“Not necessarily. Every shot doesn’t hit its mark.”
“Granted. But that will be ascertained in due course.”
Sergeant Stebbins had been a strong and silent man since his arrival. A square-headed, ruddy-cheeked, heavy-jowled man, he gave the appearance of being a stone wall instead of a hurdle to anyone who didn’t take him cautiously. And something in Belknap’s last remark seemed to have set his back up.
“Due course!” he rumbled. “Due course! I guess that’s what’s been the whole trouble around here. You’ve been taking your time, haven’t you? Due course! In all your fancy detective work, Mr. Belknap, haven’t you caught on that when it’s one murder you act quick, when it’s two you jump into it, and when it’s three greased lightning shouldn’t have a look-in. I’m sorry to say it, but I think there’s been criminal negligence, Detective. Three murders in as many hours is rather a record in my observation, and under your very nose, so to speak. It’s clearly my duty to put everyone in the house under arrest. You’re damn lucky I don’t include you. Now we’ll get down to brass tacks. A little examining of witnesses won’t come amiss. Who was in the library when the Judge got his?”
“I was; and I was there alone.” Nadia was contemptuous.
“I thought so, lady,” Stebbins said. “You look the kind. We’ll begin with you. The rest of you can clear out of here; and wait your turn in there.” He signified the library with a twist of his thumb.
“One minute, Sergeant,” Belknap coldly interceded. “My impulse of course is to pick you up by the neck and throw you out, your silly nickel badge to the contrary. But, strange as it may seem to you, I have a positively fiendish desire to get to the root of this succession of violent crimes that have spoiled a good week-end. That I happened to be present in an unofficial capacity may be a misfortune in a sense. Privately speaking, it is. But it has also given me certain angles of an extraordinary situation that you could never arrive at if you questioned yourself blue in the face. Whether or not you may wish to take advantage of what I have to offer is another question. I assure you it will be perfectly agreeable to me to paddle my own canoe, and let you paddle yours.”
“Hold on, boys,” Berry interrupted quietly. “My dear Stebbins, you and Belknap had better get together on this. I’m sure we’re all determined upon clearing things up as rapidly and expeditiously as possible. You and I naturally recognize that Mr. Belknap is in a most embarrassing position; and it is more than decent of him to remain on the case. But since he has agreed to throw in his lot with us, I think we should be open to the charge of negligence if we refused his evidence, don’t you? Besides, you can appreciate that he and I are birds of a feather and must work the same airways. So losing him, you lose me.”
Stebbins grumblingly changed his tune. “Have it your own way, Mr. Berry. Have it your own way. I’m sure Mr. Belknap has valuable material to contribute—only the sooner he comes across with it the better, and safer, for all concerned.”