"Who is he?"
"The engineer whose motor-car was stolen and found in Charing Cross yard," said Bocaros. "The police said----"
"I remember. Their theory was that the murderer escaped in the car. But they didn't prove that at the inquest. Some one else might have taken the car, though, to be sure, its abandonment in the station yard looks as though the person merely wished to make use of it for escape. However, that's not the point. You heard about the crime from Mr. Tracey?"
"Yes. And of course I read of it in the papers. But I never knew it was my cousin till Mr. Tracey brought me the Daily Budget yesterday. Then I made up my mind to come to you."
"Why?" asked Merry calmly.
Bocaros looked surprised. "Why, you wrote to me stating that Mrs. Brand intended to leave me an annuity."
"She did intend to do so, but she changed her mind."
"Yes, I know," said Bocaros, feeling his way carefully, for he was surprised by Merry's attitude. "When she wrote to me, I went and saw her. She said she would see that I wanted for nothing, and then she told me that she had made a will in my favour."
Merry looked up suddenly. He had been drawing figures on the blotting-paper, apparently inattentive. But in reality he had lost nothing of the conversation. Now he looked as though he would read the heart of the man before him. "Mrs. Brand did make a will in your favour," he said, "about a week before she died, but----"
"What do you mean?" asked Bocaros. He was usually pale, but owing to the significant looks of Mr. Merry, he flushed a deep red. "She told me about the will, and I want to know--seeing that I live in Troy, and benefit by her death--if there is any chance of the police suspecting me?"