The Case Of The Smuggled Diamonds Episode 3

Hawke ignored him and raised the lids of three laundry baskets. They were half-empty. The fourth was heavy when he pulled at it, and a moment later he had hauled the lid back, and saw the top of Tommy’s head.

Quickly he unwound the towel and lifted Tommy, helped by the porter, who had joined them.

Tommy was very red-faced, and was obviously unconscious.

Hawke looked at him, tight-lipped, knowing that had the young man remained there much longer he might have suffocated.

As it was, he would be unconscious for at least another 15 minutes.

He gave hurried orders to the porter, and then took van Marak’s arm.

“Now, Mynheer, I will come with you.” “So mooch time, it ees lost,” complained van Marak.

However, he went eagerly with Hawke to the lift, and the two men soon arrived in Room 307.

It was a large room and there was ample evidence of a struggle, and of the room having been searched.

Attack

Drawers were pulled out, suitcases open, and the contents of both were strewn on the floor.

“You see, I fight!” exclaimed van Marak. “I telephone you, from ze bed, you see.”

Van Marak pointed to a telephone by the bed. “Zen ze door open again, a man, he returns, an’ I am attack.

“I am for ze minute not all zere, you understand.

“Zen, when I awake, ze case eet is empty, ze jewels zey are gone.”

With a trembling finger he indicated a suitcase which had a false bottom.

The bottom had been cut open, and the cavity was quite empty.

Hawke spent a full 20 minutes examining the room, and then, after a tap on the door, Tommy came in.

He looked little the worse for his misadventure, and quickly described the hefty man to Hawke.

Van Marak broke in with excitement. “Yes, yes, zat is ze man, ze describing is most good!”

“The police will have to get busy at once,” said Hawke.

Van Marak’s face dropped.

“Ze – ze police! But, Hook, pliz listen. I am ze poor man, ze diamonds I bring into zis country, I smuggle zem, yes, you know ze word.

“I smuggle zem. Zat is why I call for you an’ not ze police.

“If zey know what I do, I pay ze big fine, yes.”

His hands shot out appealingly to Hawke, who was silent for some seconds, thinking quickly.

Finally, Hawke said: “All right, Mynheer. We will discuss that part of the business later.

“For the time being we will tell the police officers only that this man attacked my young assistant.

“That must be done,” he added sharply. “Your name need not be mentioned yet, Mynheer.

“If your motives are good, I will do all I can to help you, but isn’t it obvious that the assailant must be found!”

“Yes, yes, of course.

“But I undairstood zat you could do ze miracles, Hook!”

Wasted little time

Hawke wasted little time explaining that even he could not search the whole of London for the hefty man.

He then went out saying that he would see the police.

Then from the foyer he put a call through to Room 307.

Van Marak answered it, but Hawke asked him to get Tommy to speak.

“Listen carefully, old son,” said Hawke urgently.

“Tell van Marak there is a possibility that he is still in danger, and stick by him until you hear from me again.

“Don’t let him out of your sight – that’s essential.”

“Right!” said Tommy. “Do you think there might still be some stuff around?” he added in a low voice van Marak could not catch.

Hawke chuckled.

“It wouldn’t surprise me. If he’s smuggled one lot of diamonds into the country, he might have smuggled others.”

Quickly he added: “If he goes out, make sure that you accompany him wherever he goes.”

“Right! I’ll stick like a limpet,” Tommy promised. “How long will you be?” “Not too long,” promised Hawke. Tommy replaced the receiver and passed on his instructions to van Marak.

Van Marak looked perturbed for the moment, but his face quickly cleared again, and they stayed in the room for an hour, putting it straight.

Then van Marak suggested that they should have some breakfast, and over the meal said he had an appointment for halfpast eight.

“I mus’ keep it. I was to sell ze diamonds, but now – ze buyer, he weel get not’ings, I weel get not’ings. Here am I, helpless, an’ Hook, ’e does not help.”

“He’ll do everything he can,” said Tommy sharply.

Van Marak looked harassed and the youngster felt really sorry for him.

Obviously he was not looking forward to telling the would-be buyer that the diamonds had been stolen.

Unsteady

Listen carefully. Tell van Marak there is a possibility that he is still in danger, and stick by him until you hear from me again

Tommy wondered whether it was part of a widespread smuggling organisation; he wondered also what Hawke was doing.

Hawke was not back by eight-fifteen. “We mus’ go,”said van Marak. “You will come with me, yes!”

“I’ll look after you,” promised Tommy, and they went by taxi to a house in Victoria.

Van Marak’s hands were a little unsteady when he rang the bell.

A man-servant opened the door – and then Tommy was ushered in, with van Marak behind him.

Waiting in a downstairs room was the hefty man.

Tommy gasped and drew back. “What the devil’s this?” Tommy said. “Van Marak, who –?”

Dixon Hawke, along with his trusty sidekick Tommy Burke, appeared in several DC Thomson publications, starting around 1912.