“You’re a perishin’ marvel,” I said—“I never thought of that—I shouldn’t have expected Marshall to use the term, for one thing.”
“‘Spider’ probably saw Service,” he replied—“she has picked it up from him. That’s the solution of that. Here we are—now for friend Baddeley.”
“You don’t think then,” I said, “that we are nearing the finish of the Prescott affair?”
“As I told you before, Bill, no! I shall see Baddeley now, put these discoveries in front of him, let him act on them ... he’ll be delighted to ... it will save his face, temporarily at least ... then I shall turn my attention to the more complex problem ... which I think will prove to be very dark and very sinister. Certainly, the latter.”
I searched his face with my eyes, but gathered nothing from the inspection. It was heavy and troubled, but the clouds soon passed. Anthony Bathurst was like that, mood succeeded mood very rapidly. In the Hall we encountered Roper. He had a message for us from Baddeley.
“The Inspector has had the body removed to the mortuary, gentlemen,” he said, “and would like you to....”
Anthony cut into his speech—“Where is the Inspector?... I should like a word with him immediately ... if possible. Will you find him and tell him?” Roper departed on his errand.
“Take a pew, Bill,” said Anthony, “and watch for his face to light up.”
Baddeley was quickly with us.
“Yes, Mr. Bathurst, Roper here tells me you want me.” He looked at us with an air of inquiry.