got another lift. I donât suppose I lost as much as ten minutes.â
âBut 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 canât disprove Stranackâs version.â Curwen was not overawed by anybodyâs impatience.
Jill held it against Veronica that she had not mentioned the change of carsâif there had been a change of carsâit revived the doubt which had wilted when the wedding ring story was discounted.
âCanât we get the B.B.C. to call that man?â asked Jill. âOr do the police have to do that?â
âI think we can kill Stranackâs story without that,â answered Curwen, âif Mrs. Brengast will co-operate.â
âOf course I will co-operate in everything!â The impatience dissolved into glowing comradeship. âWhat must I do, Inspector?â
âJust sit where you are,â Curwen went to the intercom. and engaged the managerâs office. âBenjoy? ⦠Send him up.â
Jill perceived that this was a trap of some kind. As if the police would concern themselves with what the newspapers printed about Veronica!
âThis is the set-up,â said Curwen to Jill, as if she were a colleague. âEach of these three men claims that he himself was the one who stayed in the lockhouse. We donât know which of âem is telling the truth. One of them wonât admit or deny that a lady was with himââ
âHe sounds the nicest of the lot!â said Veronica.
âYouâve seen Stranack. The one thatâs coming up is Canvey. His tale is much the same as Stranackâsâexcept that he claims he doesnât know the ladyâs name and address. Whatever he says in here, heâs certain to scotch Stranackâs tale to the newspapers.â
Oh no, the Inspector didnât care all that about the newspapers! To Jill it was clear that he believed Veronica was the âMystery Girlââthat 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 âCome inâ, which drowned Veronicaâs voice. As he did so, he stepped aside so that, when Canvey opened the door, the first person he saw was Veronica.
âCaroline!â exclaimed Canvey. Catching sight of Curwen. âHullo, Inspector! Splendid!â
âMy name is not Carolineââ
âI know it isnât. What does that matter! Perhaps itâs insulting to thank you for coming forward, but I do thank you. Iâm terribly sorry it was necessary.â
âYou see!â said Veronica to Curwen. âItâs the same thing over again. Itâs failed.â
Curwen strode forward.
âWhat is this ladyâs name?â
âI donât know. Why this obsession with names? We used names of our own. Caroline, you donât know my name, do you?âunless the Inspector has told you.â
âI did not know your name until a minute ago,â said Veronica. âFor one reason, because I have never seen you before.â
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.
âWhich side are we on, Inspector?â
Curwen ignored him and spoke to Veronica.
âAre you quite certain you have never seen Mr. Canvey before, Mrs. Brengast?â
âNever!â said Veronica.
âMrs. Brengast!â cried Canvey. âGood Lord! Does that mean that youâre WillyBeeâs wife?â
No one felt the need to answer.
âMr. Canvey, do you still assert that this lady was with you at the lockhouse last night?â
âThatâs a formal question, I suppose,
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