Bee introduced Brat and Simon. Some of the cold tightness had come back to Simon's face; but Brat, who had been around when Nat Zucco had cut his throat in the kitchen of his ex-wife's eating-house and had witnessed the activities of the American Press on that occasion, was entranced by this glimpse of news-gathering in Britain. He answered the obvious questions put to him by Mr. Macallan and wondered if there would be any suggestion of a photograph. If so, he must get out of it somehow.
But it was Bee who saved him from that. No photograph, said Bee. No; positively no photograph. All the information he liked to ask for, but no photograph.
Mr. Macallan accepted this, but reluctantly. "The story of the missing twin won't be half so good without a photograph," he complained.
"You're not going to call it 'The Missing Twin, are you?" Bee said.
"No; he's going to call it 'Back From The Dead'," Simon said, speaking for the first time. His cool drawl fell on the room like a shadow.
Mr. Macallan's pale blue eyes went to him, rested a moment on him consideringly, and then came back to Bee. "I had thought of 'Sensation at Clare'," he said, "but I doubt the Westover Times won't stand for it. A very conservative organ. But I expect the Daily Clarion will do better."
"The Clarion!" Bee said. "A London paper! But-but I hope there is no question of that. This is an entirely local-an entirely family matter."
"So was that affair in Hilldrop Crescent," Mr. Macallan said.
"What affair?"
"Crippen was the name. The world's Press is composed of family affairs, Miss Ashby."