Frances Ives-Pope, although I haven ’ t had the pleasure of being introduced. Am I correct? ”
The girl ’ s eyebrows went up. “ That ’ s quite correct, sir, ” she said in a vibrant musical voice. “ Although I don ’ t quite understand how you know my name. ”
She smiled. It was a magnetic smile, full of charm and a certain strong womanliness that was extremely attractive. A full-bodied creature in the bloom of youth, with great brown eyes and a creamy complexion, she radiated a wholesomeness that the Inspector found refreshing.
He beamed down at her. “ Well, Miss Ives-Pope, ” he chuckled, “ I suppose it is mysterious to a layman. And the fact that I am a policeman no doubt heightens the general effect. But it ’ s quite simple. You are by no means an unphotographed young lady ― I saw your picture in the paper today, as a matter of fact, on the society page. ”
The girl laughed, a trifle nervously. “ So that ’ s how it was! ” she said. “ I was beginning to be frightened. Just what is it, sir, that you want of me? ”
“ Business ― always business, ” said the Inspector ruefully. “ Just when I ’ m getting interested in someone I ’ m brought bang-up against my profession . . . . Before we conduct our inquisition, may I ask who your friends are? ”
An embarrassed coughing arose from the three people on whom Queen bent his eyes. Frances said charmingly, “ I ’ m sorry ― Inspector, is it? Allow me to introduce Miss Hilda Orange and Miss Eve Ellis, my very dear friends. And this is Mr. Stephen Barry, my fiance. ”
Queen glanced at them in some surprise. “ If I ’ m not mistaken ― aren ’ t you members of the cast of ‘ Gunplay ’ ? ”
There was a unanimous nodding of heads.
Queen turned to Frances. “ I don ’ t want to seem too officious, Miss Ives-Pope, but I want you to explain something . . . . Why are you accompanied by your friends? ” he asked with a disarming smile. “ I know it sounds impertinent, but I distinctly recall ordering my man to summon you ― alone . . . . ”
The three thespians rose stiffly. Frances turned from her companions to the Inspector with a pleading look.
“ I ― please forgive me, Inspector, ” she said swiftly. “ I ― I ’ ve never been questioned by the police before. I was nervous and ― and I asked my fiance and these two ladies, who are my most intimate friends, to be present during the interview. I didn ’ t realize that I was going against your wishes . . . . ”
“ I understand, ” returned Queen, smiling. “ I understand completely. But you see ―” He made a gesture of finality.
Stephen Barry leaned over the girl ’ s chair. “ I ’ ll stay with you, dear, if you give the word. ” He glared at the Inspector belligerently.
“ But, Stephen, dear ―” Frances cried helplessly. Queen ’ s face was adamant. “ You ― you ’ d better all go. But please wait for me outside. It won ’ t take long, will it, Inspector? ” she asked, her eyes unhappy.
Queen shook his head. “ Not so very long. ” His entire attitude had changed. He seemed to be growing truculent. His audience sensed the metamorphosis in him and in an intangible manner grew antagonistic.
Hilda Orange, a large buxom woman of forty, with traces of a handsome youth in her face, now brutally shorn of its make-up in the cold light of the room, leaned over Frances and glared at the Inspector.
“ We ’ ll be waiting outside for you, my dear, ” she said grimly. “ And if you feel faint, or something, just screech a little and you ’ ll see what action means. ” She flounced out of the room. Eve Ellis patted Frances ’ hand. “ Don ’ t worry, Frances, ” she said in her soft, clear voice. “ We ’ re with you. ” And taking Barry ’ s arm, she followed Hilda Orange. Barry looked back with a mixture of anger and solicitude, shooting a vitriolic glance at Queen as he slammed the door.
Queen was instantly on his feet, his
The girl ’ s eyebrows went up. “ That ’ s quite correct, sir, ” she said in a vibrant musical voice. “ Although I don ’ t quite understand how you know my name. ”
She smiled. It was a magnetic smile, full of charm and a certain strong womanliness that was extremely attractive. A full-bodied creature in the bloom of youth, with great brown eyes and a creamy complexion, she radiated a wholesomeness that the Inspector found refreshing.
He beamed down at her. “ Well, Miss Ives-Pope, ” he chuckled, “ I suppose it is mysterious to a layman. And the fact that I am a policeman no doubt heightens the general effect. But it ’ s quite simple. You are by no means an unphotographed young lady ― I saw your picture in the paper today, as a matter of fact, on the society page. ”
The girl laughed, a trifle nervously. “ So that ’ s how it was! ” she said. “ I was beginning to be frightened. Just what is it, sir, that you want of me? ”
“ Business ― always business, ” said the Inspector ruefully. “ Just when I ’ m getting interested in someone I ’ m brought bang-up against my profession . . . . Before we conduct our inquisition, may I ask who your friends are? ”
An embarrassed coughing arose from the three people on whom Queen bent his eyes. Frances said charmingly, “ I ’ m sorry ― Inspector, is it? Allow me to introduce Miss Hilda Orange and Miss Eve Ellis, my very dear friends. And this is Mr. Stephen Barry, my fiance. ”
Queen glanced at them in some surprise. “ If I ’ m not mistaken ― aren ’ t you members of the cast of ‘ Gunplay ’ ? ”
There was a unanimous nodding of heads.
Queen turned to Frances. “ I don ’ t want to seem too officious, Miss Ives-Pope, but I want you to explain something . . . . Why are you accompanied by your friends? ” he asked with a disarming smile. “ I know it sounds impertinent, but I distinctly recall ordering my man to summon you ― alone . . . . ”
The three thespians rose stiffly. Frances turned from her companions to the Inspector with a pleading look.
“ I ― please forgive me, Inspector, ” she said swiftly. “ I ― I ’ ve never been questioned by the police before. I was nervous and ― and I asked my fiance and these two ladies, who are my most intimate friends, to be present during the interview. I didn ’ t realize that I was going against your wishes . . . . ”
“ I understand, ” returned Queen, smiling. “ I understand completely. But you see ―” He made a gesture of finality.
Stephen Barry leaned over the girl ’ s chair. “ I ’ ll stay with you, dear, if you give the word. ” He glared at the Inspector belligerently.
“ But, Stephen, dear ―” Frances cried helplessly. Queen ’ s face was adamant. “ You ― you ’ d better all go. But please wait for me outside. It won ’ t take long, will it, Inspector? ” she asked, her eyes unhappy.
Queen shook his head. “ Not so very long. ” His entire attitude had changed. He seemed to be growing truculent. His audience sensed the metamorphosis in him and in an intangible manner grew antagonistic.
Hilda Orange, a large buxom woman of forty, with traces of a handsome youth in her face, now brutally shorn of its make-up in the cold light of the room, leaned over Frances and glared at the Inspector.
“ We ’ ll be waiting outside for you, my dear, ” she said grimly. “ And if you feel faint, or something, just screech a little and you ’ ll see what action means. ” She flounced out of the room. Eve Ellis patted Frances ’ hand. “ Don ’ t worry, Frances, ” she said in her soft, clear voice. “ We ’ re with you. ” And taking Barry ’ s arm, she followed Hilda Orange. Barry looked back with a mixture of anger and solicitude, shooting a vitriolic glance at Queen as he slammed the door.
Queen was instantly on his feet, his
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