“Yes,” encouraged Kennedy, “we have been watching the young lady—and others—with some interest. Do you know anything about her that you think we ought to know?”
“Know anything?” repeated Mrs. Maddox, bitterly. “I ought to know that woman.”
Her feelings were easily understood, although as far as I could see that did us very little good in getting at the real mystery that surrounded the little dancer.
“You must have noticed,” went on Mrs. Maddox, nervously, “how she is hanging around out there. For weeks and months I have been watching that woman. Sometimes I think they are all in league against me—the lawyers, the detectives, everybody.”
Kennedy was about to say something, then checked himself. How could we know but that this was merely an attempt to find out just how much it was we knew? I longed to ask about Sanchez, yet felt that it would be better not to disclose how much—or rather how little—we actually had discovered.
“Why,” she continued, “it even seems as if her hostility was leveled against Winifred, too.”
Winifred said nothing, though it was evident that she was consumed with curiosity to find out what hold, if any, Paquita had on Shelby.
“Then you really do not know who or what Paquita is?” asked Kennedy, directly.
“I know that she is an adventuress,” asserted Mrs. Maddox. “Mr. Hastings has always professed to know nothing of her. At least so he has said. Even when I have watched her I must admit I have found out only what she was doing at that time. But my intuition tells me that there is something more. Oh, Professor Kennedy, is there no such thing as justice in this world? Must that woman continue to flaunt herself brazenly before me? Cannot you do something?”
“You may depend on it,” assured Kennedy. “I shall make my investigation—arrive at the truth. Even my own client cannot prevent me from doing that. And if I find that an injustice is being done, you may be sure that I will do my best to set it straight. More than that I could not say even to Shelby Maddox this morning when he asked me to take up the case for him.”