"I think he was afraid of Collins," she replied. "Collins wanted to get back his half. Dawson struck me as a timid sort of creature, not really cut out to be a blackmailer. I don't know how he discovered us." She flushed. "You see my father was - not a particularly estimable person. When he died my mother moved from Johannesburg and called herself Brown. Mark and I kept that name after her death, and when we returned to England. I wasn't proud of our own name. Mark didn't care much either way. However, Dawson found us and wrote to Mark. It was a most mysterious letter, hinting at the existence of a will in his favour and warning him of all sorts of danger. It's at my bank now. I thought I'd better keep it. Mark thought it was a hoax. I didn't. I came down to Upper Nettlefold to inquire for rooms.Ivy Cottage was to let, and I took that. It suited me better really, because of-because of Mark's - habits. 1 made Mark write to Dawson, telling him he'd meet him. That frightened Dawson; he didn't want us here, it was too dangerous. He came once to the cottage, but he was terrified of being seen there, and he wouldn't come again. He told us very much what you've heard from Frank. He wanted to get out - I don't think he was afraid of the police so much as of Collins. He offered to sell us his half." She broke off and looked towards the sergeant. "Of course I knew I was going against the law ill negotiating with him, but I couldn't put the matter into the hands of the police, because not only was the will torn in half, but if Collins got wind of the fact that the police were on to him he'd immediately destroy his half."
"Very awkward, miss," agreed the sergeant, who had been listening spellbound.
"The trouble was," Shirley continued, "he wanted a ridiculous sum for it, and naturally we couldn't possibly raise anything like the money until we came into possession of my grandfather's estate. It was rather a deadlock, but in the end we reached a compromise, and Dawson —principally, I think, because he was afraid if he held out we should make trouble with the police - agreed to trust us. He was to meet Mark on the Pittingly Road on his evening out and hand over his half of the will which seemed to me better than nothing. In return Mark was to give him a plain IOU for five thousand pounds."
"Hold on a moment, miss! Was your brother present when he was done in?" demanded the sergeant.
"You're off duty, Sergeant," Mr. Amberley reminded him. "We now come to my own nefarious conduct. You remember that I told you I wasn't sure that I was on your side?"
" I do sir," said the sergeant, regarding him round eyed.
"I informed you," proceeded Amberley, "that I had discovered the body of a murdered man in an Austin Seven saloon on the Pittingly Road. What I did not tell you was that standing in the road beside that car I found Miss Shirley Fountain."
The sergeant's jaw dropped. "Suppressing valuable evidence, Mr. Amberley, sir!"
"Exactly. But Fraser would probably have got her hanged for the murder if I'd spoken. Now you begin to understand why this very dull crime interested me so much. Dawson was alive when you found him, wasn't he, Shirley?"
Just alive. He knew me. He hadn't brought his half of the will. I don't know why not. Probably because he wanted to squeeze us for more money. Anyway he managed to tell me where it was. Then you came."