"'What can't I do? I'm her husband.'
"'Well?'
"'You've got her.'
"'Not a scrap of her.'
"'She's missing. I can go to the police.'
"'Go to them. What will they do?'
"'I can put them on to you.'
"'Not a bit of it. They won't bother about me. If your wife's missing and you go to the police, they'll clear up all your gang with their enquiries. They'll be only too glad of the chance. Trouble me! They'll dig up the cellars in your house and in your previous house to find the body. They'll search you and ransack you. And what they don't do to you, your pals will.'
"Sumner leaned forward and grimaced like a gargoyle to give his words greater emphasis. 'Yew were the last man seen with her,' he said.
"'Not a scrap of evidence.'