The Charing Cross Mystery · Chapter
The Police Return explained
Hetherwick learns the full story of how Mrs.
What happens
Hetherwick learns the full story of how Mrs. Whittingham tricked Superintendent Hannaford and escaped with a diamond necklace. Hollis and Gandham confirm her identity from a photograph, and Malladale reveals that he was eventually paid for the necklace years later.
Themes in this chapter
Identity and Deception
Mrs. Whittingham's entire persona is a deception; she uses aliases and clever tactics to evade capture.
Greed and Materialism
The diamond necklace worth nearly £4,000 drives the crime and the subsequent investigation.
Secrecy and the Past
The past events of Mrs. Whittingham's escape are slowly uncovered, and Malladale keeps a secret about being repaid.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Hetherwick
Investigates the past of Mrs. Whittingham, learns the details of her escape from Hannaford.
- Mr. Hollis
Accompanies Hetherwick, recounts the story of Mrs. Whittingham's escape, and introduces him to Gandham and Hudson.
- Gandham
Elderly detective who confirms the photograph is of Mrs. Whittingham and recalls her clever escape.
- Mr. Robert Hannaford
Mentioned as the superintendent who was tricked by Mrs. Whittingham; his soft-heartedness led to her escape.
- Mr. Malladale
Jeweller who sold the necklace to Mrs. Whittingham; reveals he was eventually paid for it years later.
- Mr. Hudson
Former hall-porter at the White Bear, now keeps a saloon-bar; mentioned as someone who remembers Mrs. Whittingham.
Key passages
“She did Hannaford completely. He strove hard to find her, and did a great deal of the spadework himself. And at last he ran her down—in a fashionable hotel in London.”
Mrs. Whittingham outwitted Hannaford; after much effort, he finally located her at a luxury London hotel.
Hollis recounts how Hannaford tracked down Mrs. Whittingham.
“Hannaford, finding that Mrs. Whittingham had a suite of rooms in this hotel—a big West End place—left his two men downstairs, or outside, and went up to see her alone.”
Hannaford went alone to confront Mrs. Whittingham in her hotel suite, leaving his detectives outside.
Details of Hannaford's approach to arrest Mrs. Whittingham.
“She went—and that was the very last Hannaford ever saw of her!”
Mrs. Whittingham escaped through a bedroom door while Hannaford waited, and he never saw her again.
The moment of Mrs. Whittingham's escape from the hotel.
“I had no loss! Eventually, I made my profit, and—er, something over.”
Malladale reveals that he was eventually paid for the necklace, and even made a profit.
Malladale's surprising disclosure about the financial outcome of the theft.