“Is he very much attached to your mother?”
“Well, I’ll put it this way,” said Crowe, squinting through his empty glass. “If Delia was God, Gramp would go to church. He’s gone on her and she’s the only reason he stays in Roger’s vicinity. And I’m not gone on these questions,” said Crowe, looking at Ellery, “so let’s talk about somebody else, shall we?”
“Don’t you like your grandfather, Mac?”
“I love him! Will you change the subject?”
“He collects stamps,” Ellery went on reflectively. “And he’s just taken to hunting and mounting butterflies. A man of Mr. Collier’s age, who has no business or profession and takes up hobbies, Mac, usually doesn’t stop at one or two. What other interests has he?”
Crowe set his glass down with a smack. “Damned if I’m going to say another word about him. Laurel, you coming?”
“Why the heat, Mac?” asked Ellery mildly.
“Why the questions about Gramp!”
“Because all I do is sit here and think, and my thoughts have been covering a lot of territory. Mac, I’m feeling around.”
“Feel in some other direction!”