She shook her head. “I can’t understand it.” She turned away, pulling her robe closer about her.
“Crowe and I probably scared him off.” Alfred Wallace sat down again, exhaling smoke.
“Your father’s stamp albums?” Ellery suggested to Delia’s back. He had no idea why he thought of old Collier’s treasures, except that they might be valuable.
“As far as I know, they haven’t been touched.”
Ellery wandered about the room.
“By the way, Crowe tells me Mr. Collier hasn’t been to bed. Have you any idea where he is, Delia?”
“No.” She wheeled on him, eyes flashing. “My father and I don’t check up on each other. And I can’t recall, Mr. Queen, that I ever gave you permission to call me by my first name. Suppose you stop it.”
Ellery looked at her with a smile. After a moment she turned away again. Wallace continued to smoke.
Ellery resumed his ambling.
When Keats returned he said shortly, “There’s nothing out there. Have you got anything?”