“It’s no good asking questions. He may have had accomplices for all we know.”
“Ah, now you are opening up a new question altogether. We have rather assumed that there was only one man in it, but let’s keep to Lewis.”
“All right, then. He had access to official paper, and knew my signature well. He had letters of mine, and could have copied it. Then he knew my habits, and where I should be found, and he knew where to find you. He might even have called up from the Yard itself.”
“That’s one to you, certainly,” said Collins. “I can see Lewis having a thin time if you catch him. What do you know about him, anyway?”
“Nothing much. He has been here for three years. He came from a merchant’s office, and applied for a clerkship. He was well recommended, and was always keen on his work, and very reliable. So I took him on as my right-hand man and confidential clerk. He was known there as my ‘familiar.’ ”
“That’s all straightforward. Have you taken any action?”
“I have sent a full description of him to the papers, and posted him as ‘wanted.’ ”
“Oh, my God,” said Collins, jumping up, “when will you people learn the folly of this? You know what will happen? First, you put him at once on his guard. Then we shall have letters from Tokio and Leningrad, besides Brighton and Battersea, from people who have seen him and talked to him. You know that always happens, and if, by any chance, he is guilty, we shall have his body washed ashore by the Thames in about a month’s time. Or,” he added grimly, “possibly if he is innocent.”
“Well, that’s the official procedure. I cannot go behind that, especially in a case like this.”
Collins laughed, and sat down.