“Come back in a quarter of an hour,” Jefferson said abruptly. “I’ll think it over. Have to consult her, of course, first.”
Roger nodded acquiescence to this proposal and hurried out of the room. Exultantly he sought Alec.
“I told you so, Alexander,” he cried triumphantly, as soon as he was fairly inside the room. “Jefferson’s on the point of confession!”
“He’s not!” Alec exclaimed incredulously.
“He is indeed. And there’s a lot more to it than that. I’ve bluffed him into believing that I know a lot more than I do really, and he’s going to tell me all sorts of other things as well. He’s let one cat out of the bag already. I can tell you. Mrs. Plant is in it, after all!”
“Oh, rot!” Alec replied with decision. “That’s out of the question. I know she isn’t.”
“Don’t be so absurd, Alexander,” Roger retorted somewhat nettled. “How can you possibly know?”
“Well, anyhow, I’m sure she isn’t,” Alec replied obstinately.
“But my dear chap, friend Jefferson has just gone off to consult her as to whether he shall tell me the whole story or not. I threatened him with the police, you see, if he didn’t.”
“I suppose you taxed him outright with the murder, did you?”