Murder in Piccadilly by Charles Kingston Page A

had from his solicitor hinted at criminal proceedings.” He raised the growl to something akin to a shout. “What if I did use the partnership money to pay off a private debt; does it amount to theft? Of course not. Fraddon’s solicitor may say that I forged his client’s signature to three partnership cheques, but—”
    â€œDon’t worry about that,” said Billy. “Keep all your energy and brains for the scheme that’s to make us rich.”
    Nosey’s equanimity returned. Optimism suited him better than pessimism.
    â€œHe’s weak and he thinks he’s strong. I worked on his passion for Nancy, hinted that she was in danger from you, and appealed to his sense of chivalry without letting him guess my object. ‘You’re above us in class’ I said, and, Billy, he swallowed it all. He’ll go down to see his uncle or he’ll get at him in some way and all the time he’ll be thinking that it’s his uncle’s life against Nancy’s. That’s how I dropped a seed here and there, my boy.” He leaned back to chuckle appreciation of his finesse and subtlety.
    â€œBut supposing he doesn’t do the uncle in?” asked Billy doubtfully.
    â€œI’ll lay any odds he won’t,” was the surprising answer.
    â€œBut I thought everything depended on that.”
    Nosey Ruslin solemnly secured further liquid refreshment.
    â€œBilly, you don’t know the world like I do,” he said, poising the glass in front of his face. “Didn’t I tell you this fellow Cheldon is weak but that he considers himself strong—the strong, silent man type?” He laughed before drinking. “He’s just the sort to make for the family mansion breathing fire and thunder and then to collapse. A talker, Billy, and not a worker. No pluck. Still, he could be driven to doing it, though he’d do it so clumsily that they’d have him in quod before he was home again. And in that event all our trouble would go for nothing.”
    â€œExactly.” Billy looked discontented. “Nosey, it’s useless going on with this unless there’s cash and a lot of it at the end. We must put Cheldon in possession of the property so that he can pay us our little share for our—er—help.”
    Nosey smiled to himself.
    â€œHe says it’s worth ten thousand a year,” he murmured. “And a quarter of that each, Billy, would suit us nicely.”
    â€œTwo thousand five hundred a year!” Billy pronounced the words with a solemn hush. “Two thousand five hundred a year.”
    â€œBut we’ve got to have him so fixed that he won’t be able to wriggle out,” said Nosey with unusual earnestness. “We’re aiming high, Billy, very high, and everything will depend on our proof. Should it happen that Cheldon doesn’t remove his uncle and we arrange for a substitute there must be written proof, or at any rate something in writing, that can guarantee Cheldon forking out. Personally I prefer a lump sum. No quarterly or half-yearly payments for me. You never can tell what may happen to upset an arrangement of that sort.”
    â€œIt ought to be easy to raise money on the property.” Billy laughed. “That young fool has talked so much of his rich uncle and of the property he must inherit when the uncle dies that although I’ve never seen it I seem to know every inch of it. Broadbridge Manor—that’s the name of the place. It must be about the size of Buckingham Palace. And the way he’s spouted to Nancy about his ancestors!” His expression darkened, and Nosey, watching him closely, saw disturbing signs.
    â€œBilly.” The voice was peremptory.
    â€œWhat’s the matter now?” The dancer’s manner was embarrassed.
    â€œFirst, last and always you’ve got to remember that Nancy is not for you—at least, not until we’ve received every