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“And you?”

“There is no question that the Japanese are practiced at spying I learned that, before the Russo-Japanese War, they thoroughly infiltrated the Russian Far East Fleet with spies who pretended to be Manchurian servants and laborers When the fighting started, the Japanese knew more about Russian Navy tactics than the Russians did But I’ an open mind It really could be any one of them”

“A tall, handsome detective once told reed

“It’s a big case that keeps getting bigger And because the dreadnought prograe and widespread, the scope of the case-the links-er if it weren’t for Langner’s daughter insisting that her father didn’t kill hiet to Joe Van Dorn through her old school chum, then I would not have personally witnessed poor Alasdair’s murder His death would have been written off as a saloon brawl, and who kno ot wise”

Bell shook his head “Enough talk Here coot early starts tomorrow”

“Look at the size of these!” Marion tipped an enormous oyster off its shell into her mouth, let it slide down her throat, and asked with a sner as beautiful as they say?”

“Who says?”

“Madeton Apparently there isn’t a man on the East Coast over nineteen who hasn’t fallen for her”

“She is beautiful,” said Bell “With theshe probably would be even lovelier”

“Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for her, too”

“My falling days are over,” Bell grinned

“Do you miss them?”

“If love was gravity, I would be in free fall What was Madeton?”

“Seducing an Assistant Secretary of the Navy into hiring her to shoot h the Golden Gate into San Francisco At least, that’s how she got the job fil the fleet’s departure fro the same tactics Why do you ask?”

“This is strictly between us,” Bell replied seriously “But Made affair with a French Navy captain”