‘He wouldn’t give more than five pounds, dear, and Sonia stuck out for twenty. Well, I mean to say, what’s five pounds to a girl in her condition? So she said she’d give him the weekend to think it over. She didn’t mind waiting. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t got—’ Miss O’Dawne stopped short, gave Alleyn another of her sharp glances, and lit a cigarette.

‘Hadn’t got what?’ asked Alleyn.

‘Look here—you’re asking a lot of questions, aren’t you, dear? Keep forgetting you’re a booby with all this upstage-and-county manners of yours. What’s wrong with a girl getting her own back like Sonia did?’

‘Well, it was blackmail, you know.’

‘Was it? Isn’t that a pity, I don’t suppose. Have some more coffee?’

‘Thank you, it’s extremely good.’

‘That’s right. I say, it’s all very funny us talking away sort of cosy like this, but when I think of Sonia—honest, I am upset, you know. You have to keep on cracking hardy, but just the same it’s a swine, isn’t it? You know what I mean. Help yourself to shoog. No, reely, I am upset.’

‘I’m quite sure you are.’

‘Look, Roddy. You don’t mind me calling you Roddy, do you?’

‘I’m delighted,’ said Alleyn.

‘Well, look, if what Sonia did was blackmail, I don’t want to let everybody know the dirt about her after she’s gone. Don’t sling off at the dead’s what I’ve always said, because they can’t come in on the cross-talk and score the laughs where they are. See? You’ve got on to the Garcia-Pilgrim-Malmsley tale. All right! That’s your luck or your great big talent. But I’m not in on this scene. See?’

‘Yes, I do see. But you don’t want her murderer to get off, do you?’

‘Do I look funny?’

‘Very well, then. I’m afraid the blackmail is bound to come out in evidence. You can’t stop that, and won’t you help us? Won’t you tell me anything you know that may throw a little light on the tragedy of her death? There is something more, I’m sure. Isn’t there?’

‘Do you mean the joke with the picture of Basil’s girl?’

‘No,’ said Alleyn.

‘Do you know about that?’

‘Yes.’

‘Well, then!’

‘Is there anything else about the Pilgrim stunt? Did she threaten to take any further steps?’

‘With Pilgrim?’ Miss O’Dawne’s eyes looked thoughtfully at Alleyn. ‘No. She didn’t. She’d done her stuff with the Hon. Bas. Mine’s a Bass, I don’t suppose.’

‘Well then, had Garcia any more tricks up his sleeve?’

Miss O’Dawne twisted her fingers together. ‘She’s frightened about something,’ thought Alleyn.