“Uhmmm?!” Berry prolonged the interrogatory exclamation with exaggerated softness. “Very strange. In fact, _very_ strange. Thank you, Prentice. You _are_ contributing your bit at last. It fits. It jolly well fits. Which is what I’m looking for, you know—things to fit _my_ preconceived idea. There are two ways of working this detective racket, son—theory first and theory last. Mine’s first. I make my facts fit the crime.— Hello, Belknap. Come in. Prentice and I are having a truth party. Or rather he’s come across with a little truth after keeping it back all afternoon. But I’m being lenient with him because he claims it’s all due to my charms. He saved up just to give me a few pointers. Aren’t you jealous?”
“Rraather.” Belknap always went his English ancestors one better in accent whenever his dignity was endangered. “Shall I retire?”
“By no means. I’m sure even the untutored Prentice will agree that in matters of codes and Violet Mowbrays three heads are better than two. There’s no such thing as too many detectives, is there?”
“Violet Mowbray!” Belknap showed sudden and marked interest and for a man who rarely showed any it _was_ remarkable. He closed the door. “What about Violet Mowbray? I thought I had her under lock and key. Is she abroad?”
“We don’t know. It was the name Miss Lacey couldn’t remember and has remembered.”
“Let’s see. How was it Miss Video mentioned her. ‘Revelation for revelation, with Violet Mowbray thrown in?’ Was that it? It might mean anything. After all, Violet Mowbray did have a past. However, we’d better look into it.”
“Yes, Miss Lacey wasn’t the only prowler last night.” Berry squinted at Julian, who stood looking bewildered but pleased at the response to at least one of his hopeful suggestions. “The remark may have meant more to another than it did to her. And it can do no harm to look up Violet, poor girl. One of your cruel cases, Belknap. Brilliantly executed, of course, and justified in consequence I suppose, but sinfully cruel. I’m surprised she’s living. Though this doesn’t prove she is.”
“It _was_ a sad affair. I regretted it myself. But Blake was a close friend, and I saw my way to be able to clear his name. Shall I give the prison a ring? One of us could see her tomorrow—or we could send a man out.”