“Who?” asked T. X., incredulously.
“Grace Lexman,” said the girl, with a smile. “You wouldn't think it possible, but when you realize that he had a yacht of his own and that he could travel up from whatever landing place he chose to his house in Cadogan Square by motorcar and that he could take her straight away into his cellar without disturbing his household, you'll understand that the only difficulty he had was in landing her. It was in the lower cellar that I found her.”
“You found her in the cellar?” demanded the Chief Commissioner.
The girl nodded.
“I found her and the dog—you heard how Kara terrified her—and I killed the dog with my own hands,” she said a little proudly, and then shivered. “It was very beastly,” she admitted.
“And she's been living with you all this time and you've said nothing!” asked T. X., incredulously. Belinda Mary nodded.
“And that is why you didn't want me to know where you were living?” She nodded again.
“You see she was very ill,” she said, “and I had to nurse her up, and of course I knew that it was Lexman who had killed Kara and I couldn't tell you about Grace Lexman without betraying him. So when Mr. Lexman decided to tell his story, I thought I'd better supply the grand denouement.”
The men looked at one another.
“What are you going to do about Lexman?” asked the Chief Commissioner, “and, by the way, T. X., how does all this fit your theories!”