Part 27 (1/2)
”Election to what?” growled Shane.
”President of the Metropolitan Athletic Club--a big organization--”
”H'm! Who's the opposing candidate?”
”I am,” replied Hendricks, quietly.
”You! Well, Mr. Hendricks, where were you last night, when this man was killed?”
”In Boston.” Hendricks did not smile, but he looked as if the question annoyed him.
”You can prove that?”
”Yes, of course. I stayed at the Touraine, was with friends till well after midnight, and took the seven o'clock train this morning for New York, in company with the same men. You can look up all that, at your leisure; but there is a point in what Mr. Elliott says. I can't think that any of the club members would be so keen over the election as to do away with one of the candidates, but there's the situation. Go to it.”
”It leaves something to be looked into, at any rate,” mused Shane.
”Why didn't you think of it for yourself?” said Hendricks, rather scathingly. ”It seems to me a detective ought to look a little beyond his nose!”
”I can't think we've got to, in this case,” Shane persisted; ”but I'm willing to try. Also, Mrs. Embury, I'll ask you for the address of the lady who went with you to see that play.”
”Certainly,” said Eunice, in a cold voice, and gave the address desired.
”And, now, we'll move on,” said Shane, rising.
”You ain't under arrest, Mrs. Embury--not yet--but I advise you not to try to leave this house without permission--”
”Indeed, I shall! Whenever and as often as I choose! The idea of your forbidding me!”
”Hush, Eunice,” said Hendricks. ”She will not, Mr. Shane; I'm her guaranty for that. Don't apprehend any insubordination on the part of Mrs. Embury.”
”Not if she knows what's good for herself!” was Shane's parting shot, and the two detectives went away.
CHAPTER XI
FIFI
”Oh, yes, indeed, Mr. Shane, Mrs. Embury is a dear friend of mine--a very, very dear friend--and I'd so gladly go to see her--and comfort her--console with her--and try to cheer her up--but--well, I asked her last night, over the telephone, to let me go to see her to-day--and--she--she--”
Mrs. Desternay's pretty blue eyes filled with tears, and her pretty lips quivered, and she dabbed a sheer little handkerchief here and there on her countenance. Then she took up her babbling again.
”Oh, I don't mean she was unfriendly or--or cross, you know--but she was a little--well, curt, almost--I might say, cool. And I'm one of her dearest friends--and I can't quite understand it.”
”Perhaps you must make allowances for Mrs. Embury,” Shane suggested.
”Remember the sudden and mysterious death of her husband must have been a fearful shock--”
”Oh, terrible! Yes, indeed, I do appreciate all that! And of course when I telephoned last evening, she had just had that long interview with you--and your other detective, Mr. What's-his-name--and--oh, yes, Mr. Elliott answered my call and he told me just how things were--but I did think dear Eunice would want to see me--but it's all right--of course, if she doesn't want my sympathy. I'm the last one to intrude on her grief! But she has no one--no one at all--except that old aunt, who's half foolish, I think--”
”What do you mean, half foolish?”