I took down the names of their references for future use. One of them was Mr. Freer of Dunsany and Company.
My next call was upon Mr. Alfred Mount in his office behind the store of exquisite fashion. His greeting, while polite, was slightly cooler than of yore. As a man of the world, I was expected to gather from it, that our relations were now at an end. It warned me to be wary. I was already on my guard, because I knew that he hated Roland, and hoped to profit by his disgrace.
"Anything new?" he asked casually.
"Yes—and no," I said. "I am not satisfied that we have got quite to the bottom of our case."
"Do we ever get quite to the bottom of anything?" he asked.
"I do not believe that Quarles was alone in this," I said as a feeler.
"What makes you think so?" he asked quickly.
"Nothing definite," I said. "Just a feeling."
He shrugged.
"I believe that expert jewel thieves made a fool of him," I suggested.