“Well, isn’t that a motive?”
“No, my dear, it isn’t. After all, we don’t know that he will, and I’m quite sure people don’t commit carefully planned murders just on a chance like that. Really, Bob, it’s ridiculous.”
Ellery said nothing, but got up and strode across the room. Then he turned and faced Joan. “Look here,” he said, “supposing we hadn’t cleared old Walter, and he had been put out of the way as well as Prinsep and George. Who’d have been the heir then—the next of kin, I mean?”
“Oh, Carter, I suppose. But you don’t suggest——”
“My dear child, we’ve been a pair of fools. By George, I wasn’t sure; but I’m sure now. What you’ve just said makes it clear as clear.”
“Makes what clear?”
“Why, the motive. Of course, I ought to have seen it before.”
“Ought to have seen it before? Ought to have seen what?”
“Why, whoever murdered John and George did his best to throw the suspicion on your stepfather, didn’t he?”
“Yes, I suppose he did.”