“Roger—Who's he?”
“Roger Vereker,” said Giles, “is the brother who ought to have died seven years ago!”
“Good lord!” The Superintendent sounded startled. “When?”
“I'm informed that he landed yesterday - I believe from South America, but I'm not certain on that point. At the moment he's staying at the studio. I'm going round there to see him this evening.”
“Do you mind if I come with you?” asked Hannasyde.
“Not in the least,” replied Giles cheerfully.
Chapter Fourteen
Violet, who made a show of leaving the studio shortly before dinner, was easily persuaded to remain. Kenneth said that since she seemed to like Roger so much she had better stay and entertain him, as neither he nor Tony felt at all capable of doing it. She took this in good part, merely smiling at him in a rather aloof way, and continuing to ask Roger civil questions about his journey. Presently, when Murgatroyd, with an ill grace, came to show Roger the way to the box-room which was to be his temporary abode, she took the Verekers to task, and told them that she felt so sorry for Roger at meeting with such a reception that she felt she had to do something about it. Antonia pointed out to her that as far as Roger was concerned it was all water off a duck's back; an observation so patently true that even Violet could not gainsay it. Antonia saw more point in her second argument, which was that by showing his disgust so plainly, Kenneth was placing himself in a very suspicious light. Antonia was inclined to agree with this, but Kenneth at once started to argue that his attitude was entirely consistent, and would be more likely to puzzle the police than to convince them that he was Arnold's murderer. In the middle of the inevitable discussion that followed Roger came back into the room, and Kenneth, to whom, once he was embarked on an argument, all persons were alike, immediately put the case to him.
Roger listened attentively, and without embarrassment, and said in a painstaking way: “You mean, if you go about saying what a damnable thing it is I've come home, the police will think you stuck that knife into Arnold?”
“No, that's what Violet thinks. I say that if I pretend not to mind they'd be far more likely to be suspicious.”