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“Not yet,” said Father, “but I mean to”
“There are several possibilities,” said Mr Robinson, thoughtfully “It is like music, you know Only so many notes to the octave, yet one can combine them in—what is it—several million different ways? A et the sa”
There was a slight buzz on his desk and he picked up the receiver once more
“Yes? Yes, you have been very prompt I am pleased I see Oh! Amsterdam yes…Ah…Thank you…Yes You will spell that? Good”
He wrote rapidly on a pad at his elbow
“I hope this will be useful to you,” he said, as he tore off the sheet and passed it across the table to Father, who read the name out loud “Wilhelm Hoffman”
“Nationality Swiss,” said Mr Robinson “Though not, I would say, born in Switzerland Has a good deal of influence in Banking circles and though keeping strictly on the right side of the law, he has been behind a great many—questionable deals He operates solely on the Continent, not in this country”
“Oh”
“But he has a brother,” said Mr Robinson “Robert Hoff in London—a diamond merchant—most respectable business—His wife is Dutch—He also has offices in Amsterdam—Your people may know about him As I say, he deals mainly in diamonds, but he is a very rich man, and he owns a lot of property, not usually in his own name Yes, he is behind quite a lot of enterprises He and his brother are the real owners of Bertram’s Hotel”
“Thank you, sir,” Chief-Inspector Davy rose to his feet “I needn’t tell you that I’ himself to show more enthusiasm than was normal
“That I should know?” inquired Mr Robinson, giving one of his larger smiles “But this is one of my specialities Information I like to know That is why you came to me, is it not?”
“Well,” said Chief-Inspector Davy, “we do know about you The Home Office The Special Branch and all the rest of it” He added almost naïvely, “It took a bit of nerve on my part to approach you”
Again Mr Robinson smiled
“I find you an interesting personality, Chief-Inspector Davy,” he said “I wish you success in whatever you are undertaking”
“Thank you, sir I think I shall need it By the way, these two brothers, would you say they were violent men?”
“Certainly not,” said Mr Robinson “It would be quite against their policy The brothers Hoffman do not apply violence in business matters They have other methods that serve theet steadily richer, or socircles tells me”
“It’s a useful place, Switzerland,” said Chief-Inspector Davy
“Yes, indeed What we should all do without it I do not know! So much rectitude Such a fine business sense! Yes, we businessrateful to Switzerland I h opinion of Aain, and the Chief-Inspector left
When he got back to headquarters again, he found a note awaiting him
Canon Pennyfather has turned up—safe if not sound
Apparently was knocked down by a car at Milton St John and has concussion
Chapter Eighteen
Canon Pennyfather looked at Chief-Inspector Davy and Inspector Campbell, and Chief-Inspector Davy and Inspector Caain Sitting in the big armchair in his library, a pillow behind his head and his feet up on a pouffe, with a rug over his knees to emphasize his invalid status
“I’ politely, “that I si at all”
“You can’t remember the accident when the car hit you?”
“I’m really afraid not”
“Then how did you know a car did hit you?” demanded Inspector Campbell acutely
“The wo?—told me about it”
“And how did she know?”
Canon Pennyfather looked puzzled
“Dear ht She couldn’t have known, could she? I suppose she thought it hat must have happened”
“And you really cannot re? How did you come to be in Milton St John?”
“I’ve no idea,” said Canon Pennyfather “Even the name is quite unfamiliar to me”
Inspector Ca, but Chief-Inspector Davy said in his soothing, homely voice:
“Just tell us again the last thing you do remember, sir”
Canon Pennyfather turned to him with relief The inspector’s dry scepticism had made him uncomfortable
“I was going to Lucerne to a congress I took a taxi to the airport—at least to Kensington Air Station”
“Yes And then?”