"He shall have the best lawyer—that Maxton fellow. He ought to be retained. As far as money can help, I'll do everything possible. I don't think it will make a scrap of difference."
"Mr. Steppe, you knew what an evil man Moropulos was: you know the provocation he offered to Ambrose Sault, isn't it possible that the same cause that made him kill this man, also sent him to the safe?"
"What safe is this—was that in the newspapers too?"
"Yes: he was not a thief, was he? He would not be trying to open the safe for the sake of getting money? He came to get something that Moropulos had."
"I wonder—" Steppe was impressed. "It may have been the photograph."
Ronnie checked the exclamation that terror wrung. He was livid.
"Do you know anything about a photograph?" asked Steppe with growing suspicion.
"No." Here Beryl came to the rescue.
When he saw her lips move, Ronnie expected worse.
"Whatever it was, I am sure that the safe holds the secret: Ambrose would not kill a man unless—unless there was no other solution. Won't you open the safe, Mr. Steppe?"