“I hadn't got an accom - I mean - Oh, for God's sake, stop shoving your oar in!”
“An accomplice, if you like,” said Giles. “But who?”
“Tony, of course.”
“Kenneth, dear, you really oughtn't to say things like that, even in fun,” Violet reproved him gently.
Antonia, however, was inclined to regard her brother's suggestion with interest. “You mean we hatched the plot between us, and I lured Arnold to the stocks while Rudolph followed in his own car and did him in? That's no use, because I spent the night at the cottage, and I shouldn't think I'd have had time to burst up to town again with Arnold's car and have motored back. Anyway, I didn't, so that's out. I knew Giles would think of something.”
Mesurier drew a long breath. “What a fool I was not to think of that myself! Thanks a lot. Of course it absolutely lets me out!”
“Oh no, it doesn't!” said Kenneth. “You might have had another accomplice, or tacked your own number plate on to Arnold's car.”
“Too clever,” objected Antonia. “Rudolph would never have thought of anything as wily as that, would you, Rudolph?”
“That's the worst of these people who set out to commit a murder and leave everything to chance,” said Kenneth.
Mesurier decided to ignore this, and, turning to Giles, asked him if he was sure the alibi was good enough. Giles rather damped his optimism by replying that he was not sure of anything.