"A beautiful thought," said Hugh. "The only flaw being that if you dispose of the blackmailing charge you at once pin a motive on to him."
"Oh dear, how tiresome! Yes, I see. The police will think he did it for revenge. Now I don't know what to do!"
The waiter came back with two cocktails on a tray.
Hugh paid for them, and lifted his glass. "Here's to you, Vicky. Tell me the whole story."
"Well, I will, only I expect you'll cast a blight on it, and refuse to believe a word," said Vicky gloomily.
But when Hugh had heard the tale, he gratified Vicky by taking it quite seriously, and admitting that it seemed probable that he had been mistaken in his first disbelief in Mary's theory.
"Yes, but it isn't really in the least helpful," said Vicky. "Except that it shows Percy wasn't blackmailing Wally, and even that doesn't seem to be altogether a good thing."
"It doesn't help to explain the murder," said Hugh, "but I certainly think the police ought to be told about it - for what it's worth." He glanced over his shoulder, and saw that Steel and Hemingway had got up, and that Steel was moving towards the door. He caught the Inspector's eye, and made a sign to him.
Hemingway came across the hall. "Want me, sir?" he inquired.
"Yes, Miss Fanshawe's got something to tell you, which I think you ought to know. Sit down, won't you? What's yours?"