“Well, I was a bit shaky, I must confess. Persons like the Markles don’t like to kill because it is a low form of wit, but they will do it just as a great humorist will occasionally pun if he can’t get his joke over without it. I was determined to be the first to fire if there was any firing to be done.”
There was nothing dull looking about Josie as she told her story to her two friends and confederates. Had Hortense seen her then, no doubt she would have changed her tactics in dealing with the daughter of the famous detective.
“And now,” said Josie, “in conclusion, as the preachers say, we must be ever watchful and never let on to a soul, man or beast, that we have any suspicion of the Markles. What we know of them is not enough yet to convict them and by waiting, watchful waiting, we may be able to unearth the whole plot and bring a whole gang to justice.”
“It is a little hard on Mr. Dulaney to let him take off the notebook full of blanks,” suggested Irene, a faint flush appearing on her cheeks.
“Yes, I know it is,” agreed Josie, “and I would not have done it except I wanted to see what Hortense would look like when I allowed him to have the precious book. Her face was a study. She has humor enough, I rather like her for that, and there was an amused twinkle in her eyes, relief also when I told the young man not to untie it just then. I fancy there are times when anyone with such a speaking countenance as the Markle has a hard time to appear indifferent. Her suggestions concerning Mr. Dulaney were very slick. Of course if I had not known all the time the book was full of blanks, I would naturally be inclined to hold Mr. Dulaney responsible for such a state of affairs.”
“Yes, that is what I am afraid of,” said Irene, “afraid he may be horribly embarrassed about it when he discovers the hoax.”
“There is danger of that, but I’ll do my best to make it up to him,” answered Josie. “Of course he’ll get the scoop of his lifetime when we finally nab the wretches. Such a scoop will more than repay him for a temporary embarrassment.”
“Are you keeping Chief Lonsdale informed of what you are finding out?” asked Elizabeth, who was beginning to feel that plots were hers for the asking in the stories she meant to write.
“Not on your life! He’d have a bunch of bungling blue-coats snooping around scaring off the game and taking all the final credit. No siree! This is my party. Chief Lonsdale can put as many men as he’s a mind to work digging up evidence, but I bide my time and go it alone. I don’t see any of the detectives helping me any. Now I’m going to finish up this lace before I give up for the day and deliver it to the rich old lady. I saw Mrs. Markle looking at it with a practiced and covetous eye. These people get to be regular kleptomaniacs when they stay in the business long enough. She may be back here at midnight and lift the whole shop.”
“Leave the key in the door so they can’t get the skeleton key in from the outside,” suggested Irene.