‘Our man’s brother. It was not easy to persuade him to help us, but he consented at the last moment, and is to meet us at Mr Shield’s place.’
‘Capital,’ said Coutts. ‘You understand, I do not wish to proceed to extremities unless we are forced to it.’
‘So you informed me; but the case is turning out such a pretty one that it would have been an honour to explain it in court.’
‘Never mind the honour; we’ll balance that somehow. I shall be ready in twenty minutes, and will meet you at the hotel.’
Sergeant Dier bowed and left. Outside the room he nodded and smiled to himself as he placed a glossy hat jauntily on his head. Mentally and cheerfully he was saying: ‘I don’t care about that chap—not much. I should not be surprised to find him coming my way sometime with the positions changed.’
Coutts examined letters, signed papers brought to him by his chief clerk, and punctually at the expiration of twenty minutes was on his way to Mr Shield’s hotel. At the door he found Sergeant Dier and Bob Tuppit waiting. The poor little conjurer was nervous, and evidently required all the robust encouragement of the good-natured detective to sustain him in going through with the task he had been persuaded to undertake.
They were immediately conducted to Mr Shield’s sitting-room. Coutts was a little surprised and not pleased to find that Philip and Wrentham had arrived before him; and beside Mr Shield stood Mr Beecham—for whom he entertained an instinctive dislike, not to mention that on the few occasions of their meeting his wittiest cynicisms had been silenced by the quiet searching gaze of the elder man.
Philip had not yet heard of the previous night’s events at Ringsford. He was pale, but calm, and he greeted his brother somewhat coldly. Wrentham was apparently at ease and playing his part of devoted and therefore anxious friend to perfection. He had not yet caught sight of Bob Tuppit, who easily hid himself behind the broad shoulders of Sergeant Dier.
‘I expected,’ said Coutts after formal salutations, ‘to have had the pleasure of a few minutes’ private conversation with you, Mr Shield, before we proceeded with this disagreeable business.’
‘I don’t think it necessary,’ answered Shield in his brusque way.