Spider's Web

"He said that the suggestion to come back here and play bridge came from one of you. But he thought it was probably Mr. Birch."

"Ah," replied Sir Rowland easily, "but you see, Warrender came into the dining-room at the club rather late. He did not realize that Mrs. Hailsham-Brown had rung up."

Sir Rowland and the Inspector looked at each other, as though trying to stare each other out. Then Sir Rowland continued, "You must know better than I do, Inspector, how very rarely two people's accounts of the same thing agree. In fact, if the three of us were to agree exactly, I should regard it as suspicious. Very suspicious indeed."

The Inspector chose not to comment on this observation. Drawing a chair up close to Sir Rowland, he sat down. "I'd like to discuss the case with you, sir, if I may," he suggested.

"How very agreeable of you, Inspector," Sir Rowland replied.

After looking thoughtfully at the table-top for a few seconds, the Inspector began the discussion. "The dead man, Mr. Oliver Costello, came to this house with some particular object in view." He paused. "Do you agree that that is what must have happened, sir?"

"My understanding is that he came to return certain objects belonging to Henry Hailsham-Brown which Mrs. Miranda Hailsham-Brown, as she then was, had taken away in error," Sir Rowland replied.

"That may have been his excuse, sir," the Inspector pointed out, "though I'm not even sure of that. But I'm certain it wasn't the real reason that brought him here."

Sir Rowland shrugged his shoulders. "You may be right," he observed. "I can't say."

The Inspector pressed on. "He came, perhaps, to see a particular person. It may have been you, it may have been Mr. Warrender, or it may have been Mr. Birch."

"If he had wanted to see Mr. Birch, who lives locally," Sir Rowland pointed out, "he would have gone to his house. He wouldn't have come here."

"That is probably so," the Inspector agreed. "Therefore that leaves us with the choice of four people. You, Mr. Warrender, Mr. Hailsham-Brown and Mrs. Hailsham-Brown." He paused and gave Sir Rowland a searching glance before asking, "Now, sir, how well did you know Oliver Costello?"

"Hardly at all. I've met him once or twice, that's all."

"Where did you meet him?" asked the Inspector.

Sir Rowland reflected. "Twice at the Hailsham-Browns's in London, over a year ago, and once in a restaurant, I believe."

"But you had no reason for wishing to murder him?"

"Is that an accusation, Inspector?" Sir Rowland asked with a smile.

The Inspector shook his head. "No, Sir Rowland," he replied. "I should call it more an elimination. I don't think you have any motive for doing away with Oliver Costello. So that leaves just three people."

"This is beginning to sound like a variant of Ten Little Indians," Sir Rowland observed with a smile.

The Inspector smiled back. "We'll take Mr. Warrender next," he proposed. "Now, how well do you know him?"

"I met him here for the first time two days ago," Sir Rowland replied. "He appears to be an agreeable young man, well-bred and well-educated. He's a friend of Clarissa's. I know nothing about him, but I should say he's an unlikely murderer."

"So much for Mr. Warrender," the Inspector noted. "That brings me to my next question."

Anticipating him, Sir Rowland nodded. "How well do I know Henry Hailsham-Brown, and how well do I know Mrs. Hailsham-Brown? That's what you want to know, isn't it?" he asked. "Actually, I know Henry Hailsham-Brown very well indeed. He is an old friend. As for Clarissa, I know all there is to know about her. She is my ward, and inexpressibly dear to me."

"Yes, sir," said the Inspector. "I think that answer makes certain things very clear."

"Does it, indeed?"

The Inspector rose and took a few paces about the room before turning back to face Sir Rowland. "Why did you three change your plans this evening?" he asked. "Why did you come back here and pretend to play bridge?"

"Pretend?" Sir Rowland exclaimed sharply.

The Inspector took the playing card from his pocket. "This card," he said, "was found on the other side of the room under the sofa. I can hardly believe that you would have played two rubbers of bridge and started a third with a pack of fifty-one cards, and the Ace of Spades missing."

Sir Rowland took the card from the Inspector, looked at the back of it, and then returned it. "Yes," he admitted. "Perhaps that is a little difficult to believe."

The Inspector looked despairingly upwards before adding, "I also think that three pairs of Mr. Hailsham-Brown's gloves need a certain amount of explanation."

After a moment's pause, Sir Rowland replied, "I'm afraid, Inspector, you won't get any explanation from me."

"No, sir," the Inspector agreed. "I take it that you are out to do your best for a certain lady. But it's not a bit of good, sir. The truth will out."

"I wonder if it will?" was Sir Rowland's only response to this observation.