"Well, sir?" said Hugh. "What do you make of it?"
"Not enough evidence. I don't make anything of it," answered Sir William. "I should like to know what those three were up to."
"Carter, Jones, and White? You think they were up to something?"
"All birds of a feather," said Sir William, with a snort. "That's what Mary suspects, that there was some deal on, probably shady."
"I shouldn't be surprised. Who's that child got hold of?"
Hugh looked round. "The Scotland Yard man. Heaven grant she isn't putting on some disastrous act! I think I'd better go and keep an eye on her."
By the time he reached Vicky's side, Janet and Alan White had also joined her, and Robert Steel was making his way towards the group. Janet at once began to describe her sensations at finding herself giving evidence in a murder-case, and Hugh, feeling that there was no reason why he should listen to this recital, said good morning to the Inspector, and asked him, with a twinkle, whether he had recovered from the shocks of the previous day.
"I have," responded Hemingway "I'm told you hold a watching brief for Miss Fanshawe, sir."
"By Miss Fanshawe, I should think," said Hugh. "I wish you'd put her under lock and key till all this is over."
"The trouble is, I'm hampered," explained the Inspector. "Who's the gentleman with the jaw, sir?"
"Steel."
Robert Steel had broken into the flood of Janet's conversation to address Vicky, in rather a rough voice. "Vicky, what are you doing here? You'd no business to come!"
"Oh, but I had, Robert! I told you I'd been entangled in the meshes."
"And I told you you were a little idiot! You've nothing to do with the case at all."
"But, darling Robert, I've got far more to do with it than you have, because I was there, and you weren't," Vicky pointed out.
"Oh, how thankful you must be that you weren't there!" said Janet earnestly. "It was dreadful! And you might have been, only, of course, I'm very glad you weren't, because it would have made it worse for me. I mean, inviting you, and then that happening!"
"What on earth are you talking about?" said Steel. "You didn't invite me!"
"Yes, I did. Don't you remember, when we came out of church, and I was asking you about King Edward raspberries?"
"No, I don't," said Steel shortly.
"Oh, but you must!" insisted Janet. "Because I always think it must be so lonely for you, living all by yourself, and I asked you if you wouldn't drop in at about five, only Father said he'd asked Mr. Carter, and you probably wouldn't want to come, which I'm afraid you must have thought was awfully rude of him, but it's only his way, you know, and he doesn't mean anything."
"Oh!" said Steel, looking rather annoyed. "Yes, I do remember now that you said something about dropping in to tea."
Hugh cast a covert glance at the Inspector. That gentleman's bird-like gaze was fixed with an expression of the deepest interest on Steel's frowning countenance.
Chapter Thirteen
Alan White, never one to pay much heed to ther people's utterances, was not interested either in his sister's artless disclosure, or in Steel's obvious annoyance. He plucked at Vicky's sleeve, and said in a portentous undertone that he wanted to talk to her.
"Oh, not now!" Vicky replied, not looking at him but at the Inspector. "I can't think of anything but this afflictive murder!"
"Well, it's about that. I think you ought to know. I may say that I'm absolutely horrified!"
This was arresting enough to drag Vicky's attention from the Inspector. She bent an inquiring gaze upon Alan. "About Wally's murder?"
"In a way. I mean, it's something I've found out, only I can't tell you here."
Vicky saw that the Inspector had made himself known to Steel, and that both he and Steel had moved out of earshot. She said: "Well, all right, but let's go into the lounge, if there is one, only I must tell Hugh, because he thinks he's looking after me."
"I can't see what you can possibly have to say to Vicky!" exclaimed Janet, when Alan informed her that she would have to leave the King's Head without him.
"It's just as well that you can't," said Alan darkly.
"Oh, Alan, I do wish you wouldn't be so theatrical!" Janet said. "You know how Father hates it!"
"Father!" he said, with a crack of bitter laughter.
"Well, I'm sure I don't want to pry into any secrets. I've got some shopping to do anyway," said Janet.
Vicky found Hugh talking to his father in the hall of the hotel. He was not much impressed by the news that Alann had important tidings to disclose, for he held a poor opinion of that young gentleman, but he agreed to await the outcome of the interview.
"Because if he really has discovered a clue, or something, I shall immediately tell you," said Vicky. "And if it's anything incriminating about Robert, we must suppress it, because it will upset all my plans if he's arrested. Oh, I do think Janet is a calamitous female, don't you?"
"What was that she said?" asked Sir William, looking after Vicky's retreating form in some bewilderment. "Extraordinary girl! Times have certainly changed since I was a young man!"
Vicky, meanwhile, had led Alan into a leatherupholstered room leading out of the hall. It smelled of stale smoke, and was such a gloomy apartment that it was not surprising that no one ever sat in it. The discovery that the few weary flowers in a vase on the mantelpiece were made of paper pleased Vicky so much that she seemed to be in danger of forgetting the serious nature of Alan's business. He recalled her to it by saying in a sepulchral tone that he knew why Wally Carter had visited his father on Sunday.
This at once claimed Vicky's attention. "Alan, do you really? Tell me instantly!"
Alan, however, did not mean to be baulked of his dramatic effects. He said: "God knows what I've done to deserve such a father! If it weren't for Janet, of course, I'd sooner starve than live under his roof. I mean, when one has ideals '
"I know about them," interrupted Vicky. "Go on about your father!"
"I only heard of it in the most roundabout way," said Alan. "Though, I need hardly say I had my suspicions, and as a matter of fact I told Father that nothing would induce me to meet Samuel Jones. I'm afraid I let him have it from the shoulder, which shocked Janet, but you know how I feel about that kind of worn-out shibboleth, Vicky. Why one should be expected to respect a man simply because he happens to be one's father-'
"Oh, Alan, do get on!" begged Vicky. "Wally and your father had got a deal on, hadn't they?"
"Of course, if you already know about it."
"No, I don't, but Mary guessed it. And if you don't stop reciting this voluminous prologue, and tell me what you've discovered, I shall go into a screaming fit! Do be more congruous, Alan darling!"
"Well, you've heard about the new building scheme, haven't you?" said Alan, rather sulkily.
"Here, in Fritton? Yes, they're going to build a sort of ghastly garden-city all over Valley Reach, or something."
"That's just where you're wrong, because they're not going to build over Valley Reach at all. I happen to know the Council has chosen quite a different site. Mind you, it's absolutely secret so far!"
"Well, I don't care," said Vicky impatiently. "Is there any point to it? Because Hugh's waiting for me."
"The point is that that swine Jones is a member of the Council. Also, he's as thick as thieves with my father. Mind you, I can't actually swear to this, but from what I know of Father I don't think there's a doubt I'm right. Do you know Frith Field?"
"Yes, of course I do."
"Well, a friend of mine, whose name I can't tell you, happens to know that that's the site they've chosen for the new building scheme. It isn't publicly known yet, but naturally Jones knows. And I happen to have discovered that Father's negotiating to buy some of the land!"