“He was afraid not. He believed the gentleman only came to the bank once—when he opened the account.”
“Was it the prisoner?”
“I really couldn’t say. I don’t recognise him.”
The barrister sat down in despair, and the prisoner was again remanded. The two men had an interview in the cells immediately afterwards.
“Tempest,” immediately began the solicitor, “those letters are absolute forgeries. There isn’t one of us would have dreamed of doing such a thing. If Lord Deverell had wanted £500 he could have had that much, or £5000, for the mere asking, and we should have paid it out of our current account. We are constantly financing our clients, and we keep a big floating balance for the purpose. Besides, we should never have sent any client to Isaacson’s, and as for sending for £2000 for ourselves, it is ridiculous. Fancy a firm of our standing touching such a crowd or that kind of business!”
“How could they get your notepaper?”
“Easily enough. They could get a heading engraved like ours for a few shillings, if they could find a man they’d trust to do it.”
“Baxter, what did Sir John go to your rooms about the day before he was murdered?”
“Who told you that?”
“Bailey did.”