“I told him very little, and what I did tell him was for the purpose of satisfying him on a few minor points. That was implied in my promise to you. But he asked about her before I had mentioned her name. He asked if you had seen her.”
“And I suppose he was very indignant with her?”
“No. He took it all very calmly. His calmness, his indifference, struck me as remarkable in one who has suffered from nervous shock.”
“I would like to apologize to him if he is anywhere about—if it is not too much trouble to send for him.”
“Not at all,” said Crewe. He touched the bell, and when the parlour maid appeared, he sent her in search of Captain Marsland.
The young man entered the room a few minutes later in evening dress, and nodded cheerfully to the two police officials. He listened with a forgiving smile to Detective Gillett’s halting apology for having believed that he had endeavoured to mislead the police in the statement made to Sergeant Westaway on the night of the murder.
“Miss Maynard will find that she has over-reached herself,” said Gillett to the young man in conclusion. “I will look her up in the morning and frighten the truth out of her. She knows more about the crime than any one—except Brett. As far as I can see she will be lucky if she escapes arrest as an accomplice.”
“Have you ever considered, Gillett, the possibility of her having been the principal?” asked Crewe.
“No,” said the detective, who obviously was surprised at the suggestion. “Do you think that she fired the shot; that she and Brett are both in it?”
“She fits into the tragedy in a remarkable way—she fits into the story told by the Granges.”