"But, yes!" smiled the Prince. "An absurdity, you say, but I find that your English police are very stupid, what you call thickheaded. Ah, pardon! It is ridiculous, without sense! Yet when one considers how I have been suspected, for no reason, except that I was out in Vicky's auto, one must be prepared for the police to suspect you, who were also not at home."
"I was out on a case," said Chester, his eyes stern under his frowning brows.
The Prince made a deprecatory gesture. "But of course! Do I not know it? It is merely that these policemen '
"Nor," interrupted Chester, "do I know what conceivable motive I could have had for murdering one of my patients!"
"My friend!" The Prince flung up his hands. "I am sure you had none! I am sorry that I spoke of it, but indeed it seemed to me that you must have thought of it yourself. It is forgotten! Do not fear that I shall speak of it!"
"If you're wise, you won't," said Chester grimly. "I could hardly afford to let such a statement go unchallenged. We have a law of libel in this country."
"Absurd!" murmured the Prince. "You mistake me, I assure you! Without doubt, the police know you too well to concern themselves with your movements."
He was not quite right, for Inspector Cook, pondering still over the case, had remembered that Chester had not been in his house at the time of the murder, and had thought fit to mention this circumstance, though reluctantly, to Hemingway. His own chief, Superintendent Small, snubbed him immediately. "The doctor was called cut on a case, as might happen to any doctor," he said. "What reason would he have to kill Carter, that's what I should like to know?"
"Only that he's very friendly with Mrs. Carter - to put it no higher," replied Cook. "Mind you, sir, I'm not saying there's anything in it, for I'm sure I haven't anything against Dr Chester, and I know he's highly respected. But it just flashed across my mind, in a manner of speaking."
"You'd better forget it," said Small. "Pack of rubbish!"