Kerry never for a moment removed his fixed gaze from the face of Bryce.
“Now, my lad,” he said, “I’m going to ask you another question. I’m not saying a word about the warm on a cold night. We’re all human. But—did you ever see or hear or smell anything suspicious in this house?”
“Never,” affirmed the constable earnestly.
“Did anything ever take place that suggested to your mind that Sin Sin Wa might be concealing something—upstairs, for instance?”
“Never a thing, sir. There’s never been a complaint about him.”
“Allee velly proper,” crooned Sin Sin Wa.
Kerry stared intently for some moments at Bryce; then, turning suddenly to Sin Sin Wa:
“I want to see your wife,” he said. “Fetch her.”
Sin Sin Wa gently patted his knees.
“She velly bad woman,” he declared. “She no hate topside pidgin.”