Part 40 (2/2)
”Oho! Am I being put through a third degree?”
”Sort of. But I think I've learned all you know. Or, wait, was the beshawled one of Kate Holland's style? You know to liken one woman to another in appearance doesn't necessarily accuse her of murder.”
”No, that's true. Well, the woman I saw could be said to be like Kate Holland or Miss Prall either, in general outline, which is all I could discern of face or figure. But I can't see what either of those women would be doing prowling about the halls at two A. M.”
”Unless it was in connection with the murder,” Zizi said, straightforwardly. ”They all have declared they were in bed and asleep but who's to witness that?”
”In the very nature of things, n.o.body,” Vail said. ”And now, I'll be going. I won't wait for Mr Wise just now, but I'll see him soon, if he cares to talk to me.”
But just as Vail was leaving, Richard Bates appeared, and Vail tarried to speak with him.
”Any developments?” Vail asked.
”No,” said Bates, despondently. ”That is, nothing of importance. I say, Vail, what do you think about the Crippen deal? You know my uncle planned to see him that night regarding a sale of the business, and----”
”Did he see him?” Vail spoke eagerly.
”I don't know. Crippen's out of town----”
”He is! Don't you think you ought to keep tabs on him?”
”Why?”
”Only because he was interested in the Binney business.”
”So were you.”
”True, but Sir Herbert and I had our meeting and got over it long ago.”
”He wanted to sell out to you?”
”You know all about it, Bates. Binney wanted to sell his Buns to anybody who would pay enough. Of course, in the event of your sticking to your refusal to Bun with him. If you'd agree to do that, he told me, he'd have no reason to sell. But he didn't want to carry it on alone, nor did he want to go in with anybody else. He wanted to sell outright to me, but his price was prohibitive and he wouldn't ease up on it a bit, so there was nothing doing. That's all our story.”
”What did he want to sell you?”
”The good will, the bakery and fixtures,--in England,--why, the Buns, the Binney Buns, lock, stock and barrel.”
”Didn't he have the recipe for sale?”
”I don't know. I a.s.sume that was included in the business, of course. As I couldn't dream of meeting his figures, we didn't go into details.”
”Did Crippen?”
”Dunno. I never heard what kind of a discussion they had. But what are you getting at? Why drag in Crippen?”
”Oh, hang it all, Vail, I don't want to drag in anybody; and yet I'd be willing to drag in anybody, if I had a trace of suspicion against anybody. For, unless a new suspect turns up pretty quick, I'm afraid they'll pitch on my aunt.”
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