Partners in Crime

"Mr. Blunt?" he inquired. His English was perfect. "You have been most highly recommended to me. Will you take up a case for me?"

"If you will give me the details-?"

"Certainly. It concerns the daughter of a friend of mine-a girl of sixteen. We are anxious for no scandal-you understand."

"My dear sir," said Tommy. "This business has been running successfully for sixteen years owing to our strict attention to that particular principle."

He fancied he saw a sudden gleam in the other's eye. If so, it passed as quickly as it came.

"You have branches, I believe, on the other side of the Channel?"

"Oh! yes. As a matter of fact," he brought out the word with great deliberation, "I myself was in Berlin on the 13th of last month."

"In that case," said the stranger, "it is hardly necessary to keep up the little fiction. The daughter of my friend can be conveniently dismissed. You know who I am-at any rate I see you have had warning of my coming."

He nodded towards the calendar on the wall.

"Quite so," said Tommy.

"My friends-I have come over here to investigate matters. What has been happening?"

"Treachery," said Tuppence, no longer able to remain quiescent.

The Russian shifted his attention to her, and raised his eyebrows.

"Ah ha, that is so, is it? I thought as much. Was it Sergius?"

"We think so," said Tuppence unblushingly.

"It would not surprise me. But you yourselves, you are under no suspicion?"

"I do not think so. We handle a good deal of bona fide business, you see," explained Tommy.

The Russian nodded.

"That is wise. All the same, I think it would be better if I did not come here again. For the moment, I am staying at the Blitz. I will take Marise-this is Marise, I suppose?"

Tuppence nodded.

"What is she known as here?"

"Oh! Miss Robinson."

"Very well, Miss Robinson, you will return with me to the Blitz and lunch with me there. We will all meet at headquarters at three o'clock. Is that clear?" He looked at Tommy.

"Perfectly clear," replied Tommy, wondering where on earth headquarters might be.

But he guessed that it was just those very headquarters that Mr. Carter was so anxious to discover.

Tuppence rose and slipped on her long black coat with its leopardskin collar. Then, demurely, she declared herself ready to accompany the Prince.

They went out together, and Tommy was left behind, a prey to conflicting emotions.

Supposing something had gone wrong with the dictaphone? Supposing the mysterious Hospital Nurse had somehow or other learnt of its installation, and had rendered it useless?

He seized the telephone and called a certain number. There was a moment's delay, and then a well known voice spoke.

"Quite O.K. Come round to the Blitz at once."

Five minutes later Tommy and Mr. Carter met in the Palm Court of the Blitz. The latter was crisp and reassuring.

"You've done excellently. The Prince and the little lady are at lunch in the Restaurant. I've got two of my men in there as waiters. Whether he suspects, or whether he doesn't-and I'm fairly sure he doesn't-we've got him on toast. There are two men posted upstairs to watch his suite, and more outside ready to follow wherever they go. Don't be worried about your wife. She'll be kept in sight the whole time. I'm not going to run any risks."

Occasionally one of the Secret Service men came to report progress. The first time it was a waiter who took their orders for cocktails, the second time it was a fashionable vacant-faced young man.

"They're coming out," said Mr. Carter. "We'll retire behind this pillar in case they sit down here, but I fancy he'll take her up to his suite. Ah! yes, I thought so."

From their post of vantage, Tommy saw the Russian and Tuppence cross the hall and enter the lift.

The minutes passed and Tommy began to fidget.

"Do you think, sir. I mean, alone in that suite-"

"One of my men's inside-behind the sofa. Don't worry, man."

A waiter crossed the hall and came up to Mr. Carter.

"Got the signal they were coming up, sir-but they haven't come. Is it all right?"

"What?" Mr. Carter spun around. "I saw them go into the lift myself. Just"-he glanced up at the clock-"four and a half minutes ago. And they haven't shown up…"

He hurried across to the lift which had just that minute come down again, and spoke to the uniformed attendant.

"You took up a gentleman with a fair beard and a young lady a few minutes ago to the second floor."

"Not the second floor. Third floor the gentleman asked for."

"Oh!" The Chief jumped in, motioning Tommy to accompany him. "Take us up to the third floor, please."

"I don't understand this," he murmured in a low voice. "But keep calm. Every exit from the Hotel is watched, and I've got a man on the third floor as well-on every floor, in fact. I was taking no chances."

The lift door opened on the third floor and they sprang out, hurrying down the corridor. Half way along it, a man dressed as a waiter came to meet them.

"It's all right, Chief. They're in No. 318."

Carter breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's all right. No other exit?"