"It is the clever women who generally make fools of themselves in this particular way," said Miss Toat, enigmatically. "However, I don't think Eddy Vail--he is usually called Eddy, which to my mind stamps his character--I don't think he is the accomplice, owing to the alibi, unless--" The little woman paused suggestively.
"Unless what?"
"Unless the three assistants have been bribed or threatened into providing the alibi. For her own sake, of course, Madame would say she was in the still-room; but Zobeide, Badoura and Parizade may have been bullied or cajoled into supporting a false statement."
"It is possible," said Shawe, musingly; "and if Madame or her husband is guilty, it is easy to see how they could have learnt beforehand about the diamonds. How can you get at the truth?"
"By working on Badoura's jealousy. She is in love with Eddy, and as she is a pretty girl, the unscrupulous scamp has encouraged her, in spite of the fact that he is a married man. I intend to go back to the shop and to get her to state what she knows."
"If she knows anything."
"Quite so; but if she does, her jealousy of Eddy Vail will make her speak. I don't know exactly how to unloosen her tongue, but I shall try to."
"But it seems ridiculous that Eddy Vail should be in love with a dumb or blind girl."
"I didn't say that he was in love with her," said Miss Toat, drily, "but that she was in love with him, which is quite a different way of looking at the matter. Moreover, Badoura, as the forewoman, is in possession of all her senses, Mr. Shawe. Zobeide is deaf, Parizade is blind, and Peri Banou is dumb. Badoura is all right, and is simply a pretty, commonplace girl who has been attracted by Eddy Vail's good looks."
"Well," said the barrister, after a long pause, "I hope you will be successful, although I am bound to say that you have no evidence that I can see to support your wild theories."