“Not yet. To contest a will takes a great deal of money—lawyers, fees and things. It would be much, much cheaper for him to kill Poppy. You see, one thing is not covered by the will. If Poppy were to die before she became a mother, the nephew would inherit the whole estate. Oh, I have done everything in my power. The moment the—er—suitable season arrived, I found a husband for Poppy. In a few weeks now, the—the little ones are expected. But these next few weeks . . .”

Miss Crump dabbed at her eyes with a small handkerchief. “Oh, the Glendale police were most unsympathetic. They even mentioned the fact that the sentence for shooting or killing a dog in this state is shockingly light—a small fine at most. I called the police here and asked for protection. They said they’d send a man around some time but they were hardly civil. So you see, there is no protection from the law and no redress. There is no one to help me.”

“You’ve got us,” said Iris in a burst of sympathy.

“Oh . . . oh . . .” The handkerchief fluttered from Miss Crump’s face. “I knew you were my friends. You dear, dear things. Oh, Poppy, they are going to help us.”

Poppy, busy licking my stomach, did not reply. Somewhat appalled by Iris’s hasty promise but ready to stand by her, I said:

“Sure, we’ll help, Miss Crump. First, what’s the nephew’s name?”

“Henry. Henry Blodgett. But he won’t use that name. Oh, no, he will be too clever for that.”

“And you don’t know what he looks like?”

“Mrs. Wilberframe destroyed his photograph many years ago when he bit her as a small boy. With yellow curls, I understand. That is when the trouble between them started.”

“At least you know what age he is?”

“He should be about thirty.”

“And the wife?” asked Iris.

“I know nothing about her,” said Miss Crump coldly, “except that she is supposed to be a red-headed person, a former actress.”

“And what makes you so sure one or both of them have come to La Jolla?”

Miss Crump folded her arms in her lap. “Last night. A telephone call.”

“A telephone call?”

“A voice asking if I was Miss Crump, and then—silence.” Miss Crump leaned toward me. “Oh, now they know I am here. They know I never let Poppy out. They know every morning I search the patio for meat, traps. They must realize that the only possible way to reach her is to enter the house.”

“Break in?”