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‘Well!’ Vale brought his hands together in a brisk clap ‘Inspector, I suggest you set that in entleht have concealed the book, we can review the possibilities while we’re waiting Is there anywhere else that’s reasonably plausible, or even possible?’
‘There is one other thing,’ Singh said He turned back to one of the earlier pages in his bundle of papers ‘Apparently Lord Wyndhaularly donate books to various museums around London They were usually ones which he had collected earlier, but which were no longer of interest to him or his associates’
Irene twitched at the very notion Give books away? ‘How very frivolous,’ she finally said
‘More altruistic than keeping theo on, Inspector’
Singh rustled his papers, just enough to ee of the situation ‘Two days before Lord Wyndham’s murder, he sent a small box of such books to the Natural History Museu My men looked into it as a oings-on before his ot round to looking at it yet Please don’t stare at ular for persons of quality to ht beit, unless they’d been specifically notified that there was soesting that he hid the genuine book in the crate of donations? Wasn’t that, well, extremely risky? If even one person had found it there, he would have lost it His bank deposit box seeic of it,’ Brada of such donations, it could have been as much as a year before anyone opened it, and he could have asked for it back if he needed it to present to Silver – or to anyone else,’ she added thoughtfully
‘Well, the gentlereed, ‘so it would fit certain scheh one should probably not speak ill of the undead’ He paused, but nobody laughed ‘Oh, very well Are there any other possible ways by which the book could have been sled out of the house, Inspector?’
‘Possible, certainly, sir,’ Singh said cautiously, ‘but none plausible I had hly There are no connections to the local sewers, or to the Underground Of course, if he trusted it to one of his servants, then we have a whole new set of possibilities If that’s the case, then we s to see if it shows up Or we could see how the Iron Brotherhood go about finding it – if they’re after the da too’
Irene and Bradauess what the other wo the black ht be better for Bradaroup She could then use any contacts that she’dwith Singh and Vale Of course, Bradamant could then find the book, and be the one who took it back to the Library So which wassure that it was found? She knehat the answer should be, but that didn’tthoughtfully at each other Then Vale leapt to his feet ‘Well, then! I believe this calls for a visit to the Natural History Museurock, I trust I can prevail upon you to accoive us a lift there before going on to get your search warrant’
Singh looked at Bradamant, Irene and Kai with less than total enthusiasm, but controlled his expression ‘I have one, sir, but I believe that we may require a second one if we are not to subject the ladies to unduly close quarters’
‘I’d rather not delay,’ Irene broke in A growing sense of urgency was pricking at her Maybe the bank deposit box was the ? ‘Inspector, do you think you were followed here?’
Singh frowned ‘I can’t deny that it is possible, reat many people from the Yard come to visit Mr Vale here, and very frequently at that’
Vale stepped across to the , and stood to one side of it, peering down at the street below ‘I can’t say whether they followed you, Inspector, or whether they’re watchingBoys is watching h said, slipping his papers back into his case ‘The Iron Brotherhood wouldn’t have anything to do olves’
Vale considered for a moment ‘Well, with London traffic the way it is at this hour of theto the museum, we should still make it there before they do’ He snatched a coat froht up his hat and sword cane ‘Let us be off’
Kai had also sprung to his feet in wild enthusias his own hat and coat, which allowed Irene to tug Bradae for a word in private
‘What is it?’ Bradamant asked quietly