"Then this other woman, Mrs. Lathrop," pursued Kennedy, shifting the subject. "There's a hiatus in the accounts of her doings that night, also."
Chase was more disposed to talk. "Yes," he answered. "I've been trying to trace that out. Haven't succeeded—but have hopes. I tell you what I'll do. If I can reconstruct what both—see? both—of these women did, well, I was going to say I'd give it to you. But I'd have to ask Mrs. Wilford's permission. She's my client, after all."
I tried to reason out what Chase was doing. Did he know something about his client that he must shield her from, or was he just a bit vexed at her himself for a certain lack of frankness? As far as Vina was concerned, I knew he would have no scruples in telling us everything he discovered.
Evidently, Chase saw that he was losing his first good impression with Kennedy. To re-establish himself, he opened a locked steel compartment in his desk and pulled out a small box.
"Here's something that might interest you," he remarked, handing the box to Kennedy. "Ever see one of those?"
Kennedy opened the box. Inside reposed a single Calabar bean!
Craig looked up quickly. "Yes. Where did you get it?"
"If you'll promise to ask me no more—just yet—I'll tell you."
Kennedy nodded and Chase took it as a gentleman.
"I found it, with some other African souvenirs, in a little cabinet-museum in Mr. Shattuck's apartment. Now don't ask me why I was there or what else I found."