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“He is unsuitable,” said Chief-Inspector Davy
“Oh Then you knoho he is?”
“I can have a very good guess at it Ladislaus Malinowski”
“The racing motorist? Really! A handsome daredevil Women fall for him easily I wonder how he came across Elvira I don’t see very here their orbits would meet except—yes, I believe he was in Roo Possibly she met him there”
“Very possibly Or could she have h her mother?”
“What, through Bess? I wouldn’t say that was at all likely”
Davy coughed
“Lady Sedgwick and Malinowski are said to be close friends, sir”
“Oh yes, yes, I know that’s the gossip May be true, ether constantly by their way of life Bess has had her affairs, of course; though, mind you, she’s not the nyh to say that about a woman, but it’s not true in Bess’s case Anyway, as far as I know, Bess and her daughter are practically not even acquainted with each other”
“That’s what Lady Sedgwick told erton nodded
“What other relatives has Miss Blake got?”
“For all intents and purposes, none Her mother’s two brothers were killed in the war—and she was old Coniston’s only child Mrs Melford, though the girl calls her ‘Cousin Mildred,’ is actually a cousin of Colonel Luscoirl in his conscientious old-fashioned way—but it’s difficult…for a man”
“Miss Blake brought up the subject of e, you say? There’s no possibility, I suppose, that she may actually already be married—”
“She’s well under age—she’d have to have the assent of her guardian and trustees”
“Technically, yes But they don’t alait for that,” said Father
“I know Most regrettable One has to go through all thethem Wards of Court, and all the rest of it And even that has its difficulties”
“And once they’re married, they’re married,” said Father “I suppose, if she were married, and died suddenly, her husband would inherit?”
“This idea of e is most unlikely She has beento Chief-Inspector Davy’s cynical smile
However carefully Elvira had been looked after, she seehly unsuitable Ladislaus Malinowski
He said dubiously, “Her mother bolted, it’s true”
“Her mother bolted, yes—that’s what she would do—but Miss Blake’s a different type She’s just as set on getting her oay, but she’d go about it differently”
“You don’t really think—”
“I don’t think anything—yet,” said Chief-Inspector Davy
Chapter Twenty-four
Ladislaus Malinowski looked fro back his head and laughed
“It is very a!” he said “You look solemn as owls It is ridiculous that you should askagainst ”
“We think you may be able to assist us in our inquiries, Mr Malinowski” Chief-Inspector Davy spoke with official sistration number FAN 2266”
“Is there any reason why I should not own such a car?”
“No reason at all, sir There’s just a little uncertainty as to the correct nuistration plate on that occasion was a different one”
“Nonsense It must have been some other car”
“There aren’t so many of that make We have checked up on those there are”
“You believe everything, I suppose, that your traffic police tell you! It is laughable! Where was all this?”
“The place where the police stopped you and asked to see your licence is not very far froht of the Irish Mail robbery”
“You really do amuse me,” said Ladislaus Malinowski
“You have a revolver?”
“Certainly, I have a revolver and an automatic pistol I have proper licences for them”
“Quite so They are both still in your possession?”
“Certainly”
“I have already warned you, Mr Malinowski”
“The fa you say will be taken down and used against you at your trial”
“That’s not quite the wording,” said Father ainst, no You don’t want to qualify that statement of yours?”