

Charlie watched the backs of the departing group intently as they loaded into two large waiting cars. Two humans of the group plus the Ascots went in the first car including a the handler of the lizards and a rather tall well built man Charlie hadn’t noticed earlier given his hasty withdrawal. A rather erect postured gentlemen now handling the lizards and the remaining three of the group got into the second car.

Chan silently reprimanded himself for the rudeness of his premature withdrawal without even a proper close up look at the arriving party much less a proper introduction. It was not in him to be intentionally rude. Also, he well knew that even being inadvertently such in his confusion to powerful people of the island such as the Ascots was not a good thing.

-------

It’s not that Henry Ascot was not shocked and amazed by the lizards even though he had some fore-knowledge of their abilities. He was. However, he was well advanced in his life long training to be the next Lord Henry Ascot, Duke of Kensington. Hence, he was well trained also in the art of the stiff upper lip. Besides this was his first face to face with his younger brother, Martin, in almost five years.

In that same car, Christine Ascot also remained apparently nonplussed but reflected that her role as the unflappable future Lady Ascot had it’s difficult moments. Indeed, sometimes this role was more difficult than any she’d ever played in ten years on the stage. She too had seen more than she had ever expected. This visit could well turn out to be a trying period she now feared.

Contrary to Christine Ascot’s concerns the new guests and their pets would soon settle into a rather pleasantly normal routine at the Ascot villa by the sea.

Even during the car ride to the beach, Christine noted that the man now known as Colonel Van Dyke was the same debonair, charming, competent man she had known years ago. A striking copy of his older brother without the arrogance she had grown to despise in her husband. Liking Van Dyke was akin to riding a bicycle . An easy thing to do that you never forgot.

A place for the lizard’s cage was found adjacent to the pavilion some distance from the main house and a continually refreshed supply of newspapers for the most part quelled their vile tongues. Most of the new guests focused on Waikiki’s fragrant warm waters with its ever rolling waves framed by the far blue horizon and the much nearer majesty of Diamond Head.

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The over night rain showers had long gone and Waikiki beach glittered with a new freshness as the two brothers ambled along the waters edge barefoot and bare-chested rapt in conversation.

“Barnum wrote that he was very interested indeed but confessed that despite his love for our family, he’d await confirmation from my own eyes that indeed what I’d written of him was true and not wildly exaggerated.”

“And what have your eyes told you, Henry?”

The older brother looked toward the sand and smiled as he spoke, “That my younger brother understated his discovery in his letter to me.”

“Indeed Henry, these creatures seem to be learning at an incredible rate. What was once unbelievable is now diminished to trivial by their latest performances.”

“Quite so.”, replied Henry. “I sent Wallace off with a telegram for Barnum last evening. It was brief but clear. Something like “The speaking lizards are for real. More amazing still they now speak decent English. These creatures astound all who see them. Please advise of your interest.”

“And?”

Henry Ascot chuckled. “Some patience please, my brother. As I said it was only sent last evening. I expect we’ll get some word in a few days.”

Shortly their discussion was interrupted by a high pitch terrified scream. Their eyes quickly saw the source just down the beach. Lady Elizabeth was momentarily shakily standing astride a surfboard speeding toward shore then unceremoniously dumped by it into the foaming sea. As her head emerged she was greeted by peals of laughter and some playfully derisive taunts from some of the others joining her at play in the water or standing nearby on the beach.

Then came voice of the woman likely her instructor, Nancy Applegate. Nancy was the lovely niece of Christine stopping with the Ascots for the summer before her final year at college in California. She could be clearly heard shouting from the water, “Ride’m cowgirl.”

Henry himself laughed as he heard his wife call from her comfortably dry vantage on shore, “Get right back up on that horse, my dear. It‘s the proper thing to do.”

“My American wife has become more British than the queen in her speech --- at times“ remarked Henry to his brother. “Quite a woman that Elizabeth of yours.”, he continued, “most intelligent, urbane and beautiful yet quite the aquatic athlete not to mention having a most facile business mind.”

“Indeed she is. I’ve grown quite fond of her over the last couple months.”

Henry let his brother’s reply go unanswered as they moved on to shortly reach the side of his wife.

“She does jolly well for a beginner” gushed Christine. “I understand she is quite a horsewoman too.”

“Actually, something of a Leonardo Divinci with long blonde hair.”, returned Marin Van Dyke nee Ascot with a bemused smile. She seems talented at everything.”

“Everything you say, Martin?” playfully questioned Christine with a mischievously knowing look while she intently studied the younger brother’s eyes.

After a momentary pause she went on as if seeking words to disguise embarrassment with her own previous coy directness, “I understand that Leonardo has quite long hair as well though not blonde.”

The converasation quickly moved into safer ground though Henry brought it back toward her Ladyship in inquiring of the whereabouts of Lord Hepwhite.

Christine replied without any particular malice but much mirth in her eyes, “The sticks in the mud went off to see some of the sites. Quite amusing actually, the thought of the brooding Lord Hepwhite and that oh so quiet Dutch artist, Vanders taking in the beauty of our city in shared silence. I believe the Major went along as well perhaps to relieve the silence with stuffiness.”

“You’ve always the keen eye for character, Christine”, laughed Van Dyke as Christine smiled back in mock triumph at the confirmation of her observations.

After a bit more conversation, the two brothers moved off to the terrace from which they latter observed a couple more rather good attempts by Lady Elizabeth to master the surfboard. They could still hear the mirthful sounds of her new best fan, Christine cheering her efforts on.

They were no sooner seated when Meadows, the butler of long service to Ascots, appeared with a two sparkling crystal goblets of pineapple juice on a silver tray.

“Like old time my lords if I may be so bold as to make a personal observation”, he ventured as the men greedily reached for their beverages so welcome on this most pleasant but yet rather warm morning.

“Indeed it is, Meadows” smiled back Van Dyke. “just one big happy family again.”

The time flew quickly by as the two brothers caught up on their years apart. In time, Christine joined them while the others continued to enjoy their frolic in the sea with only occasional short pauses for rest on the white sandy beach in between their bouts with the foaming surf.

In time a rather elderly Chinaman appeared and sounded a gong to call all interested to lunch. As they watched the old man still clasping a rather menacing looking meat cleaver approached for another look at the lizards who fresh from their morning read were only too pleased to great him with words of scorn.

“That would be Wu Chu.” offered Henry Ascot. Christine and I seem to be held prisoner by Meadows and the family Wu. He has been our cook forever and his rather lovely daughters have taken the place of their late mother as keepers of the house and two brothers of Mr. Wu stop by regularly to help with the grounds.”

“I shouldn’t like to be a chicken given that look Wu gives the lizards by a man with a cleaver in his hand” observed Van Dyke dryly. “And where does this Wallace fit in? Surely he is not Wu Wallace is he?”

“No indeed, Wallace is here to protect us from the Wu’s.”. joked Henry. “Actually, he takes care of the cars and such but is a retired Honalulu policemen I like to have around for general protection -- not that Honolulu is a dangerous place mind you. Just getting too well known not to become cautious I suppose and there was that friend you sent.”

-------------

Later in the afternoon Christine and Martin Ascot (Van Dyke) were doing a bit of their own catching up over some cocktails in the living room. The morning revelers from the beach were now seeking the shade of the terrace and engaged in an occasionally noisy game of Chinese Checkers. They were interrupted in their reminaces when Meadows announced the rather unexpected arrival of a Doctor Rothman who was shortly followed by a Doctor Ulrich who was accompanied by Major Whitworth. Whitworth quickly explained that his new friends were most interested in the lizards and apologized profusely for their un-announced intrusion. Christine graciously urged them to help themselves to the lizards and returned to their conversation.

“Makes new friends rather readily, our Major Whitworth”, observed Van Dyke with a raised brow.

“Don’t make such quick conclusions, Martin” replied Christine clearly trying to control her mirth. “The Major told me he wasn’t feeling well this morning so I recommended him to Rothman, a physician Henry and I know well. While I haven’t met Doctor Ulrich, he is the talk of the town. He seems to be one of this new wave of head doctors and is said to have studied under Freud in Vienna.”

“What do you find so amusing about the fact that the Major is not feeling well? You seem near ready to burst.”, asked Martin Ascott.

“Can’t you see? Tell me, Martin, does the Major look ill to you?”

“I suppose he looks his usual fit self but…”

“Martin its as plain as the nose on your face, but you don’t see it. Two doctors coming to view our lizards at the behest of Major Whitworth. --- including our most celebrated helper of the disturbed. I strongly suspect these talking lizards have raised the question of his own sanity in the mind of your good Major. It’s not at all that far fetched. I wondered myself if I might not have dreamed them when I awoke this morning.

Their shared amusement at the plight of Major Whitworth’s mind was interrupted by the return of an almost rude Lord Hepwite who barely paused with a hurried word of greeting for his hostess and moved quickly off to his room.

“Apparently the silent two decided to enjoy the sights silently apart.” offered Christine enjoying the moment. Over the ever abusive chatter of the lizards coming through the opened French doors, Christine expanded on her pleasure by wondering aloud to Van Dyke if after the Major got the reassurances of his medical panel if the Major would wonder if that reassurance too was a delusion. “Once you open that door it‘s a rather slippery slope.”, she concluded merrily.

They both shared a quiet laugh observing each the laughter in the eyes of the other.

After some apparent study, the trio returned from their expedition to the terrace and cage beyond. Doctor Rothman exchanged some pleasant words with Christine before both doctors were shown out by Major Whitworth. As they paused shaking hands at the door they exchanged a few parting words.

Christine made as if bending an ear toward the door and claimed she quite clearly heard the Major with worth say “it is such a relief”. Van Dyke had to raise his hands to help her from bursting into open laughter.

It was almost time to change for dinner when Vanders came in. Unlike Hepwhite he paused for a courteous word with his hostess and Van Dyke. Still the aroused Christine couldn’t help herself but to remark she’d thought he’d gone out with Lord Hepwhite.

“Why yes I did.”, replied Anders. “We had a fine couple hours together but I ran into some old acquaintances from Amsterdam at a café. The Major and Doctor Hepwhite decided to carry on without me on some personal matters while my new friends and I talked of home and mutual friends.”

After Vanders had gone to his room. Still full of fun, Christine observed that it is good that someone from Amsterdam speaks. Until that last speech I was beginning to wonder if Anders were a mute.”

Van Dyke mildly defended Vanders, his semi-countryman saying had some limitations with his English but was a decent if somewhat misguided sort and wonderfully talented as an artist.

=============

Several friends of the Ascots had been invited to join the group for dinner including Roberts, the head of the local zoological society, and Turner, the minister of church the Ascots attended, along with their wives. The lizards made quite an impression on the new guests, and lizard talk dominated the table talk. Roberts, would like to have the lizards for his own. In stark contrast, the Reverand Turner thought them an abomination of the devil which should have been left far from man in the jungle where God had put them. The Reverend’s wife diplomatically put in, “If only Lady Elizabeth, you could train them to be a bit more polite in their choice of words.”

A somewhat humorous moment for most was had when by chance all conversation save one momentarily paused and all could hear that one most clearly. Stuart was observing to the petite and lovely Nancy Applegate gazing raptly into his eyes at his side that “This bonny place is a wee bit of heaven. A man would do well to find a partner and spend a lifetime here.”

Henry Ascot made to relieve the ensuing awkward silence and perhaps embarrassment by cheerfully chipping in that he and Christine had felt much the same on their arrival now more than fifteen years ago and had made a point of forgetting to leave.

The dinner concluded otherwise uneventfully and shortly the visiting guests had left and all the guests in residence had retired leaving the brothers Ascot to a final cigar and brandy together before themselves retiring. Their conversation was interrupted by a knock which seemed loud in the otherwise silent house. Shortly, Meadows appeared bearing a telegram on his standard silver tray.

Henry read it quite thoroughly and dramatically paused in thought.

“Barnum?” queried his brother.

In good humor, Henry didn’t answer immediately but launched into a mini-disertation on the telegram.

“This telegram illustrates three things of significant import, Martin. Mind my words. First it illustrates how small the world has become. I sent off my message only last night and traveling through air and over wire it reached New York and a response returns the same way in little more than twenty-four hours.”

Van Dyke figited in anticipation as Henry continued his soliloquy.

“Second it illustrates that Western Union shall one day rule the world. You are a shareholder I trust, Martin?”

Martin didn’t answer but did ask “And third?”

Third, my brother, the speed of reply and his words demonstrate most convincingly that Mr. Phineas T. Barnum is interested as hell in your lizards. He says that he has advised a man of importance in his organization currently in California by the name of Morison to be on the first available ship out to have a look at your lizards and work out something if appropriate.

“Brilliant, that should be no more than a week” ventured Van Dyke.

“Perhaps even a bit less. I know the Enchanted Isle is outbound from San Francisco every other Thursday and tomorrow is a Thursday.”

“And so comes the most delicate job of making sure each one of my crew is on board with this idea.”, sighed Van Dyke.

“You already have the support of the Major and, of course Lady Elizabeth, no?”, offered Henry in encouragement.

“Yes, of course, Lady Elizabeth and a very likely on the Major but of the others I’m not at all sure. Doctor Hepwhite worries me the most. But Scotsmen too have been known to get their backs up on principles and who knows about our sullen artist. I’ve kept them all as in the dark as possible. Of course, I assume they suspect there is some other reason for our visit here than the generosity of their guide’s brother and his family.”

They went on to discuss plans well passed midnight and consumed considerable brandy in the process.

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The next morning Van Dyke rose a bit late given the hour he finally got to bed and the brandy he’d consumed during the course of his conversation with his brother. The beach set among the guests was again at play. Van Dyke felt fresh nevertheless and the. cheerful noises came through the opened French were most pleasant to his ear. He expressed a concern to Meadows that he’d missed Major Whitworth but was reassured by Meadows that the Major had yet to emerge from his room. Meadows also brought a telegram recently arrived which turned out to be from Barnum’s man, Victor Morrison. It confirmed that he’d be arriving the following Thursday afternoon aboard the Enchanted Isle and stopping at the Hawaiian International. He requested an early meeting.

Presently, the Major joined Van Dyke mentioning he had been delayed in getting down to breakfast by a little catching up he had to do with a journal he’d been neglecting of late.

As they ate and enjoyed the scene and noises of their colleagues at play on the beach and in the blue waters of the Pacific, Van Dyke shared with the Major that Barnum had shown interest and would be sending a senior representative though intentionally omitted specific details.

Van Dyke proposed that he himself share that fact and their intent to negotiate a lizard deal on a one on one basis with the others. He also wanted to solicit support for percentage divvy if there was an appropriate offer from Barnum’s man. The Major was a first skeptical, but in time Van Dyke won him over asserting that he’d be seen as more of an objective outsider than would Major Whitworth particularly given the nominal percentage he‘d be getting. However, Whitworth would have none of Van Dyke’s proposal that he and his brother alone try to strike the deal with Morrison. Given Whitworth’s insistence that he participate in any meeting with Morison, Van Dyke finally shared the details of his arrival and agreed Whitworth would be included in all their discussions.

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The faithful trade winds continued to cool while the reliable sun warmed and illuminated the brilliant contrasting colors of the semi-tropical paradise that was Waikiki. Similarly, the stars with occasional help from a cooperative moon lighted the near cloudless nights with various flowers adding the fragrant scents to complete a portrait of paradise.

A languidly good time was had by most all at the grand villa on the beach as the days turned into a week almost without memorable incident. Even the lizards caused little stir as Christine Ascot on Lady Elizabeth’s advice had assured that the servants kept them busy with an endless supply of reading material.

After she had put down her book to change for her outing with Nancy, Christine Ascot reflected on the pleasant but surprisingly quiet week.

Her niece would be sailing for California on the weekend to finish her studies. Stuart had monopolized Nancy’s time of late and vice versa. Christine was pleased with the prospect of some private time with Nancy before she left. It was a shame Henry couldn’t join them, but he had that meeting with Morison, Martin, and the Major.

About the only things of note she could remember from during the week was the clearly growing relationship between her niece and that tall Scotsman. This bothered her only slightly as Stuart seemed a good enough sort. In any case, Nancy was shortly outbound for California.

Besides that there was a rather amusing show of temper she had observed involving her least favored of her guests. It had happened when Nancy remarked on a small newspaper article she had read to Anders who was sketching her at the time. It had been about \the opposition thrashing the conservatives in the Dutch elections. Anders had almost thrown down his pad and practically grabbed the paper from Nancy’s hand to read the article for himself Then he’d most abruptly excused himself, went out, and wasn’t seen again till just before dinner.

Sometimes even Paradise could be a trifle dull she reflected given that those two recollections were the highlights of her week‘s excitement. Then she recalled the humorous incident of the Major and his consulting doctors and Wu Chi’s suggestion to her that the lizards would make a good stew. She chuckled to herself as she recalled his reaction when she had scolded him severely for that thought.

Just then Martin had arrived back from town where she knew he had gone to be sure that Morrison was comfortable at the Hawaiian International and invite him the house for their meeting at seven that evening. Strangely, Martin who she had always known as the paragon of calm and courtesy in any storm seemed rather distracted even agitated passing by with little more than a nod and a wave. He sought out Henry on the terrace where the two moved off out of earshot seemly speaking together most intensely.

Christine didn’t make anything much of this and suddenly realized she’d better get changed if she wasn’t to keep Nancy waiting for their dinner date and so retired to her bedroom and a fresh frock and face.

In time, Henry came into the bedroom keeping quite to himself. Christine was busy with her makeup but noticed him go to a small safe tucked in the corner. This was nothing particularly unusual but his serious manner prompted her to inquire if anything was the wrong.

“Nothing I can’t handle my dear.” leaving with the same determined stride he’d entered pausing only momentarily to say, “You have a lovely evening with Nancy. Sorry this bloody meeting keeps me from joining you.” He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and a went out.

Charlie Chan was just sitting down to a latish dinner alone with his wife as was commonplace on Thursday nights. On Thursday’s he often worked the departure of the Enchanted Isle on her return voyage to San Francisco. It had been quite routine tonight. Some familiar faces as well as the usual lot of businessmen and tourists boarded. He had not recognized any fleeing rouges nor seen anything untoward. Thursdays were always a pleasant change from the noisy family table. He loved his family but it was a pleasant break in their routine to have a quiet late dinner alone with his wife while the children were busy with their homework.

The phone called. As Charlie suspected from its first ring, their quiet evening together was over. Chief Anderson told him he was needed at a homicide at the Ascot’s home on the beach. He said he’d sent a couple of junior men on hand at the station to secure the crime scene assuring Charlie he had warned them not to touch anything.

“Most wise to warn, Chief” replied Charlie. I am even now moving toward door. Who may I ask shall I find lying on floor?”

“Henry Ascot” came the Chief’s reply.”

“Already this case is case most unusual”, responded Charlie cryptically.

“How so, Charlie”, queried the chief.

“Less than one hour ago, I see Mrs. Ascot give her honorable husband hug and kiss on cheek before he boarded San Francisco bound Enchanted Isle. I watch ship depart with same. Now you tell me Mr. Ascot is otherwise departed, Chief.”

“That is quite a mystery, Charlie. Be sure to have it solved for me when you bring me up to date in the morning, will ya?”

“Will apply all my modest skills to comply with your honorable request, Chief. Now I must fly.”

======

Sergeant Hopkins from robbery met him at his car and walked Charlie in. “He’s on the grass face down out near some cage by the pavillion shot clean through with a small pistol by his side. Fortunately, officer Bates has solved most of the crime for you.”

The men well known to each other exchanged sly smiles at the mention of Bates.

“Most amazing.” replied Chan. Our good apprentice officer Bates not only finds house he finds murderer too.”

“A Major Whitworth stopping here with the Ascots found the body”, continued Hopkins again businesslike. He says he was to meet with Ascot and some Barnum organization person by the name of Morison but found Ascot dead on the lawn when he arrived. Meadows, the butler. Has arrived from his day off since I’ve been here. The poor old fellow seems quite upset, and I’ve got him seated on the terrace.

The scene on the garden lawn was as Hopkins had described. Charlie noted an empty cage presumably belonging to the lizards. The Major mentioned was likely the rather solid looking gentleman also seated on the terrace but well apart from Meadows.

Charlie addressed him as Major and after introducing himself asked how he had come to discover the body. Whitworth replied most succinctly with military precision as if he’d been anticipating this question and had already rehearsed his answer in his mind.

“I arrived at precisely seven and knocked out of courtesy before remembering that Meadows and the staff would be out. Not wanting to bother Henry I checked the door and found it open and let myself in. I called to Henry then Marin but got no answer so proceeded outside to see if perhaps he and Morison from Barnum were already with the lizards Morison had come to discuss with us. I immediately noticed the cage door ajar and lizards missing then I saw Henry just lying there. I knelt down beside him but could see without checking for a pulse from his glassy eyes and the large pool of blood that he was quite dead.”

“Your meeting was to be at seven or sometime later?”, queried Chan.

“Henry had told me seven. I assume he had passed along the same time to Morison .”, responded Whitworth is his established crisp military fashion.

“Most strange, it is now well past eight and I see only you and no Morison or Martin.”, ventured Chan.

“I’ve been wondering about that myself, sir.” replied the Major.

Without further questions, Chan recommended a seat in the living room to the Major cautioning him to touch nothing.

After the Major had left, Bates moved to Chan’s side. “It’s a clear case of a robbery gone wrong, Charlie. They had some valuable lizards in that cage. Apparently, Ascot was on his way to feed them some salad -- see the large overturned salad bowl -- when he was accosted by the thieves. In the struggle they shot him then took the key --- its in the open cage door -- then ran off with their loot.”

“Shot man in back while struggling? Most inventive. Most inventive indeed. Perhaps, Bates, we also should check on all known fences of large green lizards for identity of these villains or do you have same already as well?

“Well not just yet Charlie. I’ve been waiting for you to really start my search for clues”

“Maybe better you should return to station and organize search for lizards.”, said Chan with no little menace.

“Okay, Charlie, anything you say but I don’t think they did it.” replied the young officer already headed toward the door.

“One moment please, Officer Bates. Do you have description of said lizards.” inquired Chan.

“They’re lizards, Charlie. Probably good sized ones too from the size of that cage.” returned Bates to a stone faced Chan.

“Perhaps I can help” came a new feminine voice.

Chan turned to see a remarkably beautiful woman of some height and a considerably older man who had got by Sergeant Hopkins. The woman looked shocked but was clearly in control.

“And you would be please?”

“I’m Elizabeth Hepwhite and this is my husband Doctor Hepwhite. We have been stopping here for the last week with the Ascots as part of Major Whitworth’s returning expedition. This is awful, but I know the lizards well even to the point of conversation and can help your officer with a description.” she replied quite calmly revealing little emotion.

“Most honored to meet woman who speaks with lizards.” returned Chan noting the woman had either excellent control or little emotion to control.

“We’re British” interjected Lord Hepwhite in apparent response to a thought Charlie had not shared.

Charlie ignored the man’s endorsement of the British stiff upper lip and inquired as to whence they had just come.

“It is cook’s night out and the Ascot’s had suggested we all sample some of the local fare. My wife and I chose to go to The Royal Palm where they have a genuine Luau on Thursday nights. We’ve just returned.

“Am quite familiar with genuine luau of Royal Palm” commented Chan cryptically keeping his own assessment of the regular Thursday and Sunday night affair at the glitzy tourist hotel to himself. “ Did others stopping here share this island folk pleasure with you and your wife, please?

“Why yes. That would be Stuart our surveyor and Pussyfoot, our monkey expert. We offered them a ride back in our cab, but they said the walk was not so long and the night very lovely. I would expect they’ll arrive presently.”, answered Lady Elizabeth for her husband.

“Thank you for this information.”, said Chan. “Now if you kindly would take seats in the living room. I may have some other questions for you and the other returning guests a bit later.” Charlie added.

Then he turned his back on the couple and moved the few steps across the lawn to once again study the murdered man and his immediate surroundings.

“Yes, of course.” replied Lady Elizabeth following Chan‘s eyes rather than his request. “Who has done this horrid thing?”

Chan studied the scene for a moment then took a pencil from his pocket and knelt to insert it gently in the barrel of the pistol lying near the murdered man. Rising he smelt the gun’s barrel then moved toward the light to better study the weapon.

A most expensive and elegant pistol complete with the monogram “CHA”, he said quietly thinking it to himself.

Turning to a chair on the terrace on which old Meadows still sat quietly sobbing to himself, Chan gently asked the grieving man if he would know the middle name of Mr. Ascot’s wife.”

Meadows hesitated a moment to pass a handkerchief across his eyes before answering. “Why yes, of course, sir, her middle name is Helen.”

“Hmm, Christine Helen Ascott., said Charlie softly aloud again thinking it to no one.

Bates was still hovering and was eager to demonstrate his forensic skills, “There’s the clue for ya Charlie. I would have got to it sooner, but I was told not to touch anything. The wife did it.”

“Anything is possible officer Bates but this is not the murder weapon. Most humble nose tells me that this gun has not been fired in very long time perhaps ever.” returned Chan consciously controlling his annoyance with the foolish leaps of this over eager and under-brained new member of Honolulu‘s finest.

Now turning his attention to the also still present Hepwhites, Chan firmly said, “Now Doctor and Mrs. Hepwhite if you would be so kind to avail yourselves of the most comfortable appearing living room as requested earlier touching nothing, Perhaps you could also brief my most eager assistant on appearance of lizards so that he may carry out mission so recently assigned him.”

After the trio had moved off, Chan continued his search of the scene as best he could with the modest amount of light given off by the house lights. Indeed there was a key where Bates had indicated in the cage’s opened door. It small size and shape would not likely yield any fingerprints he concluded sadly. Everything else at the scene seemed quite orderly except for the spilled salad with no signs of any struggle. He noted a bottle of brandy and an empty glass on an otherwise barren terrace table. The lush dry grass and firm dry ground he knew would not yield any useful footprints but perhaps the beach now cloaked in darkness would reveal a secret now hidden when inspected in the morning.

Presently the coroner arrived and Charlie Chan retreated to the living room to allow this man who he well knew to be of extreme competence to complete his gruesome work in the solitude he knew he preferred.

Entering the living room, Chan saw that most and perhaps all the guests and staff had already returned and Sergeant Hopkins had settled them all down in the various comfortable chairs of that spacious room. Charlie moved over to the weeping Mrs. Ascot’s side.

“I am so very sorry for your loss, Mrs. Ascot.”, he said in his most gentle tone.

Christine looked up wiping a tear and spoke hesitantly. “Then what Sergeant Hopkins told me is true. Henry is .. Is .. gone?”

“So sorry, most gone.”, consoled Chan gently. When you feel up to it perhaps you would be so kind as to write out complete list of guests and staff for me, Mrs. Ascott.

Christine Ascot nodded and Charlie Chan moved to the center of the room to speak to everyone.

“My name is Sergeant Detective Chan. With your help, I will be looking into to this very unfortunate and tragic matter. While, I of course know Mrs. Ascot, I have not had the pleasure of meeting most of the rest of you as yet. Perhaps if very briefly each of you could introduce yourself and share your reason for being here. It would be a start. Very likely, I will be seeking a private interview with each of you sometime in the next several days on this most serious matter. For now let us just start with who you are and why you are here, please.”

His speech complete he turned to the young woman seated next to the still tearful Mrs. Ascot and asked if she would begin.

As each in turned shared the simple information Chan had requested, Charlie moved to stand a few steps in front of the person speaking to avoid distractions and study their face as he or she answered.

After Doctor Hepwhite had repeated the information he already knew, Chan interrupted to inquire about the whereabouts of Lady Elizabeth Hepwhite who was no longer in evidence.

“I’m afraid she went out right after your man, Bates, left to have a looked for those wretched lizards on her own. I reminded her you’d asked us to wait her but she is a woman with a mind of her own.”, answered Hepwhite with obvious frustration.

Charlie Chan inwardly stiffened at the woman’s disregard for his explicitly stated wishes but gave no outward indication of his annoyance. As the rest of the people awaited his approach to explain themselves, Chan thought it might not be so bad that this woman who talked to lizards was in search. She might have more luck than the hapless Bates assuming that was really what she was about and that she would return.

The man Vanders gave off a distinct scent of cheap perfume which puzzled Chan slightly but he could draw nothing particularly sinister from that. A single man’s wild night not alone on the town he assumed.

About the time the last had finished, the coroner appeared in the doorway leading to the terrace and motioned to Charlie for a word outside. Excusing himself for the moment Chan followed the coroner out to the scene.

“The man is quite dead.” said the coroner quite decisively before pausing for a reaction.

Charlie knew the coroner well and had an appreciation for the macabre sense of humor he sometimes used to bring some semblance of cheer into his unpleasant work so he bowed more deeply than usual and thanked the coroner mentioning that he had noticed same himself.

“Seriously, Charlie it appears to be a single shot from a high powered weapon to the back. The bullet seems to have pierced the heart and continued out the front. There are no other apparent signs of trauma that I can see. Perhaps something will show up later when we do an autopsy but my guess is not.”

“An the time of death, doctor?” queried Chan.

“Most recently certainly. It’s always difficult as you know to be dead precise. From the body temperature and only modest morbidity, I would say no more than three hours max -- probably a bit less.”

Checking his watch Charlie noted “It is now just before 9:30 and first call comes to station at 7:10. That would put time of death somewhere between 6:30 and 7:10.”

“Right you are professor”, returned the coroner.

Charlie smiled inwardly at his coroner friend’s generosity of title as he asked a few more questions to make sure nothing more was to be learned. Nothing was.

As Chan re-entered the living room, Christine Ascot held up the list he’d requested earlier. Thanking her for it, he reviewed the list as he moved back to the spot from which he’d spoken to the group before. There were a couple names he had not encountered earlier.

“It appears that a Colonel Van Dyke, and a Mr. Wallace have yet to rejoin this household. I believe a Mr. Morison was also supposed to be here tonight. Morison is a gentleman from the Barnum organization Does anyone know of any of their whereabouts?, questioned Chan.

A murmur went through the room at the mention of Morison and the Barnum organization but only Christine Ascot spoke.

“Colonel Van Dyke had personal business in Hilo. I dropped him at the dock myself on my way to dinner with Nancy. Wallace often spends the night with his family particularly on his day off. I know nothing of Morison other than that he was suppose to meet with my husband, his brother, and Major Whitworth here at seven. I have never met the man.”

Chan thanked Christine and remained standing in thought for a few moments then somewhat hesitantly questioned Christine on part of her answer.

Please to excuse a humble police man but I am most confused because I too was at dock for departure of Enchanted Isle for San Francisco with outbound stop at Hilo. At said dock I thought I observed you Mrs. Ascot biding fond farewell to husband who clearly was not present. Please help me understand who was man you embraced and kissed on cheek at bottom of gangway?

That is no mystery and is no shame. That was my husband’s brother, Martin. If truth be known I’ve known Martin longer than I’ve known… knew my husband.

So sorry but my humble head still swirls with confusion. I thought my ears just heard you say you took Colonel Van Dyke to dock.

In spite of the her sadness, Christine managed a wry smile. Your mystery is solved Mr. Chan. Colonel Van Dyke is my husband’s brother Martin. Many years ago Martin moved to Holland, joined their military, and eventually changed his name to Van Dyke to better fit in.

“Thank you for most complete answer, Mrs. Ascot. Situation now most clear.”

And what time please did you leave here, Mrs. Ascot.”, pressed Chan not unkindly.

“Oh I don’t know exactly my mind is so confused right now….. Wait. It must have been just after six-thirty. The ship sails at seven. We barely made its sailing.”

“Again most sincere thanks for your most clear answers at time most difficult for you, Mrs. Ascot”

Even as Chan had spoke words, he knew that “clear” was far from the case, but he’d pushed to newly widowed woman too far too soon. He had many more questions for her and the others, but he now felt he had much more important business at the station. Much better to have private conversations in the morning he thought to himself.

Chan informed all that there would be interviews with each of them over the next day or two and advised them that he expected them to be available to him in Honolulu and until such time as he told them otherwise.

“I trust no one has problem with this since this is matter most serious.”, stated Chan checking each face for any note of discord.

There were no objections.

Charlie asked Sergeant Hopkins to keep the crime scene secure while he returned to the station. He promised to send a couple men to relieve him as soon a he got back there.

==========

The ride to the station was short. While Charlie passed by the Hawaiian International which he knew he must visit later in the evening, he had something to which he first must attend at the station. Hopefully, he could also still catch his workaholic Chief to bring him up to date and get his help.

After sending two men to relieve Hopkins, Charlie found Chief Anderson in his office.

“Sergeant Detective Chan. I didn’t expect to see you till morning, but I’m pleased to see you. Please have a seat.”, said the Chief amiably seeing Charlie at his door.

“Thank you. A seat would be most welcomed at this hour”, replied Charlie as he took a seat on a chair opposite his chief‘s desk.

“So Charlie, did you find the murder victim dead after all.”, inquired the chief with a mischievous smile.

Charlie knew he had lost face but ignored the smile. Answering simply, “Quite dead, Chief.”

“Tell me more.”

Charlie succinctly summed up his evening’s observations and the information about the similar looking brother apparently having been the one he saw on the dock being kissed by the victim‘s wife..

He ended with a statement and a request. “This sudden departure of Van Dyke who is also Martin Ascot is most troubling to me. Though picture remains quite foggy it is clear Van Dyke should be told of his brother’s most unfortunate sudden demise. Just as clearly I have urgent need of a conversation with Van Dyke as he may have been the last person to see his brother alive and…..”

“You need go no further, Charlie. Do you need my help with the boys in Hilo to get him off that ship when it stops there in the morning?”

“Such would be most helpful. I am sure word from Honolulu’s chief of police would carry far more wait than that of humble Sergeant of ancestry of questionable merit to some.”

“No problem, Charlie, I’ll have it arranged before I leave tonight.”

At this point, the just returned Sergeant Hopkins rapped on the frame of the Chief’s open door.

“I hope I’m not disturbing you two. There was an interesting development before I was relieved. By the way. Thanks for that, Charlie.”

Charlie nodded and partially rose offering Hopkins a seat next to him with a gesture.

After seating himself, Hopkins noted both men were all ears and got right into his story.

“It’s good news I suppose but really was quite a scene to behold. Shortly after Charlie left, the Hepwhite woman appeared with the two lizards more or less at her side -- no chains or leashes or nothing. Just the three of them walking in the door merrily as you please, and she is soothingly talking to them.”

More astounding yet, the lizards were answering in good English ----- after a fashion. By after a fashion I mean they were debasing her in so many words for having brought them to a house of horrors. I can remember one of them saying “We could have been killed you incompetent whore.” Christ, I didn’t know whether to laugh or scream.

Charlie look amused. “So which did you do Sergeant?”

Actually neither, Charlie. I just helped her get them into their cage which they did only after some strong words and me waving my baton at them. Gotta tell you, I’ve been called a bleeping asshole before but never by a lizard.

I guess that’s about it. We got them settled down. There was no other drama or returning guests. Wilkens and Jones have things in hand till morning.”

Neither the Charlie or the Chief could think of anything to say as they digested the story they just heard. Hopkins broke the silence.

“I thought you would want to know but if there is nothing else, I thought I might have a look in on my wife in kids.”

Both men thanked Hopkins and he left. Chief Anderson asked Charlie if he’d be on a similar mission to Punchbowl Hill.

“Regretfully must further delay said pleasure, Chief.” Most anxious to pay visit to hotel Hawaiian International where Morison is supposed to be stopping to see why he never arrived for meeting for which he sails great Pacific Ocean for many days.”

The workaholic chief grinned broadly at his workaholic sergeant. “Do let me know if you find his body at that hotel, Charlie”

Charlie rose bowing deeply. “I think saying such would be my pleasure not the proper English phrase but most certainly will inform if find such.”

-----------------

It was almost eleven as Charlie Chan pulled parked his car in the lot of the elegant Hawaiian International. He noticed but a few late night strollers as he entered the nearly empty lobby of the big hotel. Honolulu was not a twenty-four hour city. The desk clerk watched him cross the lobby and immediately recognized the name Morison when Charlie inquired if he was in.

“Picked up his key just about an hour ago, Sergeant Chan. I believe he stopped in at the bar rather than going to his room. Think he‘s still there.”

As Charlie moved across the marble floor of the posh hotel he couldn’t help but notice the quiet of the place. The bar itself was similarly quiet with but one customer and the barman already counting the days receipts as he prepared to close for the evening. Charlie approached the lone customer, a rather courtly looking gentleman far older than he had anticipated, seated at a table near the bar’s entrance and inquired if he were Mr. Morison.

The man looked up from his glass and spoke while gesturing to the seat across from him. “You’re a policeman I take it. I’ve been expecting you.”

Charlie took the seat suggested and asked how it was that he was expected.

“I see there was some serious trouble at the Ascot home tonight. By now you probably know I was expected but failed to appear. You from homicide?”

“You are a most informed man, Mr. Morison.” returned Chan. “Yes, I am Sergeant Detective Chan of this city’s police department’s homicide division. How may I ask do you know of the affairs that transpired at the Ascot residence this evening? These events are quite new and the city sleeps.”

“I passed by there earlier just in time to see two of your boys hurry to the door. Thinking, it a bad time for an entrance, I bided my time in the shadows across the road for a bit. Shortly, I saw your good self arrive and be escorted in by one of the officers who had come out to meet you. This convinced me my timing was bad so I walked up the road a bit rather than get involved. It’s was a rather lovely night and a charming place for a stroll. I went up perhaps a mile then came back and saw a meat wagon had arrived. So I decided the lizards I had come to discuss would wait till the morrow.”

Charlie noted the man’s smooth answer with some skepticism, “So you were to meet with Mr. Ascot and perhaps others about the lizards?”

“Yes.”

“At seven?”

“Yes.”

“I am somewhat confused Mr. Morison. Call to police came only at 7:10 and their arrival perhaps some ten minutes later. How is it that they arrived just as you approached the Ascot residence.”

“Not much mystery in that Sergeant. I was late. I’d tried to get a taxi but none was handy. The doorman at this hotel had told me it was only a short walk and provided some directions. As I said earlier, it was a lovely evening so I walked.”

“Forgive slow mind of a simple policeman perhaps naïve in the ways of business. This meeting was of some importance to you and the walk from here is a short one of perhaps fifteen minutes. Are you telling me you were already late for your meeting when you started walking to the place where you were to meet?”, probed Chan.

Morison paused before answering with what Charlie felt a too easy smile. “Actually no, Seargeant Chan. I left in plenty of time but either the doorman’s directions were faulty or my memory confused a right at the beach with a left. In either case, I walked some considerable distance the wrong way along the beach before knocking on the door of the fifth house on the beach side only to get no answer. I looked around at the back and saw no one before I entertained the possibility I’d taken a wrong turn and retraced my steps arriving at the correct house only to see your officers entering it as I have said.”

Charlie wondered at the man’s most convenient explanation and asked if he’d encountered anyone that might support his story.

“Most certainly there were numerous people about in the area of this hotel. However, I am a quite ordinary looking old man. I doubt anyone made note of my passing. I certainly didn’t of their’s. By the time I reached the beach road it was dark and practically no one was about. Though I do recall encountering one memorable man and his dog after I’d decided to extend my walk down the beach to wait for further developments.

Can you describe this man, please?

“Yes, a rather elderly blind gentleman with a great seeing eye dog -- probably a German Shepard.” offered the man again smiling.

Charlie wondered if this smooth talking man was foolish enough to be putting him on in a matter so serious.

“You spoke with this man?”

“Actually no.”

“So the one witness to your journey can not identify you to corraberate even this small portion of your journey.”, quizzed Chan.

“I expect not nor could his dog. The animal was quite well trained and didn’t even give me a sniff as I stepped aside to let them pass.”

Chan was not pleased with this man’s glib manner. He well knew that liars often trapped themselves with too much detail. However, this story of blind man and his guide dog was almost too absurd to be a lie.

If the man had not “got lost” which Charlie questioned, he could have been at the murder scene in time to do the deed, but what could be this man’s motive to kill a man he’d never met. Apparently, the lizards he sought had not been stolen. Still this man’s facile story begged another question.

Explain to me please, Mr. Morison, your first question to me about me being from homicide. How did you know Mr. Ascot had been murdered? The observations of which you have shared -- the arrival of police and later a vehicle from the crooners office -- also would also be explained by a natural death. Such deaths are far more common on this island than murder.”

“But then a policeman wouldn’t have been seeking me out about a missed meeting at eleven in the evening would one, Sergeant Chan?, responded Morison dismissively with a hint of pleasure..

Charlie allowed a the man to see a small smile as he rose from the table and slightly bowed to honor the man’s logic.

He then wished the man better luck with his next lizard meeting and cautioned him not to leave Honolulu until they had spoken again.

Charlie was well known to the doorman who confirmed that he had given a man directions to the Ascot house earlier that evening. He even recalled that he’d glanced at his watch first because the man had said he was due there at seven. It had been six-thirty-five.

His mind grinding and stomach growling Charlie got into his car and truned it toward Punch Bowl his and the much desired if cold dinner he hoped he would find there.

----------

The morning was one made to order to the Honolulu Tourist Board’s most fine recipe for a beautiful morning. The blue sky was near cloudless. The bright sun beamed warm but not hot and a gentle trade wind graciously shared the many beautiful scents of the brilliant flowers of many colors with the nose of Charlie Chan.

Charlie went directly to the Ascot house on the beach rather than the office to organize the on-coming morning shift of fellow officers in a search for what the darkness of the previous night might have hidden from his view. The night men were still there when Charlie arrived as it was still quite early. They told him the night had been un-eventful. It looked as if the household was just starting to rise. Charlie was less than pleased to see that the arriving relief included none other than Officer Bates but silently steeled himself to the fact.

Charlie himself had already walked the border of grass with beach in search of footprints in the sand to no avail. He set his new team to carefully search the garden lawn and flower beds for a cartridge. spent bullet. or anything else that shouldn’t be there. He carefully wrapped the lone glass and brandy bottle in a towel and gently placed them in a box he had brought along for the purpose then turned his attention toward the next logical pair of potential witnesses. As he recalled from conversation the night before their unlikely names were StinkFingers and PussyFace.

Charlie was quite certain he wouldn’t have forgotten such potentially helpful witnesses, but couldn’t have. The pair of lizards had made quite certain they had Charlie’s attention since he first arrived in the morning with various cat calls and vulgar comments on him and his men. Charlie had turned a deaf ear after listening to a bit of their nonsense but now steeled himself as he turned to what he anticipated would be the difficult task of gaining their cooperation.

As Charlie approached the cage he decided a direct approach with some simply worded questions would be the best strategy. He got no further than greeting the two watching lizards with a bow and a warm “Good Morning. You are called Stinkfingers and PussyFace?”

The lizards responded as a chorus.

“What’s it to you flatfoot?”

“Didn’t now Chinamen grew so fat.”

“That damned cook with the cleaver did it.”

“Bullshit it was the butler. It’s always the butler”

Charlie stood in mute amazement as they carried on without any further participation from him beyond his presence. He searched his mind for an approach which might stem the verbal assault and actually get answer. Suddenly there was a gentle touch on his shoulder followed immediately by a gentle even seductive voice.

“Perhaps I could persuade you to come away with me for a more cordial conversation. Actually, I believe I may be able to be of some help.”

Charlie turned to see a most radiant Lady Elizabeth Hepwhite in a bright yellow frock at his shoulder now moving away with a beckoning finger. Her lovely long blonde hair was favored by her dress and her manner was particularly appealing after his brief unsatisfactory attempt to interview the ever vulgar lizards.

Lady Elizabeth led him to a grouping of chairs at the border between lawn and sand some distance from the lizard cage.

“I’m certain those two can’t overhear us here if we keep our voices down.”, she smiled.

“Most pained ears only pray that same could be said of continued lizard babble.” smiled Charlie in return as he took the seat offered by this beautiful woman of yellow.

As if in answer to the prayer of Charlie’s ears one of the Wu women shortly appeared perhaps attracted by the racket. She brought a large stack of newspapers and shoved them into to the lizard cage as Charlie and Lady Elizabeth watched. Immediately, their noise ceased.

“They’re rather avid readers, actually. It’s about the only thing that keeps them quiet.”, observed Lady Elizabeth matter of factly.

Somewhat at a loss for words, Charlie could only react with a simple question, “They read as well as speak?”

“Only English so far but I have high hopes.” rejoined Lady Elizabeth with a marvelously mock serious look that no one could mistake for anything but ironic humor.

Chan appreciated her whit but was still somewhat short of words responded, “But how can this be?”

Again Lady Elizabeth smiled softly and turned wistful. “How can any of this be, Sergeant Chan? We are daily surrounded by infinite wonders that we take for granted because they have become so familiar to us. Somehow, flocks of butterflies and birds soar through the air. Simple little brown seeds turn miraculously into dazzling flowers and soaring trees. Our minds and bodies function via processes so complex yet most reliable. These things too are beyond our understanding and worthy of continuous marvel. Yet most of the time we merely accept them as the way things are.

We accept genius as miraculous but real in humans. Take Mozart. He blossoms forth with most marvelous symphonies at the age of twelve or think of some of the famous poems which their writers have said came forth from their insides in a single rush without conscious thought.

These latter feats of intellect are more rare than the caterpillar turning into to the butterfly, but they all do happen without our having the vaguest understanding of either why or how. So it is with our lizards. I’m quite satisfied to learn what but expect never to learn the why or how.

Charlie Chan was genuinely moved by Elizabeth’s words. “You speak with great passion, wisdom, and clarity of this Lady Hepwhite. I humbly thank you and will store away your words in a special place in my heart. Is this the advice you sought me out to impart?”

“Actually no, Mr. Chan, your questioning just brought forth a response full cloth perhaps in some modest way like the poems of which I just spoke. What I wanted to share was far more mundane and practical advice on gaining cooperation from the lizards.”

“Please to continue, Lady Hepwhite.”

I’ve worked with them daily for more than a month now and have yet to get a courteous word and only rarely what might be a straight word from them. However I have learned that not taking their bait and being kind and reasonable can realize grudging cooperation from them. Witness last night. As your man may have told you, they returned here with me without force or restraint. Most certainly they abused me verbally all the time but they did cooperate. This happened because I gently and persistently offered them reasons it was in their best interest to do so. Patience and honesty is what is needed in a word…. or is that two?, concluded Lady Elizabeth with a gentle smile.

Little did Lady Elizabeth then realize that she was speaking to someone well versed in the power of patience. Together they spoke some time to devise plan to elicit the truth from the lizards on the matters of the previous evening.

Once they had settled on a plan, Chan brought the conversation around to other matters.

“You have been most helpful, Lady Hepwhite I trust you don’t mind if I use this occasion to just review your activities of last night. Quite routine. I’ll be speaking to everyone resident in the household and perhaps some others.

“Of course not Sergeant Chan. As I told you last night my husband and I spent the evening at a Luau at the Royal Palm Hotel. I don’t know what more I can tell you.” replied Lady Elizabeth.

About what time did you and your husband leave this house for the hotel, your ladyship?”

Oh, we left quite early in the afternoon. I wanted to do some shopping and Justin, my husband, had some errands of his own to which he wanted to attend. Our plan was to meet up at the hotel about seven for the luau.”

I see. So you spent the afternoon apart and rendezvoused at seven at the Royal Palm.

Actually, a bit after that Mr. Chan. My husband ran a bit late. He didn’t arrive till almost 7:30.

Did he say what delayed him?

“Lady Elizabeth smiled. “My husband seldom explains himself, Sergeant Chan. The irony is he is always asking me to explain myself.” , she answered.

“Explain please, if you would Lady Hepwhite.” probed Chan.

“I am afraid my husband is in some ways a rather insecure man. He is perpetually suspecting me of being unfaithful and questions my every absence and many of my perfectly respectable relationships with other men.”

“Not very good recipe for happy marriage.”, offered Chan.

Lady Elizabeth answered reflectively, “Regretfully not, Sergeant. Confidentially I’ve thought quite often of divorce. If only he would see what there is to see rather than see what he fears to see.”

Chan smiled gently at Lady Elizabeth’s candor and sentiment. “If people only were who we would have them be.”

“Yes, I suppose that is a fair rebuke for a woman’s silly thought”, replied Lady Hepwhite quite sadly.

“Forgive please a very direct question, Lady Hepwhite. Has your husband given any indication he thinks he has seen anything between you and Henry Ascot?”, asked Chan.

“Heavens no, Sergeant. I’m not sure I have even spoken privately with Henry Ascot since we’ve been here. Even my jealous husband needs some mild provocation for his suspicions. No, his latest candidate for my would be lover is Colonel Van Dyke, the man I only recently learned was born Martin Ascot. We had strong words on the matter several times while in Sumatra.”

Chan paused to take in what the woman had just told him before his next question.

Please forgive most indelicate question, you ladyship. Is perhaps there a closeness between you and now missing brother?

Lady Hepwhite took no offense and answered evenly. “A closeness certainly, Sergeant Chan. Indeed, I have great respect even admiration for Colonel Van Dyke as I hope he does for me. He is a sympathetic and most brilliant even charismatic man. However, our relationship is most certainly that of close friends. Its purely of a professional and intellectual nature. We share many common views, interests, and visions most recently added to by our common fascination and devotion to the lizards.

The Colonel is unquestionably the most private person I have ever known. Until we were on route here I never knew anything of his history or even that he had a brother in Hawaii. Of course, I suspected he was not native born Dutch given his impeccably accented English and his knowledge of things English, but I never inquired and he never offered. I still am not sure whether he has a wife and family or is a single man.

It sounded rather convincing to Chan but he left the subject and moved on without being totally convinced. He didn’t exactly suspect she was lying but what else would a woman accused say?

“The lizards, Lady Elizabeth, you seem quite devoted to even passionate about them. Yet I understand you support Van Dyke’s plan to sell them to the Barnum organization for exhibition.” asked Chan turning a new page.

“It’s really much more complicated than that, Sergeant Chan.” returned Lady Elizabeth for the first time showing just a hint of annoyance. “Martin and I agreed any such arrangement would carry strong stipulations about the lizards being well cared for and made available to an American scientists for observation and study. I hoped to be one of those with such access to the lizards and that was too to be stipulated in any agreement.”

“And your husband’s feelings?”

“As usual somewhat contrary. Queen and country you know, but I felt of late he might be coming around.”

“So at least initially he was opposed?”

“Indeed but the Colonel spent a good deal of time speaking with him, and Justin has let the matter drop in our discussions of late --- not that we have had that many discussions of anything late.

As he was digesting the import of Lady Elizabeth’s words, Charlie couldn’t help but feel he was being observed. Glancing around, he immediately saw the cause. Doctor Hepwhite was seated at a table on the terrace and staring quite intently at the couple. Chan wondered how long the man had been doing so. Charlie returned his eyes to Lady Elizabeth and spoke.

“You’ve been very helpful, Lady Hepwhite.”, said Chan standing. “We shall meet again this afternoon, yes?”

“The same, and I look forward to it Sergeant Chan.”, responded Lady Elizabeth offering her delicate hand.

After shaking hands, Chan turned toward the terrace and Lady Elizabeth headed went to look in on her lizards. Chan reflected I hope she doesn’t want to have a noisy chat with them just now.

Chan headed toward the terrace venturing a friendly wave at Doctor Hepwhite. It wasn’t returned.

“Good morning, Sir Justin.”, offered Charlie as he approached. “I was just speaking with your very lovely wife and ….”

“So I have observed, Chan”, interrupted Doctor Hepwhite. “You two seemed quite intensely involved for some time.”

“Quite so. We had much to discuss.”, answered Chan catching but ignoring a possible hint of jealousy.

“Did she tell you about Van Dyke?”, asked the doctor sourly.

“We spoke of him and other things”, replied Chan

“She is having an affair with him you know, Chan.”, returned the doctor. “I haven’t quite caught them inflagranti, but I know its true. Even on shipboard before Sumatra the two were nearly inseparable. Always huddled apart in their endless deep conversations.”, continued Doctor Hepwhite.

“Perhaps, you mistake their common interest in the lizards for something else, doctor.”, offered Chan to see his response.

“I know what I see, Sergeant. I don’t admit to being cuckolded for naught. I have had very strong words with each of them about it, but it still goes on. She is a very beautiful woman. This is not her first affair since we‘ve been married.”

Charlie wordlessly encouraged the man to go on with a nod of recognition as he helped himself to a seat at the table.

“She always pleads innocence, but I am not blind. This smooth talking, handsome, vagabond colonel is just her type.”

“Most unfortunate for you, Sir Justin.”, consoled Charlie having heard enough. Perhaps, I could take this opportunity to ask you a few questions about last night’s tragic event.”

“I know nothing, Chan. But if you must.” replied Hepwhite with a clear edge of annoyance.

“Thank you, doctor. Please to tell me where you were on the night of the murder.”, started Chan.

“I have already told you that last night, Chan. My wife and I were attending a luau at the Royal Palms Hotel. When we returned here we found you standing over the body.”

“Ah yes. Now I remember, doctor.” returned Chan. “Please to excuse faulty memory of humble policeman. As I recall, you and Lady Elizabeth were the first of the guests to return here.”

“Yes that is the case, Sergeant.”, stated Hepwhite. “Now if that will be all I have other matters which require my attention.”

“I have just a few more questions, doctor.”, replied Chan evenly.

“Do you Sergeant Chan?”, returned Hepwhite somehow diminishing Chan’s title with his voice. “Surely you can’t think I had anything to do with this horrible matter. I am a former military officer, a prominent surgeon noted for my work with the poor, and a member of the House of Lords.”

“Just a few questions, milord. I am afraid I must insist.”, replied Chan touching the man’s arm to stay him as he started to rise.

“This is quite outrageous, you know.”, grumbled Hepwhite resuming his seat.

“I understand from my other interviews that you arrived at the luau a bit late -- perhaps about 7:30. Is that correct, doctor?”

“A bit late, yes.”, replied Hepwhite impatiently, “Can’t give you an exact time, Chan. I am effectively on holiday here while the others pursue some wretched venal scheme to make money off of our lizards. I don’t check my watch often.”

“But you did have an appointment with your wife for the luau at seven and kept her waiting?”

“Did she tell you that?”, shot back the doctor.

Charlie ignored the doctor’s retort. “May I ask how you spent your afternoon alone and why you were late for your meeting with your wife, please.”

“You may not, Chan. I am a private person and my affairs are none of your business.”, returned Hepwhite sharply.

“Please to understand, doctor. This is a very serious matter --- a murder. While you may not be directly involved, you are involved with the principals, and it is my duty to understand the whereabouts of all such parties.”, returned Chan evenly but forcefully.

“If you must know, Chan, I most enjoy walking to take in the sights and have been looking in on a hospital both the learn and to offer some help.”

“Ah yes, we have a very beautiful if small city with much to see. Please, at which hospital have you been visiting?”, asked Chan.

There was a pause in the conversation as Hepwhite seemed to search his mind. “Darned if I can recall, Chan. My memory is just not what it used to be.”

“No problem, doctor, often have same problem. If you can just tell me the names of some of the doctors with whom you interacted there, I can probably make a fair guess as to which hospital. As I just said, Honolulu is but a small city.”

“Names were never my strongpoint, Chan. A Mike and a Bill but really can’t recall their surnames.”, offered Hepwhite still most impatient of tone.

“Perhaps you were conferring with Mike and Bill on a complicated case causing you to be late for your luau appointment with your wife, doctor?, asked Chan pointedly.

“What are you suggesting, Chan? This is most outrageous,” angrily burst Hepwhite.

“Doctor Hepwhite, are you quite sure you did not return to this house before luau?”

“This conversation is over, Sergeant Chan.”, returned Hepwhite decisively as he rose from his chair. “If you have any more questions for me, I will first retain a lawyer.”

Chan knew the interview was indeed over. He couldn’t force Hepwhite to answer unless he was charged. Even then there would be limitations.

Chan’s next words were spoken to Hepwhites departing back. “Honolulu has many fine attorneys, doctor.”

Charlie, contemplated the interview just ended for a few moments then recalled Mrs. Ascot. She had come out on the terrace earlier with a book in hand. Seeing Charlie and Hepwhite engrossed in conversation, she had just nodded and moved off to the chairs by the beach recently occupied by Chan and Lady Elizabeth to give the two men privacy. Chan looked to the chairs. She was still there apparently deeply involved with her book.

Charlie rose and headed toward Christine Ascot. At first she seemed to take no notice as he approached, but when she did notice him she half rose and asked him to join her.

While the woman didn’t appear particularly happy, the tears of last night had been replaced with a quiet and graceful calm. Chan couldn’t help but admire her rather elegant beauty which had not yet been vanquished by the years.

“Good Morning, Sergeant Chan. How are you today?” she said in greeting.

Chan bowed solemnly replied. Quite well thank you Mrs. Ascot. Much better indeed since Wu Chi gives lizards newspapers to read.”

Even on a sad day, Christine Ascot couldn’t help but smile at Chan’s remark. “Yes, it is a blessing that these foul mouthed creatures have such interest in the news. Were it not so I’d be wearing earplugs. I shall be happy to see them off.”

You are not of friend of these lizards then, Mrs. Ascot?”, inquired Chan casually.

Oh, I find them amusing enough but think Reverend Turner had a point when he said God had put them in a distant jungle where they belonged, and man shouldn’t have interfered with his divine plan for them.”

Chan first probed as to the views that the Reverend had shared. Finding nothing beyond some seemingly innocent dinner table conversation, he turned to a matter of more immediate interest.

“Are you up to a few questions about this tragic affair this morning, Mrs. Ascot?”

Christine Ascot grimaced but said she supposed so. “I really want to help find this awful person who did this to poor Henry. Like every couple we had our issues, but he was a truly wonderful man.”

After commending her on her bravery and sentiment, Chan asked question number one from the homicide detective’s handbook. “Is there anyone you know of that would have wanted to hurt your late husband, Mrs. Ascot?”

“Far from it, Sergeant“, she replied, “Henry was a well loved and respected man in Honolulu as you must know. Certainly, he could be firm in business matters and perhaps more than a bit arrogant at times but no enemies that I know of….. Wait”

“Yes”

“There was an issue some months ago. Henry as always was quite vague about it. He always sought to shelter me from concern. Apparently, he had had word from a friend of his brother passing through from Sumatra that he might be in some danger.”

“The nature of this threat, please”

“He never really told me anything more specific. Said it was almost certainly nothing. However, he did hire this Wallace person to as he said take care of the cars and generally watch over things. I came to know Wallace, a rather good man --- who I have surprisingly yet to see this morning. He is a retired policeman, but I never questioned Henry on the subject.”

Another nickel had dropped. Chan well knew Jerry Wallace from the force. He’d previous not connected this common enough name with this old friend and colleague. Where indeed was he?

Mrs. Ascot wasn’t able to add anything more on Wallace or threat angle so Charlie Chan moved on to the missing brother.

You were quite close to your husband’s brother, Martin?

“Actually, I hadn’t seen him in twenty years prior to his arrival here not much more than a week ago. I had been concerned but old issues seem to have been erased by time, and we got on quite well.”

“So you knew him many years ago but there had been some problems?” queried Chan.

“Yes, I knew him very well indeed, Detective. I met him when I was in the theatre in London. In fact, we were eventually engaged to be married. Through him I met Henry and fell madly in love with the man. I broke off my engagement to Martin and married Henry instead. As you can imagine, Martin was miffed. More than that, he was actually quite angry and embarrassed. Things like that just didn’t happen in his social circle. They’re aristocrats you know. Henry was the son of Lord Charles Ascot, the Duke of Kensington.

“Most interesting, I’ve never heard that bit of his history though he has been on the scene here for many years.”, commented Chan.

You wouldn’t have. Henry put all that behind him after we’d moved her and decided not to return to England as his business was doing extremely well. We’d loved the islands from the first and had no need to endure more of the tongue wagging that had decided us to leave England for a time in the first place.

Again most interesting.”, observed Chan, so now one day Martin Ascot will be the Duke of Kensington.

“I suppose he will.”, said Christine Ascot.”

Chan judged from her expression and tone she seemed not to have had thought of that particular implication of her husband’s death till now.

“But surely you don’t think Martin had anything to do with Henry’s murder! They were brothers.”

“As I am afraid were Cain and Abel, Mrs. Ascot. Martin has gone missing at an unfortunate time.” said Chan pointedly.

Christine Ascot took issue with this statement. “You do Martin an grave injustice, Sergeant Chan. As I told you last night a sudden personal matter had come up that required his attention in Hilo. I drove him to the ship myself as you well know and Henry was quite alive when we left. He told me expected to be back within a couple days at most.”

“Most sorry to have offended, Mrs. Ascot. Is policeman’s job to ask questions sometimes not overly appreciated. Please to tell me of the last time you saw your husband and how it transpired that you came to drive brother to ship, Enchanted Isle.”

Christine Ascot answered without hesitation, “I was just getting ready to go to my room to freshen and change for my dinner appointment with my niece, Nancy. Martin came in looking unusually businesslike and went right by me to speak with his brother on the terrace. They moved off toward the beach speaking together. I went to get ready for diner. Henry came in as I was about ready to leave. He too looked rather determined. He got something out of the safe in our room and left. As I went out I saw him on the terrace with large salad bowl. As I went out, I chuckled to myself that milord was being forced to feed the lizards since it was a Thursday.

“Did you see what he removed from the safe?”, asked Chan.

“No, he must have put it in his jacket pocket. I asked in if anything was the matter, and he assured me it was nothing he couldn’t handle then wished me a pleasant evening. That’s the last thing he ever said to me., “ concluded Christine in a whisper.

“So then you left the house?”

“Yes, Nancy had been waiting for me when I returned to the living room, and we went out. Martin was standing on the lawn seemingly lost in thought. When he saw us, he asked me if I could drop him at the docks. I was surprised he was leaving given the meeting. On the way, he mentioned the matter of the urgent personal business without being specific. Martin assured me that Henry would be easily able to handle the meeting as he had his input.”

“So the three of you got immediately into car and left?”, asked Chan.

“More or less, Sergeant. Martin went back in for a small valise while I started the car He was but a few minutes. Then we went directly to the docks where you saw me wish him a good trip.”

“Did perhaps you hear any noise while you were waiting in car?

“Indeed I did, Sergeant Chan. The motor was running most roughly and noisily. I made a note in my mind to have Wallace take it in for a tune up.”

Chan reflected on this for a moment or two then turned to clear up a detail that had troubled him from the start.

“Mrs. Ascot, you have been most gracious and helpful. Perhaps you could help me clear up one more issue which perplexes me.”

“Surely, Sergeant, if I can.”

“I found a pistol lying next to your late-husband’s body. While it had not been fired, it was a most curious find as it was engraved with the initials CHA. These are your initials, Mrs. Ascot, are they not?”

“You are correct in that, Sergeant Chan, but I don’t own that gun or any other for that matter. I am quite put off by gun, actually.”

“Most strange.”

Actually, its not strange at all, Sergeant Chan. My Henry’s initials were also CHA. Practically everyone knows him as Henry but he was born Charles Henry Ascot after his father. Even at an early age Henry wanted to be his own man. Also he detested being referred to as “young Charles” and though he loved his father, he demanded to be addressed as Henry. Indeed, I was first introduced to him as Henry and only later learned his christened name was Charles Henry.”

“Thank you. Perhaps then this gun was his?”, questioned Chan.

“I’d have to see it to be sure. I do know for a fact that his great-aunt gave him such an engraved gun just before we left England to come to Hawaii.”, responding to Chan before pausing to smile briefly before continuing.

“She was a bit eccentric, you know, and thought he’d might need a weapon to defend himself in the wild jungles of Hawaii.”

Chan returned her smile then went back to business. “So this gun may well be Henry’s. Did he perchance keep it in the safe, Mrs. Ascot?

Christine Ascot spoke somewhat unsurely, “That would seem reasonable, Sergeant, as Henry detested guns as much as I do. So many accidents you know. He could well have. I just don’t know for sure.”

After a few more minutes of talk Chan thanked Mrs. Ascot and with a bow took his leave.

Having no particular interest in seeking out other interviews for the moment, Chan left the house and headed for his car after setting Bates on an errand to see if a blind man with a dogs lived further on down the beach. He felt it a mission the young officer could likely handle.

--------------

As soon as he’d entered the station, the desk sergeant told Charlie the chief wanted to see him right away. Arriving at Chief Anderson’s door he was waved in my the chief who once again pointed to his usual chair as he quickly finished a phone call.

“Charlie we have a problem with this Van Dyke man.”

Chan looked concerned. “Hilo police no get departed brother of dearly departed victim off off ship, Echanted Isle?”

“Oh, they got him off all right but not for the reasons I shared with Chief Wilson on the phone last night. They are holding him for now in connection with a shipboard murder.

Chan had be listening intently with his palms together if praying. “Most strange, Chief. This man seems a magnet for murder. Do we know the name of this victim?”

“More than that Charlie.”, returned the chief seriously, “You and I both well know the victim. It’s your predecesor Jerry Wallace.” How’s them apples?”

“Most rotten apples indeed, sir. Jerry was a very good man and able officer till his retirement. I ran into him some months ago, and he seemed to be wearing retirement quite well with much evidence in skin tone of long days on beach.

Just last night I again see the name Wallace as the missing keeper of cars of Ascots but make no association since name so common. Only this morning do I learn that this person is same Jerry Wallace well known and honored by us.”

“My Lord.” responded Chief Anderson., “My brain must have been asleep last night when you mentioned an unaccounted for Wallace. But didn’t you say he was the chauffer?

“Yes was my impression too from words of seemingly much distressed but brave Mrs. Ascot last night. She says he takes care of the cars and generally looks after things. But this morning I have more probing private discussion with Mrs. Ascot. and she shares that Wallace’s role with the cars was secondary. Her husband employed him not for his driving abilities but because of his police background. She claims to be somewhat in the dark as to husband’s exact motivation but said he had something to do with a acquaintance of his brother‘s warning to him”

The chief reacted strongly to this. “Indeed. So brother of victim flees for San Francisco followed by bodyguard Then the bodyguard ends up dead himself with fleeing brother pausing in flight long enough to be standing over dead bodyguard with a recently fired gun of the same caliber that killed the bodyguard, our friend Wallce. Looks like we may be getting close to the end of this case.”

Charlie picked up on one point that surprised him. “You just said San Francisco, Chief. I understood Mr. Ascot/Van Dyke was on route to take care of some personal business in Hilo?

So you may have been told, Charlie but one of the few specifics I did get out of our friends in Hilo is that he was holding a ticket for San Francisco not just Hilo.

Charlie raised his eyebrows, “I have some additional information, Chief. Some supports this theory some does not. Am not sure we are yet at end of story.”

“Let’s hear it, Charlie.”, said Chief Anderson eagerly.

Charlie then shared with Chief Anderson his observations from his discussions with both Lady Elizabeth and Mrs. Ascot.

“The chief reacted with a whistle, “Some great motivation for both Van Dyke and this Sir Doctor Hepwhite. Also, it seems ample opportunity for either. However, in the case of Van Dyke, that is only a very few minutes if the Ascot woman’s story is accurate.”

Chan’s mind was still filled with contradictions as he answered, “As said, Chief, Mrs. Ascot had been most open that there had been a period of serious trouble between the brothers supposedly years long over. It seems she and Mr. Martin Ascot were long acquainted before she met and she says quickly fell in love and married the senior Ascot brother, Henry. In fact, she and the younger brother had been formally engaged to be married. According to her Martin was enraged with them both and so terribly embarrassed socially and forsook Queen and country ending up as Colonel Van Dyke.”

Hmm, brother returns. Love rekindles. Bang. Now there’s a motive for murder that could hang a man. Do you think the woman is involved as well, Charlie?”

“Also as said, picture still most unclear in my humble eyes, Chief. While I most certainly wish long conversation with Mister Van Dyke/Ascot something seems wrong about him as the villain. Even more so Mrs. Ascot.

While I know she had career as famous actress, she seemed most open even forthcoming to the point of providing a motive for Martin Ascot. She may have other involvement in this deed, but can not see her as the re-cycled lover of Van Dyke nee Ascot as her candid admissions -- largely unsought -- throw suspicion on same.”

Charlie continued, “However, Hepwhite is a jealous man for sure and he has and entire afternoon for which to account. I didn’t believe a word of his alibi, and he became most uncooperative when challenged as I told you earlier.”

The Chief gently differed, “My money is still on Van Dyke. He has an intense conversation with his brother causing his brother to seek out his gun. Minutes later the brother likely holding the gun he just retrieved from his safe to protect himself is shot dead.

Compelling I say, but its your case, Charlie. You still have plenty of work still to do to turn our conflicting intuitions into something the DA can present to a jury.”

Charlie smiled and bowed his head slightly. “Yes, chief, much work including interview this afternoon with lizards lately also most vulgarly uncooperative.”

They agreed that the chief would try to get the Hilo police to bring Van Dyke over to Honolulu but that Charlie just might have to go take a boat ride to interview him. They also agreed that Doctor Hepwhite deserved some more serious attention as well.

Charlie moved down the hall to his own office intending to head out for some lunch and his afternoon appointment with Lady Elizabeth and her lizards. He was quite surprised to find Major Whitworth waiting somewhat impatiently in his office.

Charlie greeted the man. “Most honored to have you visit my poor office, Major. I’d been planning to contact you this afternoon.”

“Good Morning, Chan. I saw you come in more than half an hour ago. I trust you’ve had a nice chit chat and are now ready to do some work.”

Chan was a bit taken aback by the Major’s censure but didn’t let it show in his face. “Most kind of you to wait while a brief my boss on my morning’s findings. Please what message do you have for me that brings you to station?”

It was clear to Charlie if the major had caught the gist of his response since the major’s tone changed and no further reference to his wait was made.

Again the major was his crisp military self. “I assumed you would be wanting to speak with me in detail about the various players from our expedition. It occurred to me that the journal I have been keeping over the last several months might make good preparation for you before we speak. I have it right here. Much of it is, of course, irrelevant, but I believe there also are some important observations and events that should interest you quite keenly.”

Charlie smiled bowing his head. “Most unexpected but welcome, Major Whitworth. I will study most carefully tonight. Perhaps we can meet for breakfast at house of Ascot to discuss my studies.”

“Sounds like a good plan. I will look forward to seeing you then.”, said the major responding well to Charlie’s words of appreciation and placing his journal on Charlie’s desk. He shook hands with Charlie and marched off.

Now alone in his office, Chan considered the events of the day for a few minutes then decided lunch was the solution.

------------

The Ascot house was seemingly back to normal despite the horrendous event of the previous evening. Meadows answered the door and gravely ushered Chan into the living room where Lady Elizabeth had been comfortably seated reading as she waited his arrival.

“Remember, Sergeant“, Lady Elizabeth advised Chan after greeting him, “Patience is our watchword. We may get nothing out of our first effort.”

“You will need to build the lizard’s trust in you before you decieve them.”, warned Lady Elizabeth before they left the commodious living room for the wilds of the garden and the caged lizards.

Lady Elizabeth greeted the lizards by name telling them that Sergeant Chan had suggested the walk and talk for a bit and got some derisive comments for her courtesy. Never the less the lizards seemed somewhat pleased to be let out of their cage and walked along with Chan and Lady Elizabeth across the lawn using the opportunity to comment that Chan packed a lot of weight for a small man and make some other insulting observations.

Charlie, ignored the comments and pointed to some shrubs that lined the far end of the lawn observing that he noticed many large insects in that area earlier in the day. Lady Elizabeth apologized to the lizards for the lack of insects since arrival citing how difficult it was for the staff to net them. The lizards grumbled about the incompetence of the Chinese girls but were somewhat conversational in their derision. As they arrived at the bushes, Chan almost bit his tongue as he courteously inquired what the lizards thought of their new life. StinkFingers snapped at a few insects flying nearby employing the help of what Charlie thought a fittingly forked tongue, but actually provided an answer after having a few successes.

“Food stinks but the reading material is great. Improves the mind you know.”, said Stinkfingers.

Mostly Chan and Lady Elizabeth just stood around as the lizards snapped at flying insects and inspected the bushes for further prey. By pre-arrangement one of Wu’s daughters appeared to say in Cantoneese that Mrs. Ascot hoped the most honorable Mr. Chan would be joining them for dinner. Chan demured also in Catoneese citing a busy work schedule for the evening. The lizards cocked their heads at the strange sounds between Chan and the girl.

Chan then switched to English and asked Wu Hien to bring a large bowl of water for his friends.

“Anything for the friends of Sergeant Chan.”, returned Wu Ling.

“Strange lingo commented, PrettyFace referring to the earlier Cantonese.”

“Stranger still in print.” replied Chan offering a Chineese language newspaper he’d been carrying. “You read it bottom to top.“

The lizards examined the paper he had placed on a table shaking their heads in apparent puzzlement.

Shortly, the girl returned with the requested bowl of water. The day was hot a the lizards lowered there heads to drink eagerly. After a bit more snapping at flying insects by the lizards Chan suggested they return to the very spot where Ascot had fallen for some conversation. On reaching the spot, Chan well knowing this was the correct spot inquired of the lizards if he was in the right place.

“We don’t talk to cops”, came the quick response from StinkFingers.

Surprising to Chan the other didn’t join in so he let that comment go by. Chan then let his eye openly pass from the ground under his feet to the cage and then back to his feet.

“You two must have had fine clear view of murder” he commented quite truthfully.

There was nothing but well manicured grass between the cage and the spot where Ascot had fallen. Would be most unfortunate if killer returned to remove witnesses. There was a moment of silence before a lizards voice was heard. It was PrettyFace’s voice.

“For sure, the bastard just dropped like a rock throwing our dinner up in the air as he fell.”, commented PrettyFace almost civilly. “You really think the killer might return, Sergeant?”

“Murderer often return to scene of crime. Sometimes to remove clues or even witnesses”, replied Chan matter of factly.

“The dumb shit. He’d left our dinner it on the table. He had to go back to the table after he’d unlocked the cage to get it. That’s when the inefficient fool got his. How’s that for blind justice?”, interjected StinkFingers trying to steer the conversation away from the murderer‘s identity.

Now it was Chan who was tense. There was a hint of progress in PrettyFace’s reply but still strong resistance in the comment of the other lizard.

Chan gingerly asked his next question hoping his luck would hold.

“Did you see person who shot this man?”

“No way, flatfoot.”, barked Stinkfingers.

Charlie’s heart sunk a little at the evasion, but he persisted.

“Too dark perhaps?”

“No, there was light enough”, returned PrettyFace, “but it was just this loud noise then the bugger dropped. We looked but nobody was there.”

There was hope Charlie thought. He faced the a direction consistant with the position of the fallen body and asked, “Man stand facing like this, please.”

“Pretty much but he was walking not standing”, replied PrettyFace without her usual rancor.

Charlie turned 180 degrees and surveyed the view. The lawn stretched to the beach with little in the way of shrubbery or trees along the way.

“Excuse most foolish observation, please, but no where on lawn to hide.”, remarked Chan.

“We’re cool on that, fatso, but there was no one I could see. Zero. Zilch.”, stormed Stinkfingers.

“What Stink says is quite true, Chan. There was no one.”, said PrettyFace without rancor.

Lady Elizabeth caught a cue from Charlie that he heard enough for now and inviteed the lizards for another tour of the bushes where they just a short time ago had feasted. The trio moved off with StinkFingers berating PrettyFace most vilely for helping the yellow devil.

Charlie was most puzzled. “Was it just more lizard lies or was there another answer?”, he reflected.

There had been no powder burns on the body but Charlie knew the killer would to have been quite close for those. He rather expected the killer had to be somewhat close as pistols were notoriously inaccurate at any real distance. He again surveyed the direction from which the bullet must have come hopefully assuming a lizard had for once told the truth.

Again, it was almost clear grass all the way to the beach and flat sand beyond that for another fifty yards. But at that point there was an obstruction -- a life saving boat ready for possible use. Could someone with a high powered rifle have used this for cover and gone unobserved by the lizards? Charlie stood contemplating the possibility and the implications for a good five minutes before seeking out officer Bates and his partner.

“Tomorrow you make very good search of sand within fifty feet of that boat. Be so good as to bring sifters. I want every grain examined for shell casing.”

Bates and his partner didn’t look pleased but nodded affirmatively and said, “Yes sir.”

Charlie started to leave but turned to address Bates. “Oh Bates you find blind man and dog?”

He was somewhat surprised to get an affirmative answer from Bates.

“An old fellow named Commander Winthrop lives about a mile down at 2601. He said he was out excercing his dog last night but didn’t see anything, Charlie.”

Chan silently filed away this latest “Batism” -- a blind man who saw nothing.

After thanking Bates for his service, Charlie turned toward his car with his mind racing with new thoughts. Charlie quickly cleared his racing mind. “One step then another.” he reminded himself. His mind cleared and Charlie knew he wanted to get back to the station.

Before doing so he interviewed Wu Chu in the kitchen and later Meadows. Wu Chu told him that he and his daughters had enjoyed a Buster Keaton movie at the cinema on their afternoon of the had a family dinner with his married son and his wife. Meadows said he’d spent the day with a lady friend of long aquaintance.

Charlie well knew lady friend and family alibis were often tenuous but expected both stories were true. He could see neither the long employed cook nor the long devoted butler as likely suspects. He had much more likely villain candidates in mind.

He headed back to his car and the station to see what progress Chief Anderson had made on getting the return of Van Dyke.

------------

Charlie was careful to take the journal that he’d rather casully left in his car while at the Ascot house with him into the station. Already the entries he had read now started to have new meaning to him. Both Doctor Hepwhite and Vanders he’d read were avid hunters when free time had presented itself on their Sumatran adventures. Presumably, they hunted with high-powered rifles. He wondered if he’d find out more things of interest in the parts he‘d not yet read. Major Whitworth had written voluminously of relationships and events with little mention of apes and maps. Perhaps there was more to learn than he’d concluded on first glance.

Chief Anderson was alone in his office and offered Charlie his usual chair as soon as he appeared at this doorway.

Chief Anderson anticipated Chalie’s question and got right to the point even as Charlie was taking his seat.

“The Hilo police have formally charged Van Dyke in Wallace’s murder. The haven’t found a shred of evidence to support his story which they tell me was quite preposterous. Also that smoking pistol he was holding, a Dutch military issue, checks out as the same type of gun used to kill Wallace.

Charlie wasn’t surprised. He’d already assumed the military man, Van Dyke as well as Hepwhite and Vanders must be familiar and skilled with a rifles and other firearms. He’d rather favored Hepwhite for the Ascot murder till this. He consoled himself that the Van Dyke might ease his work by confessing in the Ascot case if firmly bagged for the Wallace murder. Charlie was already seeing a sea journey and some nights away from Punchbowl Hill in his immediate future when Chief Anderson interrupted his reverie seeming to read his mind.

“No need to look seasick just yet, Charlie. Chief Wilson and I go a long ways back. He was on the force here before he took the job in Hilo as you know. I’ve prevailed upon our friendship and he will be having Mr. Van Dyke Ascot escorted here by a couple of his men -- suitably restrained, of course -- here in a day or two. He well remembers you and is counting on you putting the two deeds together and getting a confession.”

“So brother has not confessed yet?” asked Chan to confirm what the Chief’s words suggested.

“Quite the contrary, Charlie. He stoutly maintains his innocence and love of his brother. Says Wallace and he were trying to lead away some villains from the family. Sounds like poppy-cock to me. I hope you’ll be able to get some truth out of him.

“Will apply most humble skills to reach truth, Chief. Most pleased I may do so here in Honolulu. Am most grateful for your most excellent efforts to save me sea journey.”

“Your welcome, Charlie.”, the chief replied adding “Whatever is that large volume you have on your lap.”

“Is journal of expedition to Sumatra brought to me by most helpful Major Whitworth. It makes most interesting reading but perhaps no longer as important as I had thought it might be. Still I will pleasure myself with its contents after humble repast with my family tonight.”

“Whatever you think best, Charlie. But I’m quite sure we have our villain.”

----------------

As he drove toward the beach, Charlie Chan was well aware it was Saturday morning. He was well aware too that a policeman with a hot case had no business enjoying a weekend of leisure. The shock of reading of the killings in Sumatra and Van Dyke’s brutal role certainly gave support to the theory that Van Dyke was quite capable of murder. Still, he wanted to tidy up the loose ends by interviewing the remaining people at the house with which he had not yet spoken privately before perhaps enjoying a Sunday break with his family before Van Dyke‘s expected Monday return to Honolulu.

All looked most unlikely as candidates for involvement with the exception of Doctor Hepwhite. Still, Charlie well knew from past experience the devil was in the details. He had been surprised by an unexpected turn late in a case more than once before. Shortly, he arrived at the Ascot house. There he had an easy time arranging private talks with each of his parties of interest.

As expected his interviews with Pussyfoot and Stuart were most routine. Both were rather straight forward types that had barely spoken with the dead Ascot before his demise and both were well pleased with the modest windfall which might come their way from a profitable disposition of the lizards with little concern how it came to pass. They had been among the first to arrive at the Royal Palm luau and hat sat together and even corroborated the somewhat late arrival time of the Hepwhites. They had raised no red flags in Charlie’s mind whatsoever.

While always suspicious of an overly co-operative witness, Charlie’s interview with the rather pompous and opinionated Major Whitworth was also for the most part routine. Nothing in their conversation suggested that he was more than the man who discovered the body he claimed to be.

One interesting piece of information that Whitworth did provide was that while most familiar with rifles as a military man and Great War veteran, neither he nor any of the others beside Doctor Hepwhite and Vanders had carried rifles while in Sumatra.

“It was an expeditions to study the man ape not a big game safari, my good man.“, he had said. “Besides we were well protected by Van Dyke’s private militia courtesy of his many friends in the government.“

Additionally, Whitworth had what was likely to prove a rock solid and easily verifiable story about having been spent the latter part of Thursday at tea at the Mayfair Tea Room, a well known provider of English delicacies to British tourists homesick for scones, butter, and jam. He even had offered a receipt from the cab driver who had driven his from the Mayfair Tea Room and dropped him at the Ascot house. Other than an inward smile that this man was unique in having been able to find a cab when so many others were not, Charlie felt the man boring but innocent of this deed.

Nancy Applegate, Lady Ascot’s niece, had appeared appropriately concerned about the death of her Uncle Henry as she referred to him. She confirmed every aspect Lady Elizabeth’s story concerning ferrying Van Dyke to the dock before going on to their dinner appointment. Charlie was somewhat surprised that she was rather unconcerned about the prospect of having to postpone her return to California for her last semesters remarking casually that there would be other ships and it would be good to have more time with Stuart, the surveyor of whom she seemed fond indeed. Charlie rather admired her resilience and felt a bit of nostalgia for his lost youth but was otherwise unconcerned about Nancy Applegate.

Having covered everyone Charlie took a seat near the beach to think about his plan of attack with Van Dyke once he’d been returned. The day was gloriously normal -- warm but not hot with a gentle breeze courtesy of the trade winds. The surf rolled in as he noted a cargo ship moving in toward port. For a bit he turned his attention to his two officers hard at work sifting sand out by the lifeboat then returned to his reverie about Monday’s expected interview.

Charlie was roused from his interview planning by some shouting on the beach. He focused his eyes to see Bates patting his “comrade in sand” on the back. Shortly they arrived and presented Charlie with a bright brass casing which to Charlie’s experienced eye clearly appeared to not have been long in the sand and be from a large caliber rifle.

Chan carefully folded their find in a hankerchief before placing it in his pocket. After sending his men back to the beach to see if it offered more riches, he headed back to the station to see if more light could be thrown on the nature of the weapon that had recently fired this round.

------------

As he’d expected, Chan found Chief Anderson hard at work on paper work at his desk and pleased for a break in that pleasure less duty. Charlie gave a rather brief account of his previous night’s reading and his morning chats.

A sergeant Winslow who was somewhat expert in matters of such things had been summoned right off to take the casing and had run off to his calipers and books to see what secrets it might yield. Charlie was about to leave when Winslow un-expectedly reappeared quite pleased with himself.

“This was an easy one.” chirped Winslow unprompted. “The caliber is quite unusal. The bullet is of Dutch manufacture and its major and perhaps only use is in a weapon of Dutch make favored by the Dutch army and perhaps a few others.”

“A weapon?, queried Charlie.

“Oh, a rifle of course, Charlie. You were quite right in that observation.”

Anderson and Chan thanked Wilson who moved off to log the evidence then renewed their conversation.

Charlie Chan busied himself with some of his own paper work as he anticipated the late morning arrival of the newly commissioned Hawaiian Queen, a most modern and speedy ship that now plied the route between Hilo and Honolulu on almost a daily basis. Word had been sent that two Hilo officers would be among the passengers with the prisoner Van Dyke securely in tow.

Not long after Chan‘s own arrival, the two Hilo men and their cuffed prisoner were at Chan’s door. Chan suggested they move to one of the secure rooms with barred windows reserved for interrogations. As they moved along Chan took measure of the man, Van Dyke. Most certainly he bore a strong resemblence to Henry Ascot both facially and in build as well as the proud way he carried himself even in custody. He noted no indications of shame or remorse only sadness and perhaps rage kept under control only with difficulty.

After, they had reached the interogation room and started their convesation, Charlie’s initial observations were confirmed. Colonel Van Dyke expressed seemingly genuine sadness at the untimely death of his brother who he claimed to have dearly loved but protested most strongly his complete innocence in the matter as well as the murder of Wallace.

They were still just getting started when there was a wrap at the door. The chief’s assistant passed Charlie a note saying he needed to see him immediately in his office. Charlie raised his eyebrows at the unexpected summons and quickly complied leaving Van Dyke with his “new friends” from Hilo.

Charlie was surprised to find Chief Anderson’s office had a full house. He immediately recognized Burke, a senior man from the DA’s office but the other two men were unknown to him.

“Charlie”, offered Chief Anderson, please meet Captain Van

Der Spiegel of the Medena police force and Counsul Spleek. Mr. Spleek is the chief representative of the Dutch government here in Hawaii. You know Burke, of course.

As the men shook hands, Charlie noted everyone was most somber in appearance.

Burke was the first to speak. “Sergeant Chan these men tell me you have the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies in custody. My office has seen no paper work on this matter.”

Charlie Chan for once was stunned, “Van Dyke?”

“Yes, Colonel Martin Van Dyke” returned the counsel.

“The colonel was recently selected by his Majesty’s new liberal government for the post. My colleague, Captain Van Der Spiegel arrived just yesterday aboard the Queen Anne Marie with the official word on Colonel Van Dyke’s appointment.”, added the counsul rapidly taking a letter from the still silent but clearly upset captain and handing it to Chan.”

“This is most outrageous.”, stammered Captain Van der Spiegel unable to control himself any longer., “I’ve known Martin Van Dyke for almost fifteen years. He is no criminal.”

Charlie Chan read the document carefully composing a response in his mind then offered the letter to Chief Anderson who demurred saying he’d already seen it.

“This is most unfortunate, gentlemen, but Colonel Van Dyke is charged in Hilo with the most serious crime of murder. He has been brought here just today for questioning in another murder, that of his brother. On both matters, I regret to have to tell you there is much evidence of his guilt. No one even the President of the United States is above the law.”

The three were at first somewhat taken aback by Chan’s reply. Captain Van der Spiegel was the first to break the ensuing silence.

“His brother? This is quite impossible Sergeant Chan. This man dearly loved and always sought to protect his brother. I know this first hand. It was just two months ago he reached me while on holiday Jakarta and bid me to join him when the Island Princess docked there because he feared for his brother’s safety.”

Chan surveyed Captain Van der Spiegel intensely. Please to tell me more of this, Captain.”

“On his voyage from Hong Kong back to Medena, Martin as I later learned had encountered one Jasper Petiwhite, a London solicter on route to Honolulu by this rather unusual route. Colonel Van Dyke immediately recognized the man using the name Petiwhite as Reginald Smyth, a man most recently discharged by his brother Henry for gross malfeseance in his of his and his families London based affairs. Martin and his brother had had considerable correspondance in this matter particularly since they had both known and once trusted Smyth in their London years. Martin was quite certain that Smyth had recognized him and that alone might frighten him off if this inexplicable trip to Hawaii under an assumed name was to in some way avenge his firing by his brother Henry.

“Most interestingly. Perhaps, this Englishman should be our suspect” , observed Chan with a touch of sarcasm. “Is there more?”

“Yes, a good bit actually, Sergeant. Despite the general impression of him, Martin Van Dyke is a very cautious and caring man. He asked me to discretely follow Smyth to Hawaii and inform his brother of his presence as well.”

“And you did same?”

“Yes. Henry Ascot was somewhat cavalier about the matter but not totally so. He commented that the man was a mouse -- a thieving mouse but still a mouse. He told me he could not imagine Smyth posed him any real danger. Still at my urging he hired a man, Wallace, who had some sort of detective business and who had been on the force here in Honolulu to watch over things.”

“So what happened with this man Smyth?” asked Charlie now warming to the Captain’s story?

“The captain gave a slightly embarrassed smile then answered., “He vacationed a week doing all the normal touristy things then went home the same route he had come. I know for sure since I followed on the same ship as far as Jakarta.”

“So much ado about nothing it seems as far as Smyth if I follow you, Captain. But apparently Wallace was kept on?”

“Yes, it would seem so regarding Smyth. Just a thief on holiday perhaps. As for Wallace, apparently he and Henry got on particularly well as had I with Wallace for the few days I knew him. Henry sent me a letter thanking me for my warning and commented that perhaps it wasn’t such a bad idea for him to have an experienced man to keep an eye on things as he had become quite successful and well known. The man also was quite handy as an occasional driver. Wallace and I also exchanged a couple letters. Courtesy mostly but he was interested to learn if Smyth had actually continued on homeward at least as far as Jakarta.

“Were I private citizen, I would accept your word on these things, Captain. But as humble public servant investigating a matter most grave, I should like to see said correspondance if available, please.”

“That should be no problem, Sergeant Chan. I brought a file with all my recent correspondance with and relating to Colonel Van Dyke with me when I sailed her to bring him the good news that his appointment had gone through.”, responded the Captain now businesslike.

In short order the Captain found the letters to which he’d referred in the file of correspondance and presented them to Chan. Charlie read them carefully and saw they confirmed every word the man had said.

“Most interesting. Most interesting indeed.” said Chan looking to his chief.”

Catching his glance, Chief Anderson asked if the two Ductchmen would excuse them while Chan, Burke, and he reviewed the matter in light of this new information. The men took seats outside the office and Charlie closed the door.

First they brought Burke up to speed on what had seemed a case on the verge of solution. They also shared with him what they little they knew of the Hilo case.

“This is a quite astounding development, but it doesn’t seem to clear Van Dyke. You’ve quite a lot of evidence as likely do the authorities in Hilo in the Wallace matter.”

“You look troubled, Charlie.”, observed Chief Anderson.”

“Much fog decends on this sunny morning. My poor mind tries to follow the trail and finds more than one path.

Let us say Martin Van Dyke though outwardly most calm on remeeting former finance now happily married to brother discovers something that again brings him anger regarding what he sees as past betrayl of brother in matter of still most striking woman. Van Dyke has strong words with brother by beach and moves to front lawn where he stands in seathing contemplation or perhaps simply hesitation as he already has ticket to San Francisco for escape. Words with elder brother had been most unsatisfactory to both brothers even prompting now dead brother to seek out long stored away gun.

Suddenly almost perfect alibi presents self to Van Dyke in the form of Mrs. Ascot and niece, Nancy. They will tell true story that he was not present if he is quick. Van Dyke returns to house where he has rifle hidden and removes himself to beach where he fires fatal shot from behind lifeboat. Lizards quickly depart from fear. There are no other witnesses he thinks. He quickly breaks down rifle, returns to house depositing same in valise, then rejoins awaiting women who have heard noting seated in noisy car.”

“I’m with you so far, Charlie, but what of Wallace?”, questioned Chief Anderson.

Wallace was good policeman. Good policman does not take day off when urgent work beckons. House now have many new guests and lizards potentially of great value. On day of murder there is to be meeting most important. Maybe even Henry Ascot suggest Wallace defer absence or maybe just judgement of Wallace.

In any case, perhaps Wallace is discreetly at house doing his job of looking after things. He sees murder or perhaps just hears shots and sees fleeing man. Wallace goes in hot pursuit and boards ship Enchanted Isle. Wallace recognized by Van Dyke who realizes he probably intends to alert authorities in Hilo. He eliminates problem.

“Rather makes sense to me, Charlie,” responds Burke. “But, Charlie, you still look troubled.”

Charlie smiled back ironically, “Veteran policman even of humble disposition can make facts fit but am most troubled by what I hear of character of Colonel Van Dyke from so many. He is man well liked and respected. He has in recent past shown great concern for brother once held at distance. Many note him as a man of great calm and control. Murder of brother not an act of respectable man of calm and control for motive perhaps somewhat contrived. Most certainly Van Dyke had far better reasons for having brother alive than dead. Much money was about to be made on lizard deal.

“But why would Wallace otherwise rush off after him”, inquired the Chief.

“Remember Chief. I am at sailing of Echanted Isle. Perhaps a few board before I arrive but I certainly was there when Van Dyke seen off by Mrs. Ascot. This was very near sailing time. Perhaps a few more persons board but not many. I am quite certain Jerry Wallace who I would have recognized was not among later boarders.”

“But how could he know Van Dyke was sailing on the ship if he proceeded him. Even more troubling is the question of how could Jerry have witnessed the murder if he was on board the Enchanted Isle at the time?”, asked the Chief.

“Most troublesome questions indeed, Chief.,” replied Charlie., “Without Wallace as a witness, Van Dyke has no motive to kill him.

“Perhaps case of fratracide grows cold, but Hilo police have their resons for liking this man for Wallace murder. Clearly we must better understand their evidence and have most serious discussions with Van Dyke. My psyhic Chinese ancestory tells me there is a villain totally unexpected by us, but they give me no hint as who this might be.”

“A fine kettle of worms” opinioned Burke, “but not my kettle of worms. Van Dyke officially is in the custody of the Hilo police not us. They’ve only brought him here for a visit to help us with our inquiries in what is appering more and more to be a separate matter.

The good news is we have no choice but to hold him as long as he is charged in the Hilo crime. While in the custody of the Hilo police yet we can question him. The best path forward is finding a nice way to say that to that Dutch diplomat and his colleague if you ask me.”

After some more discussion, Burke’s suggestion was agreed upon by the three and Chalie returned to his waiting prisoner while Chief Andrews and Burke were left to sooth the diplomat and Dutch police captain.

-----------

Charlie Chan had already decided not to mention the news he had just received of Van Dyke’s new appointment and conduct the interview with an eye to getting Van Dyke’s own version of that story.

“Most sorry for in-excusable delay, Colonel Van Dyke. I trust your escorts provided pleasant conversation in my unavoidable absence.”, stated Chan deadpan as he took a seat across a small table at which the still manacled man sat.

Van Dyke demonstrated his poise and control without rising to the bait. “Actually Sergeant Chan, these gentlemen and I are not on the best of speaking terms.”

Chan showed appreciation of this with a slight smile and started in on his plan for the interview.

“Colonel, would you prefer I address you as Lord Ascot?”, started Chan to the the man.

Van Dyke replied evenly. “My father, Lord Ascot, Duke of Kensington is alive and well as of a rather recent letter from him, Sergeant Chan. “As to the title, I doubt I will ever claim it. My life is in the islands.”

“I am most pleased to hear your father is still alive and well, Colonel. Still, there are significant financial implications for you given your brother’s untimely death. Are there not?”

Again, Van Dyke was almost conversational. “Not as many as you might think, Sergeant. My father is a very fair and modern man in his treatment of his children. Henry, Alice, our sister, and I each came into very significant sums from him on our thirty-fifth birthdays. Financially, my family and I can live out our days in comfort to be sure.”

“Help me understand this then, Colonel. Why is it that a man of means such as yourself invented this scheme to sell the lizards for profit when many would say that The Geographic Society had at least a moral claim on them as it was their expedition?”, ask Chan pointedly. “I read in the Major’s journal that you were quite insistent.

Quite to Chan’s amazement, Van Dyke actually seemed amused by this question. “I’m afraid, Sergeant Chan,, that you have it quite wrong because the Major has it quite wrong. He was deceived. Selling the lizards to the proper party was the idea of Lady Elizabeth. She was very passionate about their welfare and her opportunity to continue to study them along with other American scientists. I assume you’ll find a copy of the draft agreement among my brother’s papers. You will see rather stringent clauses prescribing proper treatment of the lizards and limiting the number of months each year they would be exhibited. It also appoints Lady Elizabeth as the sole person in charge of selecting which scientists will have access to them and for how long.

Given Doctor Hepwhite’s strong objection to the plan, I let it be assumed that it was my plan while selling it to Whitworth, Doctor Hepwhite, and the others. I was pleased to do this because of my fondness for both Lady Elizabeth and the lizards.

As for my profiting from this sale, you will see that my share of any purchase price is but a token percentage. I would have preferred it zero, but we didn’t want to raise suspicion among the others.”

“Most interesting, Colonel.”. observed Chan “Then it was Doctor and Lady Hepwhite who would get two of the six shares?”

“Actually not, Sergeant.”, returned Van Dyke. “As I have told you, Doctor Hepwhite was strongly opposed to the sale on similar grounds to those you mentioned. He would have nothing to do with it. I was lucky to get him to accede to the plan and left it at that. Neither Hepwhite or his wife, Lady Elizabeth was to benefit financially from the sale. A rather peculiar result but that is what you’ll find in the draft agreement.”

“Thank you, Colonel. I will surely be looking for that agreement among your brother’s papers. Candidly, I expect I will find it to be what you say as Lady Elizabeth, while not fully revealing her role, has told me much the same thing.”, replied Chan to put an end to this line of inquiry for the moment and switch to another avenue of interest.”

“Over the course of my investigation, I have learned that there was some significant discord between you and your brother over a woman.” observed Chan..

“That is rather ancient history Sergeant Chan. I’m sure you refer to the fact that he married my fiancee almost twenty years ago. Indeed, I was hurt and angry at the time with them both and quite embarrassed by the amusement it gave society and the gossip writers in London. Actually, it turned out to be a very good thing. On my father’s advice and with his support I went off to see some of the world while it blew over. It turned out less than a year of aimless flitting around the world was quite enough for me. I needed something serious to do. While in Amsterdam, I met some people who helped me find that something in the Dutch military where I have done quite well.

“An odd place for the son of a British nobleman is it not, Colonel”, inquired Chan genuinely interested.

“Not as unusual as you as an American might think, Sergeant. In Europe, there are a goodly number of men like myself who for various reasons chose to serve in the military of other than there country of birth. I even believe a certain Frenchman, General Lafayette, played quite a role in the American War of Independence as did a well known German nobleman, Von Stuben”

“You are a student of history, Colonel.”, observed Chan.

“I often find it quite informative, Sergeant Chan”, replied Van Dyke without rancor.

“I am led to understand that fifteen or more of your years in service to the Dutch government have been spent in the East Indies. Some would find this tedious and lacking opportunity.”, returned Chan pointedly.

I think that’s a fair assesment, Sergeant. It was a very different situation indeed with me.”

“How so please?”

“I immediately fell in love with the islands, its culture, its people. In time I also fell in love for life with and married a very special one of it’s women, a young doctor. There is an irony here, Sergeant Chan, while most good officers lobbied to get assigned out of the islands, I was rather unique in that I spent great efforts to lobby to stay in the East Indies I loved to be with my wife and family even passing on several promotions in the process.”

Charlie took all this in with growing interest. “Sacrificing your career for family is most noble, Colonel but must have been quite difficult for a man who doesn’t like to flitter away his time?”

Van Dyke answered easily, “Somewhat difficult certainly, but I developed other interests in the East Indies beside my wife an family.”

“And they would be?

“Primarily politics, Sergeant. As I grew to know and learn the East Indies I came more and more to realize that islands and its people both native and European were subjected to considerable abuse through the corruption of officials appointed from afar. Over time, I gravitated to circles interested in independence. I had to be quite discrete, of course, given my position but I did and still do take an active role in this cause.”

“Again most interesting Colonel. Does it this cause have a name I’d know?”

“Among ourselves and ourselves alone, we refer to it as Indonesian Independence.

We are closely involved with the liberal party in Holland. Fortunately, there are many of influence in that party in Holland that sympathize with our aims and recognize the truth that indepence need not harm our cordial relations with The Netherlands.”

“You are quite prominent in this movement then?” inquired Chan.

“Prominent enough, I suppose. I hope for a position within the Government now that the Liberals have won a sizable victory in the latest Dutch elections. Actually a small delegation came onboard while the Island Princess laid over in Jakarta to discuss this and some other matters with me”

“Did they indeed?”, responded Charlie. While Chan was a generally well informed, educated man he didn’t read the Honolulu or any paper from cover to cover. This was news to him.

Quickly changing tacts, he moved in another direction, “Colonel, it has come to my attention that you sought to render some assistance to your brother some months ago. A matter of a man named Smyth.”

“You are quite thorough in your inquiries, Sergeant Chan. I assume you have read of this in some correspondance Henry filed away for whatever reason.”, replied Van Dyke still the picture of calm.

“He defends his life with the calm of one discussing the weather.”, thought Chan before speaking aloud. “Actually not Colonel. The information came from another source. For now please, perhaps you could tell me your version of these events.”

Not so very much to tell and perhaps a bit embarssing in the end really. Despite his forward, Van Dyke gave a very similar account of the events as had Captain Van Der Spiegel.

Satisfied with this account Charlie again moved to another area of interest. “If this were not a matter of the utmost gravity, Colonel. I wouldn’t ask the next question. What exactly was the urgent personal business on the Big Island that prompted you to abandon the meeting you had long sought and take a ship to Hilo only a very short time before that meeting was scheduled?, asked Chan.”

“Actually there was no personal business in Hilo. It was a ruse.”, admitted Van Dyke flatly.

“You lied to your brother and his wife about such? What was the purpose of this ruse, Colonel?, inquired Chan most sharply.

“First off, I didn’t lie to my brother. Indeed he was most understanding and supportive when I hurriedly advised him of my plan and reasons for it. It’s unfortunate that I lied to Christine but it was expedient and should have been a harmless white lie if not for Henry’s death.”, responded Van Dyke still the picture of calm.

“That is a rather large “if”, Colonel. Please continue as to the reason for the ruse.”, pursued Chan trying not to showing growing impatience with this story.

“Quite frankly, Sergeant, I feared for my life. I thought I had seen a man perhaps two following early in the week, but I could not be sure. On leaving the hotel, I clearly got a good look at one of these men and recognized him well. He was a fellow officer I knew was quite corrupt and was active in the most radical element of the oposition party. There had recently been some violence against members of our movement in Sumatra. I strongly believed that this element and possibly even this man were somehow connected with it though I had little proof.

I could think of no earthly reason for this man being in Hawaii and following me other than that he was looking for the opportunity to do me harm.”

“A good reason to call police, Colonel.” observed Charlie testing for an answer.

“Perhaps. I did consider that but what proof could I offer. To the police, I might well have looked like a parnoid Dutchman afraid of another Dutchman who also just happened to be in Honolulu. He hadn’t approached me or done anything to me. Indeed, he did everything possible to hide from my sight. Neither of us held any public office nor had widely known political affiliations.

Chan could see truth in this line of thinking. “Please go on, Colonel.”

I did some thinking and sought out my car. Wallace had been driving me. We were discussing the matter when Wallace briefly saw the man in his mirror. He told me he had seen that very man earlier in the week suspiciously hanging around the Ascot house. He’d moved to approach him to ascertain what he was up to but the man had moved quickly on seeing him approach.

We talked some more and hit on a plan. I would quite openly go to the steamship office and purchase a ticket to San Francisco making sure that I was seen by the following Dutchman as well as hopefully overheard talking of urgent business which has suddenly come up requiring last minute passage with the clerk there. My plan was to lead this man away from my family with a hope to force his hand and then turn him over to the authorities in Hilo or if not seek to surreptitiously leave the ship in Hilo without his notice with the hope he‘d continue on to San Francisco not knowing I‘d disembarked.

Wallace was secretly to go with me and cover my back. After dropping me at Henry’s place, Wallace went on to the dock of the Enchanted Isle from there presumably stopping to a buy a ticket to Hilo at the booking office.

Meanwhile I spoke with my brother of the matter. As I said earlier he was quite understanding and supportive. He quite agreed that Wallace was a good choice to cover me confirming my own judgment that he was a reliable and competent man.

Our hastily devised plan had a flaw -- a couple I suppose given what happened to poor Wallace. We’d separated at the house so that Major Specter -- yes that’s the man’s name -- would not know that two of us would be on the ship. The flaw was this left me without transportation to the docks and with little time to call a cab or catch a trolley. Henry had told me that Christine and Nancy would be using the other car but would most certainly be pleased to drop me at the docks.

I went out in front of the house and waited while thinking just what excuse I would give them not to explain my sudden decision yet not worry them. The personal business excuse was the best I could invent on short notice. It worked just fine. Chistine knows me as a very private person and didn’t probe even a little.

And this Major Specter followed you aboard?

I can only assume so since I later saw him on board. I had made a point of not looking behind me for fear that it might clue him in that I was aware he was following me. I suppose he could have taken the bait full throat at the steamship office and proceeded me, but it seems more likely he followed me.”

Charlie reflected that there had been several other late arrivals after Van Dyke. Mostly well dressed men of commerce he’d assumed at the time and of little interest. This Major Specter so dressed could well have passed right before his un-atuned eyes.

“What happened once on board?”

By plan, Wallace and I avoided any show of knowing one another. In retrospect, Specter may well have recognized him as my driver from earlier in the day. I had agreed to let Wallace take the initiative as a veteran police officer to find the opportunity for us to confront this man before we reached Hilo.

I was to make myself appear vulnerable at the rail on the portside amid ship. I would, of course, have my revolver in my coat pocket, and Wallace was to find a good place nearby to secretly keep watch over me -- watch my back so to speak. But nothing happened though I lingered there seemingly alone perhaps an hour.

Passing Wallace’s hiding place, I whispered that we should meet at his cabin to regroup. I continued on taking a circuitous route to his cabin with a quick stop in the ship’s shop to pick up a pack of cigarettes and check to see if I was was being followed. Seeing no one, I continued on toward Wallace’s cabin.

I was about to round a corner into the corridor in which Wallace’s cabin was located when I heard a shot. Naturally, I paused momentarily to draw my weapon before carefully rounding the corner my pistol ready to fire. On rounding the corner, I observed a bleeding man on the deck and a rather large, heavyset man running rapidly passed the fallen man in the direction away from me him.

The heavy man still had a gun in his hand and was trying to pocket it as he ran. I fired a single shot at him aiming low as I wanted to stop him not kill him. At first I thought I’d hit him for he momentarily staggered. However, he managed to carry on around another corner and out of my sight.

I quickly went to the man lying on the deck to see if I could render assistance. It was Wallace. He was quite dead. Momentarily, several people came out of cabins on the corridor and witnessed me standing over Wallace my pistol still in hand.

I believe I indeed did wing the running man given his flinch and the fact that he was a rather large target at a short distance. Still, there was no blood trail, I’m told. When I later told them this same story, the police also said they were unable to find the spent bullet.

Van Dyke paused a moment then continued.

“Quite unsurprisingly I suppose they grabbed me for the murder right off -- the man standing over a dead man with a smoking gun.”, finished Wallace with a sad ironic smile.

“A gun of the same caliber as the murder weapon.”, observed Chan.

“My sidearm is the standard issue Dutch army revolver. It quite possible even likely that Major Specter and associates of his would have the same model of sidearm.”

“Are you saying, you believe Specter to be the heavy man running, Colonel?, probed Chan.

“No Sergeant. Specter is a tall and wiry man. I don’t know who the heavy set man was.”

“You must have told the police in Hilo of this Specter and the heavy man and your arrangement with Wallace.”

“I did indeed but Wallace was no longer around to confirm my story. And the fact there were witnesses -- practically eye witnesses -- to the fact that moments after the shooting I was standing over his body with a gun rather carried the day in their minds it appears. I was rather roughly taken into custody my the ship’s crew and later the Hilo police with little chance to tell my story till sometime later.

Even then, my statement that Wallace and I were known to one another only seem to make me more the suspect in their eyes. This was particularly so in the light of the fact somehow known to them but unknown to me that Henry had been murdered in Honolulu. In the course of telling them my story, I had mentioned he had acted as Henry’s bodyguard.

As for Specter, he apparently disembarked in Hilo. I gave the police his name and description but know nothing more than they said they would look into it. As you can well understand they have been the ones asking me the questions.”

“You told them of the heavy man -- possibly wounded -- fleeing with a gun?”, inquired Chan.

“Yes, that too but everyone wanting to disembark in Hilo was already long off the ship by that time. Again, they said they’d make inquiries. Who knows if they did or not.”, concluded Van Dyke sounding for the first time concerned.

It was an incredible story but it covered all the bases. Chan chose to leave this subject and move to his final matter of interest.

“Prior to firing at the fleeing fat man, Colonel, had you recently fired that weapon?”, asked Charlie believing he knew the answer.

“Yes there was an incident our last night out in the foothills of Sumatra.”, replied Van Dyke quite simply.

“I’ve read something of that incident in a journal that Major Whitworth had been keeping. Men were killed according to an entry.”, remarked Chan eyes intent on those of Van Dyke.

“Indeed, three men were killed.’, returned Van Dyke without a blink. “As you may also have read in the journal, I had some body guards which I had passed off as soldiers recruited to protect all of us from bandits and brigands. They were indeed Dutch East Indian soldiers who I trusted implicitly. Shall we say they were semi-officially assigned to protect my person. The three men killed were assasins. They were detected and killed near my tent.”

“The journal says and the Major has confirmed that you personally shot one of these men at near point blank range with you side arm as he tried to rise from the ground. Why would you do that, Colonel?”, probed Chan.

Our lies do catch up with us don’t they Sergeant.” started Van Dyke.

Chan raised an eybrow in question not amusement.

“What I well know the Major did not see in the dark was that this fanatic still held his pistol and was still bent on his mission. I saw him start to raise the gun took a step or two forward firing a shot into his head as I went. If I had hesitated, I’d be the dead man.”

I didn’t want to alarm the others as to continuing danger while I was with them so I kicked the gun away and told them it had been a band of robbers. The Major apparently never saw the gun kicked away and never really questioned my statement that the man was already a goner I’d just saved from further suffering.”

“You have an army issue rifle, Colonel?”, asked Chan.

“Of course, but I have little cause to use it in my work. It’s locked away in a cubard in my home outside Medena.”

The Colonel’s forthright manner and the content of his answers did a great deal to erase the preconceptions in Charlie Chan’s mind earlier in the day. But who could be the villain? Why would Specter have followed Van Dyke if he’d thought he’d just killed him?

Chan decided to be open with this man who had been so seemingly open with him and perhaps wiped some cobwebs from his eyes.

“Colonel you have given me a whole new view of this case. You will have to remain with us for a while. We will be offering you room and board as a required courtesy to the Hilo police until they come to think you innocent in the matter of Wallace. If indeed they do come to that conclusion. Candidly, I believe your story at the moment though that’s no guarantee my opinion might not change. I hope you understand my words.”

“I believe I do, Sergeant. I will co-operate in any manner possible.”, replied Van Dyke without hesitation.

Chan was pleased that Van Dyke’s quick mind well understood his words and had given the answer for which he had hoped.”

Tell me, Colonel, are you aware of anyone who might want to have harmed your brother?”

“Other than Smyth who turned out not to be the villain I feared, I can think of no one at all. Both he and Christine seemed frightfully happy and indicated they were well received here in the islands. Christine mentioned he could be a tough businessman but was always known to be fair and well liked.”, answered Van Dyke.

“But on the other hand, you have enemies as you’ve said, Colonel?”, asked Chan.

“Indeed, there are those strongly opposed to the direction I would like to see Holland take with regard to the East Indies. The attempt on my life in the hill country was not the first.

You do rather favor your brother don’t you?

“Indeed, smiled Van Dyke if ruefully, “In the past, we have been accused of being twins though we are not.”

“It occurs to me that you could have been the intended victim, Colonel. It was twilight, and I have good reason to believe the fatal shot was fired from a high powered Dutch army rifle from some distance. With the resemblence….”

Van Dyke concurred vigorously, “I have suspected this myself, Sergeant, since first hearing of my brother’s death. Surely, Specter would not have followed me aboard the ship had he just thought he’d killed me.”

Charlie agreed though he let his thoughts go unspoken. The killer could have inspected the body and realized his error but this seemed highly unlikely given his concealment by the life boat and use of a rifle. Surely, he’d been more concerned about slipping a way than an improbable mistake as to the identity of his victim.

“Another assassin from this radical group acting independently?”, suggested Chan.

“I would wager on that Sergeant but who? I never saw more than this Specter following me for sure.”

Charlie thought about the difficulties of finding such a man without further clues. He well expected that he would find that Specter had entered Hawaii under an assumed identity as would any associate of his who need not even be Dutch. The immigrations records would likely be a very dead end.

Both men pondered the issue for a bit saying nothing before Chan spoke.

“Thank you for your assistance. I shall arrange that you have the best accomation our poor jail can offer and have special food of your choice brought in while you are with us. It’s not often our jail has the pleasure of such a prominent guest as you… Govenor General Van Dyke.”

Van Dyke broke into a broad grin. “So its been confirmed? I thought word overdue and feared things had gone astray.”

A Captain Van Der Spiegel brought word personally just as after we had started our interview. He and your counsul made quite a fuss about us holding you. However, as I explained earlier the matter of Hilo still needs to be cleared up in the eyes of the Hilo police.

“Yes, of course.”, spoke Van Dyke.

Chan offered his hand and congratulated the new Govenor General of the Dutch East Indies. As the men shook hands, Chan added. I hope we won’t be detaining you long from your work. Best I attend to my work if that is to happen.

Van Dyke thanked him and wished him luck. Charlie signaled for the guard outside the door to open.

-----------------

Charlie immediately sought out Chief Anderson to bring him up to date. The Chief was most eager to hear from Charlie.

“I tell you, Charlie,”, said Anderson once Chan has taken his usual seat.” I sure hope you have found us a way out of this mess. I had always thought these diplomatic types spoke quite gently. That Dutch Counsel gave me one hell of a tongue lashing. I’d hate for this case to be the cause of a war between Holland and America.”

Charlie smiled at his chief’s obviously enhanced discription of the seriousness of the confrontation but well understood his chief’s desire for results and soon.

Chan hoped Chief Anderson would be equally persuaded by his account of the Van Dyke interview. He started right into reviewing it, and his conclusion that Van Dyke was an innocent man. The chief was wide eyed and skeptical when Charlie put the conclusion before the details of the interview. However, by the time Charlie finished the Chief was fully aboard with his view on Van Dyke’s innocence.

“But how are we to find this co-conspirator, Charlie. much less make it stick?”

I think we pick up the trail with this Specter. As I said, Van Dyke believes he is still in Hilo though he could well be wrong there given the elapsed time since Van Dyke has been held incommunicado. Perhaps you can have a word with your opposite number over there, share some of the things we learned and get them to take a look for this Specter.” suggested Chan.

Better than that, Charlie, I’m in the mood for a couple days of change and a sea voyage. There is much to say to and discuss with Chief Wilson and it must be done both gently and convincingly.”, responded Chief Anderson.

“Perhaps I should go with you?”, offered Chan.

“Thank you no, Charlie. Chief Wilson will be losing much face if we are correct that they’ve charged the wrong man. This discussion is best a private one between old friends. Besides you have plenty of work to do here. We’re still rounding the bases with home a good way off.”

Charlie well understood about “face” and respected the wisdom of Anderson’s answer. “Most humbly agree, sir.”

A call was placed to Hilo and came through surprisingly quickly. Chief Anderson very briefly summed up what he learned and felt and told Wilson that he thought it best they meet in Hilo to discuss the matter fully.

Wilson agreed that the two should review matters personally. He also provided encouraging news. Specter, by chance, had already been made a guest of Hilo authorities. Despite a strong accent, he had tried to pass himself off as an American with a less than perfect American passport. The customs inspector had been quite clever to catch the bad passport as the error was a minor one but quite real. A later search of his luggage had uncovered several other passports each under a different name. Given their conversation Wilson had assured Chief Anderson they would shortly having some conversations with him about the murder as well.

Charlie was pleased with the Chief’s rapid success. As there was an evening ferry to Hilo tonight, Chief Anderson could be there by morning. He knew his own next step. It would be re-reading the Major’s journal. Something told him that somewhere in that book was an important clue that had previously escaped him. Charlie had learned to trust such feelings. After all were not the Chinese people psychic?

-----------

Charle Chan had called ahead to assure the Major would be available for a chat. He found the man quite receptive even eager to discuss his journal which Charlie has once again read well into the night after having his always enjoyable family dinner at his humble abode on Punchbowl Hill.

The major was at breakfast and Charlie was persuaded to join him for a second breakfast. Such persuassion of the rotund man was not difficult when time was not an issue. While Charlie had found some minor points of interest, he was not sure they were what the pyschic powers to which his ancestors had been pointing. He expected his conversation would likely come to nothing. He was really just biding time for information on Specter he expected the next day from his Chief who by now should be in Hilo.

Breakfast finished after some casual conversation about nothing, Chan and Major Whitworth moved to the chairs now favored by Charlie near the beach and away from the lizards to turn their discussion to the serious matter at hand in privacy.

“As I mentioned on phone, Major, last night I read again with great thoroughness your most excellent account of your expedition to Sumatra. Sadly, my eyes see not too much that they didn’t observe on first visit with journal. Still, there are some small questions.”

“Go right ahead, Sergeant, I will do my best to provide any further light I can” had replied the Major crisply.

I see mention that both Doctor Hepwhite and Mr. Vanders brought along rifles and did some hunting.”, started Chan with the major nodding confirmation. “Tell me were there other rifles among the expedition members that you saw?

“Van Dyke’s little militia, of course, carried their army rifles, but I assume you mean the Europeans.” Chan nodded and the Major continued. “I don’t believe so, Chan, at least I never saw any of the others with one as I told you before we were on a mission of observation not on a hunting safari. Even though a military man myself, I did not bring along a my rifle as my research had indicated that the uplands were a peaceful place with no dangerous big game to threaten us. Of course, Van Dyke felt otherwise and perhaps was proved correct.

“And you never saw Van Dyke with such a weapon?”

“Can’t say that I did, Sergeant. He always sported that large army sidearm on his hip but never saw him with a rifle. I know from conversation with him, he wasn’t much into hunting.”

“Have you any idea how skilled Hepwite and Vanders were with their armament, Major.”

“Both crack shots.”, the major assured Charlie with a hint of respect. “I saw plenty of evidence of that. Want me to elaborate?”

“No need Major. Your assesment of said fact is enough for me at this time.”, returned Chan. “Tell me Major did you ever have occasion to observe the make of said rifles.”

“Oh yes, we all were in quite close proximity much of the time and as a military man I have an eye for such things. Both were very high powered weapons known to be quite accurate. Sir Hepwhite’s was, of course, of a British make. If you’ve taken a proper measure of Hepwhite, you’d know he’d have no other. Vander’s had an American gun -- a Remington I believe.”

“Neither man’s rifle was Dutch then?”, pursued Chan.

“No, I’m quite certain of that. Van Dyke’s militia, of course, carried the latest Dutch army issue which is made in Holland.”

“I read in journal that you observed that there appeared some tension between Sir Hepwhite and his most beautiful wife, Lady Elizabeth. Much ice and perhaps some evil stares. Did you observe any hostilities between them rising above same?

“Hmm. Perhaps. There were a couple occasions where there sounds of an argument from their tent with one or the other off them striding out looking most angry. But such things are common enough. They are married you know.”

Chan keep his face non-commital and Whitworth continued on.

“Mostly it was just those piercing stares when he thought her ladyship and the colonel were spending too much time together with the lizards or off in a corner engaged deeply in discussion of who knows what. There was one occasion I distinctly recall when Sir Justin inquired of his wife whereabouts of me using the term “my whore”. I found the words quite shocking coming from the mouth of a gentleman of his wife who seemed to me of a most proper and agreeable sort.”

After probing for more, Chan turned their interview to Van Dyke and Vanders.

“Our two most un-alike, Dutchman”, injected Whitworth.

“Please to elaborate”, said Chan diverting from his planned question.”

“These two men are as different a day and night. One British by birth at least. The other all Dutch. One tall, well built and quite dashing. The other rather small, unimpressive of look, and generally quite retiring even sullen. Van Dyke a forcefull leader and persuasive talker. Vanders seldom even marginally sociable and practically mute unless spoken to.

“I see. Thank you Major.”, returned Chan absorbing the major’s answer. “But last night I read entry in your journal that sometime much late night conversation between these two men on occasion disturbs your sleep.”

“Oh yes, those conversations were rather the exception. Apparently our personable Colonel Van Dyke was able to bring the man out of his self imposed silence when they were alone after everyone else had gone to bed. At such times, they often spoke in the Dutch language together sometimes far into the night.”

“Major Whitworth I would not be so rude as to suggest you intentionally listened in on their private conversations but expect that late night camp was most quiet and overhearing could not be avoided as you try to refresh self with slumber. Do you know of what they spoke?”

“Sorry, Chan, no. Their conversations were always in Dutch, and I can understand no more than hello, goodbye, and thank you in that mumbo-jumbo or their’s.”

“Most understandable, Major, but perhaps you could tell me if there was anything your ears could observe from tone of conversation.”, probed Chan.

“Not really, Chan, just two men speaking around the campfire for the most part. However, there were a couple occasions that I was awakened to hear a rather some rather loud angry sounds coming from Vanders to which Van Dyke appeared to be trying to supply some soft (if Dutch can be soft) words. At least Van Dyke’s voice remained at a normal level.”

After a few more questions, Chan, thanked the major with his usual flourish and excused himself thinking he just may have gotten more from the interview than he had expected.

On reaching the house, he sought out Mrs. Ascot and informed her out of politeness that he would needing to review her husband’s papers he had early learned were kept in this study cum office.

“My house is your house or at least it has become so.” she replied with a brief flash of a smile. “Seriously, Sergeant Chan, please feel free to examine what you wish. I only wish I could help you more. We bury Henry today you know.

Chan nodded in respectful understanding as Christine wiped a tear that resisted he efforts to supress it.

“Thank you, Mrs. Ascot. Most sorry such sad event comes to your life.” Chan paused then added a question.”

“Since our last conversation has anyone come to your attention that would want to harm Henry or perhaps his brother, Martin?

“I’ve thought and thought, Sergeant Chan, but no one at all comes to mind regarding Henry. Martin? No one comes to mind and I expect no one will. As I mentioned earlier we had only recently just you might say “re-met” and he has been most private as always regarding his personal affairs”

Chan took his leave of Mrs. Ascot and went to the study. On entering he found something of a surprise. Officer Bates was seated comfortably napping in a large chair behind the desk of Henry Ascot. The study had been off limits to the house guests since the night of the murder and keeping it so was surely part of Officer Bates’s duty to keep the crime scene and such secure. However, this was not exactly the way Charlie expected one of his men would be doing his duty.

With a single “Ahem” from Chan, Bates awoke and lept to his feet.

“Sorry, Sergeant Chan, near the end of my shift. Just sat down for a minute and must have dropped off.”, said Bates rapidly.

“So I see, officer.”, observed Charlie moving toward the recently vacated chair while eyeing the young officer with a look of disfavor. “Perhaps, you would be good enough to make room for my humble self and shut door on way out. Have most serious interest in contents of most handsome desk and comfortable chair likely still warm”

Bates started to leave but turned abruptly at the door his ever buoyant self again. “Oh Charlie, I amost forgot. Congratualations on cracking the case.”

Chan gazed at the man with wonder. “Please”

“I heard you got the brother who ran off to Hilo locked up in the pokey. Case solved, right?”, returned Bates cheerfully.

“Most wrong. Is wise counsel not to base conclusions on wagging of tongues of fellow officers. Now please to shut door.”, returned Chan abruptly.

The papers he found confirmed everything he’d heard from Van Dyke. While he didn’t have the letters Henry Ascot had sent his brother Martin Ascots numerous and warm replies well supported a good relationship between the two men. He also found a letter of intoduction of Captain Van Der Spiegel which went on to detail the concern that prompted Van Dyke to have sent him to Henry as well as the draft agreement on the lizards.

Satisfied, Chan removed himself from the house of Ascot turning his attention to the matter of lunch before his return to the station. Reflection over a fine piece of chicken and slice of pie seemed to him the best recipe for meditating on his next moves to find this ellusive murder’s identity.

------------

Colonel Van Deck nee Ascot was the feature on Chan’s afternoon agenda and he knew right where he could be found. His interview with Whitworth had raised some areas of interest which he wanted to further pursue with the Colonel.

“I trust our people have made you as comfortable as possible, Colonel.”, opened Chan as Van Dyke was being ushered into the the interogation room by armed police officers.”

“Somewhere between the way one would treat an emperor and a man doomed to the gallows, Sergeant.” remarked Van Dyke with a sly smile.

“Is most fortunate you are not student of Chinese history, Colonel. You would know that often such have been one in the same.”

Their macabre banter finished, Charlie started in with his new questions.

“Please forgive mist indelicate question of married man and apparent gentleman, Colonel, but what is your relationship with Lady Elizabeth Hepwhite?”

“A most cordial one, Segeant. We have spent a good deal of time together over the last two months both with the lizards and speaking of many other things which interest us both. I assume you are asking if we are romantically involved. The answer to that is a definitive no. All our interactions have been quite correct.”

“Her ladyship says much the same but I get impression husband does not feel this is full truth.”

“I’m well aware of that, Sergeant Chan. Doctor Hepwhite is a fine scientist but not the most rational of men at least when it pertains to his admittedly very beautiful and most charming wife.”

“Have you and Lady Elizabeth discussed his concerns.”

“Discussed? Perhaps most peripherally. We’ve often just exchanged exasperated or even amused looks when we’ve noticed him staring at us intently when we were quite innocently together talking of matters of common interest totally unrelated to romance or Sir Justin.

“Was there ever any more to Sir Justin’s objections to your friendship with his wife beyond hard looks?”, asked Chan/

“Actually, there was one incident that I recall.”, offered Van Dyke. “I was spending some free moments in the bush near the camp having a bit of a walk. No real purpose you know. By chance I encountered Doctor Hepwhite looking as if he were returning from a bit of hunting by the rifle he had slung by its strap over his shoulder. As he approached, I noticed his face contorted with a bit of an ugly scowl which I assumed at the time I first noticed it probably had something to do with the fact he carried no game. When he reached me. I learned otherwise.

He came directly up to me and put his face into mine poking my chest with his finger repeatedly as he told me with no little emotion that he wouldn’t have me toying with his wife’s affections right in front of his face or any other way.”

“Your reaction, please?”, probed Charlie.

“I would like to have laughed right in his face. The assertion was beyond ridiculous, but I knew better than to laugh at a charging bull -- particularly one carring a loaded gun.”

“So you didn’t laugh in his face” , facilitated Chan.

“No, I kept my head and tried to be at once cordial and rational. I told him a variation on what I’ve told you and urged him to join Elizabeth and I whenever he cared to. We had no secrets. We were just friends of a similar mind and enjoyed each others company.”

“Did that settle him?”

“After a fashion I suppose. He backed off and seemed to consider my words. Then he away in seeming disgust after remarking “What else would you say?”

And that was the end of it?, asked Chan.

As far as confrontations go. There were still the angry stares and perhaps a pointed word of sarcasm on occasion. Of all the Europeans with the expedition, he and I had been and

were always the least best of friends.”, responded Van Dyke.

“Did Hepwhite ever move to take the gun from his shoulder at any time during this confrontation.”

“No, Sergeant. He wouldn’t have dared for as always I had my sidearm on my hip. I remember being thankful for that fact during the confrontation as Hepwhite was extremely angry and emotional for a bit there.”

“So you got on well with all the others?”

“I thought so and I believe accurately so. I know Major Whitworth at times resented me for my growing influence over the expedition. While he, of course, was the titular leader, I in fact took most of the important actions and decisions. Actually, after a time, I think he was relieved to be rid of the responsibilities he really wasn’t up to.

“Not up to?”

“Oh. I rather enjoy Major Whitworth, but he is a very “by the book“ rather narrow, military sort with little experience outside of England and little appreciation of anything different from England. I rather doubt even this extended period here and in Sumatra has done much to change that.”

And your relationships with the others?”

Van Dyke paused momentarily to consider the question then answered at some length. “Rather routinely pleasant but limited I should say except for Lady Eliabeth which is exceptionally pleasant though totally plutonic as I have said. I can sum up my relationships with the others up in a few words. Pussyfoot and Stuart are good and pleasant chaps. We often spoke casully with never an ill word. However, I can’t say I can remember ever having a private conversation of any length with either. Vanders and I spoke some particularly in the late in the evenings. Vanders was a quiet rather intense almost withdrawn sort most of the time on the trip. I suspect something to do with his rather less than fluent English though I rather doubt he is an effusive or overly friendly person in any language. No real problems with him either.”

“Major Whitworth writes of a good number of late night conversations in Dutch between you two and commented that he was awakened by one or two where Vanders sounded rather loud and even angry though Whitworth had no idea what was being said.”

Van Dyke smiled somewhat dismisively. “Oh that, yes. Mostly we spoke of home -- Holland that is -- and things Dutch quite amiably. He is a well read man. A few times the conversations drifted into politics, and we found we were on almost polar ends of the spectrum with him holding his beliefs quite strongly. That was likely what Whitworth heard. Vanders did explode a couple times and I sweet talked him off the subject.”

“Am I to conclude from what you’ve just told me you were somewhat political enemies, Colonel?”

“That’s rather strongly put, Sergeant. Most certainly we had strongly differing political views but we were simply two Dutch citizens chewing the fat on the political scene. Neither of us were in government and Vanders had no way I know to know I was at all involved in politics rather behind the scene. I hardly think that should make two men enemies. Our relations always seemed quite cordial beyond those couple very minor incidents which really were no more than some short-lived loud outbursts of strong disagreement between friends.”

Chan weighed the evidence and the feelings of the Colonel while keeping his thoughts to himself. Chan thought himself about finished with Van Dyke for the moment then recalled one other thing.

“By the way, Colonel, did you ever check up to find that Smyth had actually continued back to England. As I recall Captain Van De Spiegel said he’d followed him back from Hawaii only as far as Jakarta.”

“Actually I have heard back from my father twice on him in response to an inquiry for additional background on him shortly after first seeing Smyth. Two letters were waiting for me in at home when I returned from the hill country. In the first, my father wrote that he’d asked around but heard little of him noting he had been rather disgraced by the whole affair. This matter not only was related to my brother, of course, but our entire family.

The second letter apparently arrived just before my return to Medena and was much more enlightening. Smyth returned all right. It seems the likely reason for his long trip under an assumed name may well have been to lay low while and hope a rather serious bit of bother blew over but did not. Shortly after he returned, he was arrested in some sort of stock related swindle matter that garned a good deal of publicity. He may well be in Dartmoor or one of the other of the Queen’s “guest houses” as we speak.

Chan had thought Smyth had been an unlikely possibility but nevertheless was sorry to find yet another well dead end in his inquiries.

Again the men shook hands and Chan took his leave of Van Dyke. The man was escorted back to his “room” in a minor one of The President’s “guest houses.”

Returning to his office, Chan, spent considerable time mulling over the eveidence and testing various theories of the crime in his mind. He worked with the theory that Van Dyke rather than Henry Ascot had been the intended victim and Henry had been killed in a case of mistaken identity. Justin Hepwhite seemed a decent candidate by virtue more than anything else of his marksmanship and familiarity with guns, as well as his extreme jealousy. He certainly could have picked up a Dutch gun in Sumatra or perhaps with a bit of looking in the right places even here in Honolulu. Also, he was hiding something. Still Chan didn’t feel him an overly compelling candidate.

Vanders was still in the running to but as a rather dark house. He seemed a moody sort but he might well appear more so because of his language difficulties. From what Van Dyke had said their harsh words had been little more than a ripple on the only real comradery Vanders seemed to have enjoyed these last couple months.

By far the best candidate was some as yet unknown associate of this Specter who had got his wires crossed while they somewhat independently pursued the same target. Unless, Chief Anderson, brought back some unexpected revelations from Hilo that was going to be a hard man to find indeed.

As Charlie reflected on this, he recalled a couple entries relating to Vanders. He, Hepwhite and Vanders had been taking a stroll about town just after their arrival in Honolulu when Vanders encountered a familiar face or two in a café. The conversation had turned to Dutch so Whitworth and Hepwhite had left Vanders to his Dutch speaking friends and continued on their own eventually splitting up themselves.

Quickly Charlie retrieved the journal and turned to one of the very last entries made the day before the murder. Charlie was glad that Whitworth has resumed his journal after the doctors had reassured him of his sanity.

Here is a portion of the entry Charlie reviewed.

“The Dutch seem to best like the Dutch. Who else would? Saw Vanders again on my walk today by that bar-café with the Dutch friends he’d met there early on in our stay here. They were so deeply engrossed in speaking their mumbo-jumbo with one another they didn’t even notice my wave to them as I passed…..”

Charlie leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling to think. He was just concluding that another conversation with the major might be appropriate when a knock on his door frame cause to him to lower his eyes and find that very man before him.

In most un-Chan-like fashion, the words, “Speak of the devil” spouted from his lips reflecting his surprise.

“Not sure I like being called the devil, Chan.”, smiled The Major making a point to appear to be looking around the room, “and to whom were you speaking about him to just now.”

“Most sorry for discourteous expression of surprise most pleasant, Major. Actually I was just thinking to call on you after looking at one of your latest journal entries.”

“Which one would that be?”, asked the Major intrigued.

“You made a mention of passing by a café during one of your walks and again noticing Vanders in intense conversation with the Dutch friends he had met last week there.”

“Yes I recall that still, but what the devil could that have to do with the Murder of Henry Ascott?”, Sergeant.

“Most likely nothing, Major, but do you think you would recognize any of those men if you saw them again?”

“Not really sure, Chan. I recall two of them being particularly hard looking sorts despite their being well enough dressed. Perhaps.”

Chan knew that Chief Anderson should be arriving back from Hilo on the new Hilo ferry around 9 AM in the morning assuming an uneventful voyage. Anderson had hoped to return with a photograph of this Specter. He looked back to the Major.

“Yes, Chan?”

“So sorry humble policeman must at times take moment to self to think, Major Whitworth. Would you be available here tomorrow say about eleven to look at some photographs?”

“I could be, Sergeant, but photographs of what?”

“Would be most grateful. Matter of what best kept till you see photographs.”

If curiosity could kill a cat, any feline side a Major Hepwhite was surely dead. Still he maintained his dignity saying he’d be back “spot on at eleven tomorrow if there wasn’t anything else” and left.

----------

More out of respect for Chief Anderson abetted by a keen interest and what he’d accomplished in Hilo, Charlie was on hand to greet the speedy overnight ferry from Hilo when it docked. These were his only reasons. The Honolulu police didn’t usually keep a watch on the inter-island traffic only the ships from the mainland and abroad.

Perhaps also eager to share his findings, Chief Anderson was among the first off the great white ship demeaned with the label ferry docked. Anderson was clearly pleased with Charlie’s courtesy. Soon they were in Charlie’s small car and headed back to the station. Just before the Charlie turned the ignition key, Chief Anderson waved a photograph in his face. “

“This rather hard looking fellow is Mr. Specter.”, he said simply.

Charlie paused to examine the photograph and agreed with Anderson that the man was indeed a tough looking cookie though Charlie well knew that mug shots weren’t always the most flattering.

Speaking as they drove, Charlie inquired, “so they booked him?”

“Yep on the immigration charge related to the false American passport he’d rather foolishly used.”

“Specter offer reason for many passports.”, asked Charlie

“Claimed he often did undercover work back at home but was rather at a loss to explain what undercover work he was about here. Even tried to claim diplomatic immunity. None of that will hold much water, I suspect.”

“And Chief Wilson’s reaction to our information please?”

“Quite fair and not at all defensive. He assured me his people would re-open their investigation with an eye toward Specter. I even sat in on an invterview with the man and got to ask some questions.”

“Most interesting.”

“That’s about it for interesting I‘m afraid, Charlie. The man clammed up tight and asked for a lawyer once the confirming information for Van Dyke was mentioned.”

“Most suspicious surely, but sadly not very helpful.”, observed Chan.

“I’m afraid we may never get much of him from the look of him and his demeanor. I’ve seen his type go to the gallows without revealing their accomplices.”, said The Chief.

“Tight lipped villains major hazard in work of police”, observed Chan with a rare wink. “Have interesting plan for photograph which may or may not help such poor policemen. Only time will tell.”

Charlie filled the Chief in as the entered the station.

Charlie had already accumulated a half dozen or more mug shots of people of the same general description he’d had of Specter before getting the photograph. He lined them up on a cradenza in his office inserting the newly arrived shot of Specter in the number four position.

Good to his word, Major Whitworth arrived at Charlie’s office spot on at eleven o’clock.

Moments later Sir Doctor Hepwhite arrived in the charge of Hopkins. He wasn’t in handcuffs but was almost angry enough to justify them.

“This is most outrageous, sir.’, raged Hepwhite at the first site of Chan. “This officer insisted I come with him here. I am no criminal. I am a doctor and a gentleman.”

“So sorry Doctor Hepwhite if officer did not make clear your visit here is voluntary. Perhaps you can be of some service in this tragic mystery.”

The doctor seemed somewhat mollified until Chan asked if the officer would escort him to one of the interrogation rooms while he finished with Major Whitworth. After some more words of strong protest at his treatment, Hepwhite complied.

Charlie apologized for keeping Whitworth waiting and guided him into his office.

“So its Sir Justin?”, inquired the Major quite amazed.

“Best we view some photographs before I comment, Major.”, returned Chan. Charlie then walked the Major the short distance to his credenza. Do you recognize any of these men as those you saw at the café with Vanders and Hepwhite, Major?

Major Whitworth moved along the credenza to study each photo carefully emitting not a sound. Chan could feel his own disappointment build as the silence grew longer. The Major again silently repeated his review.

“Only number four, Chan, sorry.” he said turning to face Chan standing expectantly behind him.

“You are quite certain?”, Major Whitworth.

“Without a scintilla of doubt Chan. You don’t forget an ugly mug like that one soon.”, crisply asserted Major Whitworth.

Chan let a small smile show. “No need to be sorry, Major. Please to excuse me for a very few moments. Please take seat just outside my humble office. I return very shortly.”

Chan carefully picked up the photos and went to the interrogation room where he went through the identical exercise with an identical result with Doctor Hepwhite.

Returning to where Major Whitworth had been left sitting. Chan offered Hepwhite the seat next to the Major. He then told both he expected they would be interested to understand what this was all about, and that he would be telling them shortly. For the present, he could only say that they had both identified number four as one of the Dutchmen Vanders had met at the Seaman’s Café.

“Please to excuse me. Must first confer with my chief before sharing more. Please to remain in these seats till I return. It is absolutely crucial to investigation that no word leak out about their identifications..

Hopkins was nearby and nodded to Chan that he would see to it.

Major Whitworth was curious beyond control and practically shouted at Charlie’s back.

“I must say. Quite amazing, Sergeant.. So its that Dutchman Vanders!”, exclaimed the major.

“I believe Chan is suggesting this Specter is their man, Major.”, corrected Hepwhite grumpily.

Chan turned to clarify without clarifying, “Patience may reward you with answer, gentlemen. Much circumstantial evidence but not absolute proof as yet. However, do have plan which may close case. Again, please to excuse me for some small moments.”

------------------

Chief Anderson too was excited as Charlie laid out his case.“

“You said you have a plan, Charlie.” queried the Chief after his number one detective had brought him up to date.

“Picture is clear to us, Chief, but maybe one more piece needed to be sure to convince jury. Perhaps we should talk some more.”, interjected Chan quietly.

“Okay. Charlie. Let’s have it/”

“Plan quite simple Chief. It is based on my belief that Vanders may be recent recruit to this radical group of man, Specter. However I fully believe his encounter with Specter and his colleagues at the café was a chance thing. From Van Dyke’s comments, Vanders would likely be sympathetic to and malleable to the ends of these like minded Dutch men of action at that cafe. The important point is that from my observations, he’s not a hardened terrorist prepared to die for his cause.

Plan is to arrest Vanders for murder one straight off and bluff him with what we know from, Specter. Perhaps we employ some small stagecraft. I think he’ll break and condemn them all.”

“I like it, Charlie“ returned Chief Anderson.. You work on your interogation plan, I’ll advise the DA and send some men out to pick him up.

“Most excellent, Chief. Tell your men courtesy not part of today’s program. We must appear very confident and even angry.”

“Got ya, Charlie.”

After leaving the Chief to set the arrest in motion, Charlie returned to the Englishmen and invited them into his office where he explained his plan.

“I would like to invite you both to observe an interrogation if each is sure he can remain quite silent except for giving firm answer to one or two question that I might pose to each of you.”

The major was more than pleased to cooperate. The doctor far less so but did grudgingly agree. Once all were agreed, Charlie shared with the Englishmen the questions he might ask of them.

-----------------

The arrest squad was quite efficient. Within the hour they roughly escorted a handcuffed Vanders into the station and on to the entrance of Chan’s office.

Chan rose behind his desk and addressed Vanders and his escort roughly. . “So nice of you to join us Vanders. Don’t leave him here. Book him and print him. We’ll have plenty of time to speak with him later.”

The process was completed fairly quickly and Vanders was moved to an interogation room where he was allowed to wait under guard for a period of time to reflect on his situation. Then Chan and the two expedition members entered. Charlie took a seat opposite Vanders across a barren wooden table. The others took seats against the wall.

Vanders observed them. They observed him. Vanders showed no signs of defiance nor uttered any words of defense. Crestfallen would be an understatement of his look.

Chan took some time before speaking making it a point to look calmly and directly into the man’s eyes. Then Chan spoke most briskly with a matter of fact tone.

“Vanders this need not be a long interview. The facts are quite simple. We know that you conspired with one Major Daniel Specter to murder Martin Van Dyke also known as Martin Ascot.

Mr. Specter is presently in police custody in Hilo. Chief Anderson, my superior even now is speaking with his oposite number in Hilo and advising him or your association with Specter and your arrest for the murder of Henry Ascot. A Hilo detective will shortly be having a very similar meeting to ours with Mr. Spector with an identical offer for cooperation. First man to take that offer will become a very long term guest of the State of Hawaii. The man who comes in second in this race to co-operate will hang. Is that clear?”

A whisper of defiance emerged from Vanders. “But I didn’t kill Henry Ascot. I barely knew than man, and I know no one by the name of Specter.”

Again Chan was coldly matter of fact, “You may well have had no quarrel with Henry Ascot, Mr. Vanders, but you screwed up. You killed him in error intending to kill his very similar looking brother, Martin Ascot better known to you as Colonel Van Dyke. The law makes no exception for killing the wrong man by mistake.

As to Spector, you may well know him by another name. He carries many passports and will shortly be facing charges of not only murdering Mr. Ascot but his body guard, Gerald Wallace -- a former officer on this force and a dear friend of mine -- while on route to Hilo on the ship, Enchanted Isle. There is no question of his guilt. Nor, Vanders, is there any question that you know Specter from the positive identifications given to us by Major Whitworth and Doctor Hepwhite.

Denial momentarily surfaced again. “You’re mistaken Whitworth. You too Hepwhite. It‘s all a mistake.”

Chan spoke crisply. “Major, are you certain beyond a shadow of doubt of the identification you made of this photo from a photo line up this morning as that of one of the men with whom you shared a table at the Seaman’s Café eight days ago and the same man that you saw once again with Mr. Vanders at the same café the day before the murder?” Chan laid the mug shot of Specter before Vanders.

“I am absolutely positive it is the same man in that photograph, Sergeant Chan. I sat next to him at a table at less than three feet for more than a half hour.”, returned the Major crisply.

Chan saw Vanders head fall as Major Whitworth forcefully completed his statement but went directly on asking a similar question to Doctor Hepwhite.

Hepwhite also spoke forcefully. “No question, Sergeant. I saw them together but the once at that café, but there is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that the man Specter was at the table with Whitworth, Vanders, and I. He was still speaking with Vanders in Dutch when Whitworth and I left them.”

Charlie let the silence which had replaced the Doctor’s voice continue. Finally, he asked one question quietly “Vander, did Specter provide the Dutch rifle or did you have your own army rifle.”

Again there was a short period of silence. Then Vanders looked up and spoke. “Does it really matter? Yes, I fired the shot. I only wish I’d shot the right man. I’ll tell you what you want to know. I don’t want to die.”

Over the next hour he did just that.

Vanders claimed he’d liked Van Dyke in Sumatra as well as he liked any of that high falooting lot. They’d sometimes had disagreed on politics, but that had been a small part of their conversations. He knew many men who disagreed with him. He couldn’t help they were naïve fools.

He said his attitude changed after the chance meeting with the man in the picture known to him as Marteen and another quite large man known to him as Van Stoop. He reaffirmed never to have met these men before the chance meeting when he. Hepwhite, and Whitworth paused in their walk to take some refreshment.

It had been good to find men from home and the convesation flowed easily eventually turning to politics. They were all very much of the same persuassion and talked at great length but nothing of murder that first day.

The day before the murder one of the men had sought him out. The three had reconvened at the same café and they shared with him that he was staying with a man strongly opposed to the things they all believed in -- a man almost certain to become the next Governor General of the Dutch East Indies in an effort for the liberals to pave the way to its independence from the motherland.

They all had agreed this must be stopped. For the first time they shared with him that they were a part of a group of loyal Hollanders committed to maintaining the Dutch empire with a mission to eliminate this man so threatening to their cause. They said the time was short. They’d learned his business would shortly be completed here. Soon, he would again be well protected in the East Indies on his return there as he was before he’d left.

They’d try to follow on the same ship to Hawaii to do the deed, but Van Dyke had foiled their intent by using his influence to get the Queen Anne-Marie to make a special stop in Medena for his party and his party alone.

“They’d soon followed him here on another ship, but found he seldom ventured out. Also they’d observed security at the house where he stayed. They said they needed my help. They said it was my duty as a loyal Dutchman. They said I had ready access to the house and hence Van Dyke and could wander out on to the beach without raising anyone’s interest. Yes, they provided the rifle.”, Vanders told them.

He never would have expected the master of the house, Henry, to be out feeding the lizards. Van Dyke and Lady Elizabeth were the lizard lovers and usually didn’t even the bother the servants with such matters. He was a good marksman. He’d had no doubt that the man he shot was dead when he went down. The lizards running off surprised him. He’d waited till they had gone and quietly walked away with the rifle in an innocent looking duffle bag over his shoulder even stopping to pick up seashells to look quite casual should anyone take note of him. No one did to his knowledge as it was quickly growing dark as he walked.

He had then returned to the café where Max, the guy who ran the bordello upstairs by arrangement took and disposed of the rifle somewhere. Max had said he and his girls would say Vanders had been there all afternoon if anyone ever asked. Vanders had gone with one of the girls and thought everything all over.

Chan thought to himself it was an almost complete rendition. Still he probed further to get more details including the full names of the two additional men mentioned.

---------------

Chief Anderson sent word to Hilo of the confession and got the reaction he’d anticipated. A court appearance would be required there of Van Dyke but charges would be dropped. The judge would certainly assent to the wishes of the state in this matter.

Charlie Chan had Van Dyke brought to his office and his handcuffs removed. He shared with him the confession of Vanders and the actions the authorities in Hilo would be taking. He was still in custody but could be sure of being a free man within twenty four hours if he and his escorts could make the evening ferry.

Van Dyke took the good news with great interest and a smile but his usual calm. Charlie told him he’d hoped would honor Chan by allowing him to buy Van Dyke a drink when the Govenor General returned from Hilo to Honolulu on his way home.

“It would be my honor, sergeant.” Van Dyke had replied with a warm smile.

“Forgive personal question of private man, but you mentioned wife and family. How many children, please?”, smiled Chan.

“Why Melia and I have quite a brood - nine, Sergeant Chan.”

“Most impressive, Govenor General. My honorable wife and I have but seven as yet, but we are still young. We seek a full baseball team perhaps more.”, smiled Charlie.

“Our goal is a football side, Sergeant.”, returned Van Dyke with a broad smile.

Both men continued to smile in genuine pleasure as the shook hands before Van Dyke headed back to Hilo and freedom.

 EXPEDITION'S END - PART V ---EPILOUGE

The Hilo police had initially discounted Van Dyke’s story of the fleeing shooter given that no one else had seen the man and the overwhelming case they felt they had against Van Dyke. He was a man with compelling motive who had been found standing over the body with a smoking gun. However, they did seek to find such a man after Chief Anderson presented the startling evidence Chan had uncovered to them.

Only a dozen passengers or so had disembarked at Hilo as the Enchanted Isle was a rather expensive way to get from Honolulu to Hilo compared to the frequent inter-island ferries. While the customs man did remember a very wide but rather fit looking heavyset man being among those disembarking, he couldn’t pick a name from the list of passengers that had disembarked with his memory of a big rather military looking man. The name Van Stoop was not on that list.

All but one of the passengers who had been on the Enchanted Isle and got off at Hilo were fairly quickly located as Hilo was still a fairly small town. Each quickly was eliminated as being the big man.

The missing man who had been traveling with a South African passport with the name of Daniel Van der Boer. He was eventually located by his description rather than his name. He was found stopping at a small back street hotel in Hilo under still another name. Closer examination of this last passenger revealed a fresh bullet wound which had been poorly dressed in his left buttocks.

Justice was done. Vanders spent the rest of his life sketching prison walls. In time, Specter and his rather wide partner in murder were hanged. Max, the whoremaster, got a stiff sentence as an accessory.

Colonel Van Dyke served as Govenor General right up to the Japanese occupation. He then headed the government in exile promoting both the resistance and the cause of Indonesian independence. On the day of Independence in 1949, Van Dyke was given the honor of being appointed as Vice Prime Minister in the of the newly independent nation of Indonesia. It was largely an honorary post but a great honor indeed to his lifetime of service.

The last part of the tale of the lizards is almost as bizarre as the fact of their existence itself. Lady Elizabeth proved to be a most able negotiator of sorts. She would not wave in her demands that the lizards would remain the property of the American scientific organization of her choice and that the Barnum people would only have them for exhibition purposes for three months a year. Morison found these conditions unacceptable and returned to the mainland much frustrated with the stubborn woman’s most unreasonable demands.

Morison’s “lizard-less” departure was exactly what Lady Elizabeth had wanted. No further offers were sought, but one did materialize from the rather unlikely coalition of Van Dyke, Christine Ascot, and the Reverend Turner’s congregation. The price was modest, but Lady Elizabeth accepted the offer and distributed the money received into the hands of the expedition members and Van Dyke according to the previously agreed percentages.

After the sale of the lizards was settled, Lady Elizabeth informed her husband she was leaving him and staying on in Hawaii. She’d had had enough of his ceaseless and baseless jealousy while he in fact was the one having the dalliances disguised as long walks and hospital visits.

The Lady Elizabeth Institute was immediately formed to protect and study the foul-mouthed lizards with its base in a hillside villa far enough outside of Honolulu for the purposes of the good Reverend but not really so far by car.

Again the coalition provided funding in addition to that provided by Lady Elizabeth herself. The Reverend’s motive, of course, was that this was a good way to keep these abominations the devil he so deplored away from the general public.

Van Dyke returned what he’d received from his share of the price paid for the lizards and more in the course of funding the Lady Elizabeth Institute out of fondness for both the lizards and Lady Elizabeth. Christine Ascot contributed out of both respect for her late-husband’s wishes and her great and growing respect for Lady Elizabeth. They became very close over the years and Christine’s connections didn’t hurt in securing Lady Elizabeth a specially created chair in anthropology and lizard studies at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu.

The work of Justin Hepwhite, Pusseyfoot, and Stuart on the ape-man of Sumatra and the geography of upland Sumatra was received quite well back in England in the rather limited circles interested in such findings. Stuart got a valuable extra reward from the expedition. He had kept in touch with Nancy Applegate and not long after her graduation married the lovely young woman.

Far less warm was the welcome home of board of The Royal Geographic Society for Major Whitworth. They were divided in two factions. The first thought the notion of the lizards recorded in Whitworth’s journal absurd fantasies and him a liar. The more rational faction accepted that The Geographic Society had no real legal claim on the lizards as an incendental finding of members of the expedition on a monkey mission. However, they felt it quite ungentlemanly and incompetent of Whitworth to have allowed the expedition’s members to have not only deprived the Society of a find likely to generate widespread interest but to have personally profited from the sale of the lizards which these men thought were by a gentleman’s high standards of morality the property of The Royal Geographic Society.

By joint agreement of the factions, The Whitworth’s journal was suppressed and Whitworth never participated in a Society expedition again. Happily this caused Major Whitworth little concern as he’d had quite enough of foreign lands, strange foods, and dark little people speaking mumbo-jumbo.

Officer Bates was shortly transferred to night patrol on Waiki beach where he became a nuisance to the occasional down and out beachcombers who sought to catch a few winks at that lovely locale over the ensuing years.

As to the lizards themselves. They lived on pretty much happily ever after feasting on the many delights they found on the grounds of The Institute and having many long chats with Lady Elizabeth, her colleagues, and eventually her new husband and family.

END

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