"But, my dear Blair," protested Alan, "in that case Warrender could have told Marlow the truth, and could have stopped Jean Lestrange from making mischief."
"I dare say he could, but he did not. Warrender, my dear Mr. Thorold, was a blackmailing scoundrel, who assumed the mask of friendship to bamboozle Marlow. I had considerable difficulty in impressing this view on Marlow, for, strange to say, he believed in the doctor. Joe did not, however, and Joe told me a few facts about Warrender's practice in Jamaica, which showed me that the doctor was not the disinterested person he pretended to be. No, I am sure Warrender knew Beauchamp to be innocent, and kept the fact quiet so as to retain a hold on the man, and get money out of him. Now, do you understand why I want to see his widow?"
"No," replied Alan, not following the inspector's hypothesis, "I do not. If Warrender kept the truth from Marlow, he would most certainly have kept it from his wife. The woman would have babbled, even against her own interests, as women always do. Mrs. Warrender can tell you nothing--I feel sure of that."
"You forget that the doctor may have left a confession of his knowledge."
"Would he have done that?" said Alan doubtfully. "It would have been a foolish thing."
"And when do criminals do other than foolish things?" was Blair's response. "The murderer usually returns to the scene of his crime--as often as not sets out its details in writing. It is impossible to account for the actions of human beings, Mr. Thorold. It would not surprise me in the least to hear that Warrender had written out the whole story in a diary. If so, his wife must have found it amongst his papers, and she will be disposed to sell it--at a long price."
"If she had found such a document, she would have shown it to me or to Sophy before now."
"By no means. If she knew that Marlow were alive, then, of course, she would realize that the document was valuable. But she believes him to be dead."
"Humph!" said Alan. "You seem very certain that such a document exists."
"Perhaps I am too sanguine," admitted Blair; "but Mr. Marlow gave me a full account of what happened on the night Achille was murdered. Moreover, he swore that he was innocent, and I believe him. As to Warrender, he was a scoundrel, and I am sure that, like all scoundrels, he has left a record of his villainies in black and white. If this is so, I can prove Marlow's innocence, and he can defy Lestrange."