Part 35 (1/2)
The furnis.h.i.+ngs were sparce. Books were in most of the shelves but other shelves were completely empty. On one wall, too far away for Thomas to examine carefully, there was an engraved certificate, an official doc.u.ment of some sort from the British Empire to George McAdam. Meanwhile, the dogs had settled tranquilly but alertly directly between the two men. Thomas got the message very clearly: Even if an intruder had gotten this far with a weapon, he'd not be able to get a shot off at McAdam without being torn apart immediately afterward. The Alsatians were still facing Thomas. He shuddered slightly.
”Talk,” said McAdam.
”I wanted to talk about your foster daughter.”
”I thought of her as my daughter,” McAdam countered.
”Your daughter then ” said Thomas.
”And I didn't come to tell you anything as much as to ask you a few questions ” ”I've never seen you before in my life,” he said.
”What makes you think I'd give you the time of day?”
”If she's your' daughter as you phrase it, I'd think you'd want to help her.”
”Help her?” he snapped. His face was a very belligerent scowl.
”Does that sound so strange?”
”It's beginning to.”
”Why?”
”Daniels” chafed McAdam.
”You are in my home. I'll ask the b.l.o.o.d.y questions!” He glared at the younger man.
”Why are you here?”
”Your daughter is in New York at this moment. She is trying to collect a multimillion dollar inheritance which may justifiably belong to her.”
McAdam continued to glare for a few moments. Then his hands closed before him and he rubbed his palms together. His gray eyes softened slightly.
”You don't say?”
”You sound as if that's impossible.”
”I want to hear more” ”Your daughter happens to be the biological daughter of a wealthy American. Arthur Sandler. A man who is legally dead, but-” ”I know who he is' McAdam said sharply.
”I know you do. and I know all about you, also. Retired from British Secret Service. Wounded in Suez, vacationing in Majorca when Leslie killed the Italian” ”Who told you all that?”
”Leslie, of course.”
”Leslie,” he muttered.
”Certainly,” he added coldly
”You see her often, do you?”
”She's my client. I'm representing her in her claim against the Sandler estate.”