'Arnold's car has been found,' he said casually.
'Where?' asked Antonia.
'In a mews off the Cromwell Road.'
'Will that help the police at all, do you suppose?' inquired Violet.
'I hardly think so. Nothing but Arnold's suitcase and hat and a hamper of provisions was found in it, I believe.'
'What, no blood?' said Kenneth lazily. 'No gory knife? I call that a sell for the police.'
'Haven't they discovered any clue at all?' Rudolph asked. 'Surely there must be something to show who it was? I mean finger-prints, or something.'
'I'm afraid I can't tell you that,' replied Giles in his cool, pleasant way. 'The police haven't taken me quite so far into their confidence.'
'Did you see anything more of that lamb-like Superintendent?' said Antonia, clasping her hands round her knees.
'Yes, I gave him a lift back to Town.'
Kenneth sat up. 'Look here, whose side are you on?'
Giles Carrington looked up quickly. Kenneth grinned. 'No, I didn't mean that exactly, but you've got to act for us.
'That is what I'm trying to do,' answered Giles.
'Lots of snags in the way,' murmured Kenneth, lying down again. 'Tony's pitchforked herself hang into the middle of it, and I don't think I can prove an alibi. All the same,' he added, tilting his head back to watch the fluttering of a moth against the skylight, 'they'll find it hard to fasten the murder on to me. For one thing, I haven't got a knife, and never had a knife; and for another, no one would ever believe I could do a job as neatly as this one, without leaving any trace behind. Also, I haven't had any very recent quarrel with -' He jerked himself upright again. 'Damn! What a fool I was! I wrote and asked him for some cash, and he refused. I'll lay any odds you like he's kept my letter and a copy of his answer.'
'Oh, Kenneth, don't talk such rubbish!' Violet begged. 'Of course they don't think you did it!'
'They probably will, but they'll find it devilish hard to prove,' said Kenneth. 'What do you think, Giles?'
'If you'd like to call at my office tomorrow at twelve, I'll tell you,' replied Giles, finishing his drink.
Violet got up, smoothing her skirt. 'Of course you can't talk with Mr Mesurier and me here,' she said. 'Anyway, it's time I went home. I've got a long day tomorrow. Kenneth, promise me you'll stop being silly, and tell Mr Carrington everything. You know perfectly well you didn't do it, and anyone would think you had, from the way you go on.'
'Yes, you all three ought to talk it over,' agreed Mesurier. 'Can I see you home, Miss Williams?'
Violet accepted this offer with one of her demure smiles, and in spite of Kenneth's loud and indignant protests the pair insisted on taking their leave. Murgatroyd came in to clear away the glasses when they had gone, and interrupted Kenneth, who was cursing his cousin for breaking up the party, by saying:
'That's enough from you, Master Kenneth. You listen to what Mr Giles has to say, and keep a still tongue in your head. And if you want anything I'll be in the kitchen.'
She went out, and they heard her go into the kitchen and shut the door. Kenneth sat down again on the divan, and leaned his elbows on his knees. 'I'm sick of this murder already,' he said. 'They'll never find out who did it, so why worry?'
Giles took out his pipe, and began to fill it. 'Get this into your head,' he said. 'If the police don't discover any clue to the identity of the murderer your position's going to be serious.'
Kenneth looked up. 'Why? I thought Tony was the chief suspect.'
'What do you suppose is the first thing the police will look for?' Giles said. 'Motive. Tony's motive is merely one of revenge, of spite, or whatever you like to call it. Your motive is a good deal stronger. You're hard up, you tried to get money out of Arnold, and by his death you inherit a large fortune.'
'Yes, but I didn't think of that for quite some time after Tony had told me Arnold was dead. Did I, Tony?'
'I doubt whether that would impress a jury,' said Giles.
'Where?' asked Antonia.
'In a mews off the Cromwell Road.'
'Will that help the police at all, do you suppose?' inquired Violet.
'I hardly think so. Nothing but Arnold's suitcase and hat and a hamper of provisions was found in it, I believe.'
'What, no blood?' said Kenneth lazily. 'No gory knife? I call that a sell for the police.'
'Haven't they discovered any clue at all?' Rudolph asked. 'Surely there must be something to show who it was? I mean finger-prints, or something.'
'I'm afraid I can't tell you that,' replied Giles in his cool, pleasant way. 'The police haven't taken me quite so far into their confidence.'
'Did you see anything more of that lamb-like Superintendent?' said Antonia, clasping her hands round her knees.
'Yes, I gave him a lift back to Town.'
Kenneth sat up. 'Look here, whose side are you on?'
Giles Carrington looked up quickly. Kenneth grinned. 'No, I didn't mean that exactly, but you've got to act for us.
'That is what I'm trying to do,' answered Giles.
'Lots of snags in the way,' murmured Kenneth, lying down again. 'Tony's pitchforked herself hang into the middle of it, and I don't think I can prove an alibi. All the same,' he added, tilting his head back to watch the fluttering of a moth against the skylight, 'they'll find it hard to fasten the murder on to me. For one thing, I haven't got a knife, and never had a knife; and for another, no one would ever believe I could do a job as neatly as this one, without leaving any trace behind. Also, I haven't had any very recent quarrel with -' He jerked himself upright again. 'Damn! What a fool I was! I wrote and asked him for some cash, and he refused. I'll lay any odds you like he's kept my letter and a copy of his answer.'
'Oh, Kenneth, don't talk such rubbish!' Violet begged. 'Of course they don't think you did it!'
'They probably will, but they'll find it devilish hard to prove,' said Kenneth. 'What do you think, Giles?'
'If you'd like to call at my office tomorrow at twelve, I'll tell you,' replied Giles, finishing his drink.
Violet got up, smoothing her skirt. 'Of course you can't talk with Mr Mesurier and me here,' she said. 'Anyway, it's time I went home. I've got a long day tomorrow. Kenneth, promise me you'll stop being silly, and tell Mr Carrington everything. You know perfectly well you didn't do it, and anyone would think you had, from the way you go on.'
'Yes, you all three ought to talk it over,' agreed Mesurier. 'Can I see you home, Miss Williams?'
Violet accepted this offer with one of her demure smiles, and in spite of Kenneth's loud and indignant protests the pair insisted on taking their leave. Murgatroyd came in to clear away the glasses when they had gone, and interrupted Kenneth, who was cursing his cousin for breaking up the party, by saying:
'That's enough from you, Master Kenneth. You listen to what Mr Giles has to say, and keep a still tongue in your head. And if you want anything I'll be in the kitchen.'
She went out, and they heard her go into the kitchen and shut the door. Kenneth sat down again on the divan, and leaned his elbows on his knees. 'I'm sick of this murder already,' he said. 'They'll never find out who did it, so why worry?'
Giles took out his pipe, and began to fill it. 'Get this into your head,' he said. 'If the police don't discover any clue to the identity of the murderer your position's going to be serious.'
Kenneth looked up. 'Why? I thought Tony was the chief suspect.'
'What do you suppose is the first thing the police will look for?' Giles said. 'Motive. Tony's motive is merely one of revenge, of spite, or whatever you like to call it. Your motive is a good deal stronger. You're hard up, you tried to get money out of Arnold, and by his death you inherit a large fortune.'
'Yes, but I didn't think of that for quite some time after Tony had told me Arnold was dead. Did I, Tony?'
'I doubt whether that would impress a jury,' said Giles.
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