“Telephone Brown to notify you the minute she does. Tell him we’ve got to know as soon as possible whether Denby declares that necklace; everything depends on that.”
“But he may declare it,” Duncan observed sagely.
“If he does we haven’t a case,” his superior said briefly, “but I’ve a feeling there’s not going to be a declaration.”
“I think so, too,” Duncan asserted, “and I’m holding Ford and Hammett to search him.”
Taylor frowned and drummed on the desk with his fingers. “I don’t know that I want him searched. Let them do nothing without my instructions.”
“But, Chief,” Duncan protested, “if he doesn’t declare the necklace and you don’t have him searched he’ll smuggle it in.”
“I know, I know,” Taylor said impatiently, “but I’ve got to be cautious how I go about taking liberties with a friend of Michael Harrington’s. He has more influence than you’ve any idea of. We’ve got to be sure we have the goods on Denby.”
Duncan looked at the other with grudging admiration. “Well, I guess it won’t take R. J. very long to land him.”
Taylor turned on the speaker with a scowl. “What’s he got to do with this?”
“I thought you might have interested him in it,” Duncan said meaningly.