Find the Innocent by Roy Vickers

got another lift. I don’t suppose I lost as much as ten minutes.”
    â€œBut you did not take the number of the second car and you do not know the name of the owner. So as far as the newspapers are concerned you can’t disprove Stranack’s version.” Curwen was not overawed by anybody’s impatience.
    Jill held it against Veronica that she had not mentioned the change of cars—if there had been a change of cars—it revived the doubt which had wilted when the wedding ring story was discounted.
    â€œCan’t we get the B.B.C. to call that man?” asked Jill. “Or do the police have to do that?”
    â€œI think we can kill Stranack’s story without that,” answered Curwen, “if Mrs. Brengast will co-operate.”
    â€œOf course I will co-operate in everything!” The impatience dissolved into glowing comradeship. “What must I do, Inspector?”
    â€œJust sit where you are,” Curwen went to the intercom. and engaged the manager’s office. “Benjoy? … Send him up.”
    Jill perceived that this was a trap of some kind. As if the police would concern themselves with what the newspapers printed about Veronica!
    â€œThis is the set-up,” said Curwen to Jill, as if she were a colleague. “Each of these three men claims that he himself was the one who stayed in the lockhouse. We don’t know which of ’em is telling the truth. One of them won’t admit or deny that a lady was with him—”
    â€œHe sounds the nicest of the lot!” said Veronica.
    â€œYou’ve seen Stranack. The one that’s coming up is Canvey. His tale is much the same as Stranack’s—except that he claims he doesn’t know the lady’s name and address. Whatever he says in here, he’s certain to scotch Stranack’s tale to the newspapers.”
    Oh no, the Inspector didn’t care all that about the newspapers! To Jill it was clear that he believed Veronica was the “Mystery Girl”—that Canvey would fail to identify her and so reveal that he had not been at the lockhouse.
    She was certain of this when Curwen himself answered the knock on the door with a loud “Come in”, which drowned Veronica’s voice. As he did so, he stepped aside so that, when Canvey opened the door, the first person he saw was Veronica.
    â€œCaroline!” exclaimed Canvey. Catching sight of Curwen. “Hullo, Inspector! Splendid!”
    â€œMy name is not Caroline—”
    â€œI know it isn’t. What does that matter! Perhaps it’s insulting to thank you for coming forward, but I do thank you. I’m terribly sorry it was necessary.”
    â€œYou see!” said Veronica to Curwen. “It’s the same thing over again. It’s failed.”
    Curwen strode forward.
    â€œWhat is this lady’s name?”
    â€œI don’t know. Why this obsession with names? We used names of our own. Caroline, you don’t know my name, do you?—unless the Inspector has told you.”
    â€œI did not know your name until a minute ago,” said Veronica. “For one reason, because I have never seen you before.”
    Jill was watching Canvey. He was comically bewildered, like an actor in a farce. Yet he did not look ridiculous. He had created in her a bias in his favour so that, irrationally, she was angry with him for floundering.
    He edged nearer Curwen, as if seeking an ally.
    â€œWhich side are we on, Inspector?”
    Curwen ignored him and spoke to Veronica.
    â€œAre you quite certain you have never seen Mr. Canvey before, Mrs. Brengast?”
    â€œNever!” said Veronica.
    â€œMrs. Brengast!” cried Canvey. “Good Lord! Does that mean that you’re WillyBee’s wife?”
    No one felt the need to answer.
    â€œMr. Canvey, do you still assert that this lady was with you at the lockhouse last night?”
    â€œThat’s a formal question, I suppose,