uncover any tangible evidence that definitely connects Miss Crosby with these extraordinary happenings, then, of course, we can come out into the open. But not before."
"That makes it awkward for me," I pointed out. "I was relying on you to keep Brandon from bothering me."
There was a twinkle in his eyes as he said, "I'm sure you will be able to handle Brandon without my help. But if the going happens to become difficult you can always quote me as your lawyer. If there was an assault I should be happy to represent you in court without charge."
"That's swell," I said sarcastically. "But in the meantime I have been assaulted."
He didn't seem to think that was anything to worry about.
"No doubt you will adjust your fee to cover personal risks," he said lightly. "After all, I suppose a job like yours does involve risks."
I shrugged. The fee, I told myself, would certainly be jacked up to the ceiling.
"All right," I said. "Then I can go ahead?"
He began to pace about the room, his hands behind him, his head bent, frowning at the carpet.
"Oh, yes. I want you to go ahead."
"There are some questions I'd like to ask," I said, lighting another cigarette. "When did you last see Maureen Crosby?"
"At Janet's funeral. I haven't seen her since. Her affairs are quite straightforward. Any papers that need her signature are sent to her through the mail. I have had no occasion to see her."
"You haven't heard she is ill?"
He shook his head. No, he had no idea she was ill.
"Are you satisfied Macdonald Crosby's death was an accident?" I shot at him.
He wasn't expecting this, and looked up sharply.
"What do you mean? Of course it was an accident."
"Couldn't it have been suicide?"
"There was no reason why Crosby should have committed suicide."
"As far as you know."
"A man doesn't usually kill himself with a shot-gun if he owns a revolver, and Crosby owned a revolver. A shot-gun is liable to be messy."
"If he had committed suicide would it have affected his estate?"
"Why, yes." A startled look came into his eyes. "His life was insured for a million and a half dollars. The policy carried a non-payment suicide clause."
"Who received the insurance money?"
"I don't quite see where all this is leading to," he said, returning to his desk and sitting down. "Perhaps you will explain."
"It seems odd to me that Salzer, who is not a qualified doctor, should have signed the death certificate. The coroner and Brandon must have agreed to this. I'm trying to convince myself there was nothing sinister in Crosby's death. Suppose he did commit suicide. According to you the estate would have lost a million and a half dollars. But if a nice, willing quack and a grafting coroner and Captain of Police got together it could be arranged to look like an accident, couldn't it?"
"That's a pretty dangerous thing to say. Isn't Salzer qualified?"
"No. Who received the insurance money?"
"It was left to Janet, and at her death to Maureen."
"So Maureen now has a million and a half in cash; is that right?"
"Yes. I tried to persuade Janet to invest the money, but she preferred to leave it in the bank. It passed in cash to Maureen."
"What's happened to it? Is it still in the bank?"
"As far as I know. I have no access to her account."
"Couldn't you have?"
He regarded me steadily for a moment or so.
"I might. I don't know whether I'd care to."
"It would be helpful to find out just how much is left." I nodded towards Janet's letter lying on the desk. "There's this business of blackmail. And if Franklin Lessways, the coroner, and Brandon had to be squared it is possible not a great deal of it remains. I'd be glad if you could find out."
"All right. I'll see what can be done." He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "I suppose I could take action against Salzer if what you say is true. He had no right to sign the certificate, but I'm not anxious to come out into the open just yet. There seems to be no doubt the shooting was
"That makes it awkward for me," I pointed out. "I was relying on you to keep Brandon from bothering me."
There was a twinkle in his eyes as he said, "I'm sure you will be able to handle Brandon without my help. But if the going happens to become difficult you can always quote me as your lawyer. If there was an assault I should be happy to represent you in court without charge."
"That's swell," I said sarcastically. "But in the meantime I have been assaulted."
He didn't seem to think that was anything to worry about.
"No doubt you will adjust your fee to cover personal risks," he said lightly. "After all, I suppose a job like yours does involve risks."
I shrugged. The fee, I told myself, would certainly be jacked up to the ceiling.
"All right," I said. "Then I can go ahead?"
He began to pace about the room, his hands behind him, his head bent, frowning at the carpet.
"Oh, yes. I want you to go ahead."
"There are some questions I'd like to ask," I said, lighting another cigarette. "When did you last see Maureen Crosby?"
"At Janet's funeral. I haven't seen her since. Her affairs are quite straightforward. Any papers that need her signature are sent to her through the mail. I have had no occasion to see her."
"You haven't heard she is ill?"
He shook his head. No, he had no idea she was ill.
"Are you satisfied Macdonald Crosby's death was an accident?" I shot at him.
He wasn't expecting this, and looked up sharply.
"What do you mean? Of course it was an accident."
"Couldn't it have been suicide?"
"There was no reason why Crosby should have committed suicide."
"As far as you know."
"A man doesn't usually kill himself with a shot-gun if he owns a revolver, and Crosby owned a revolver. A shot-gun is liable to be messy."
"If he had committed suicide would it have affected his estate?"
"Why, yes." A startled look came into his eyes. "His life was insured for a million and a half dollars. The policy carried a non-payment suicide clause."
"Who received the insurance money?"
"I don't quite see where all this is leading to," he said, returning to his desk and sitting down. "Perhaps you will explain."
"It seems odd to me that Salzer, who is not a qualified doctor, should have signed the death certificate. The coroner and Brandon must have agreed to this. I'm trying to convince myself there was nothing sinister in Crosby's death. Suppose he did commit suicide. According to you the estate would have lost a million and a half dollars. But if a nice, willing quack and a grafting coroner and Captain of Police got together it could be arranged to look like an accident, couldn't it?"
"That's a pretty dangerous thing to say. Isn't Salzer qualified?"
"No. Who received the insurance money?"
"It was left to Janet, and at her death to Maureen."
"So Maureen now has a million and a half in cash; is that right?"
"Yes. I tried to persuade Janet to invest the money, but she preferred to leave it in the bank. It passed in cash to Maureen."
"What's happened to it? Is it still in the bank?"
"As far as I know. I have no access to her account."
"Couldn't you have?"
He regarded me steadily for a moment or so.
"I might. I don't know whether I'd care to."
"It would be helpful to find out just how much is left." I nodded towards Janet's letter lying on the desk. "There's this business of blackmail. And if Franklin Lessways, the coroner, and Brandon had to be squared it is possible not a great deal of it remains. I'd be glad if you could find out."
"All right. I'll see what can be done." He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "I suppose I could take action against Salzer if what you say is true. He had no right to sign the certificate, but I'm not anxious to come out into the open just yet. There seems to be no doubt the shooting was
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