should be easy enough to check the engineer ’s guess about the writ of attachment. If one has been issued, it will be on record. Freddy told me he was expecting it any day.’ ‘I have already instituted inquiries.’ Neyrolle took back the papers, put them on his desk, squared their corners, and placed a paper-weight carefully on top. ‘I am more interested at the moment in asking questions you yourself can answer.’
George stiffened. ‘What kind of questions?’
‘I have a report that a man answering your description was observed at the port this morning in a fiacre with Freddy Farr and his guests, shortly before the Angel sailed. And we always know what is going on at the casino. You have passed the last several nights there in Farr ’s company, although you do not yourself gamble. Why is that?’
‘I don’t gamble because I don’t like to gamble. As for spending time with Freddy, I have to. I’m writing an article about him.’
‘For whom?’
‘No one in particular. Anybody who will buy it.’
‘Is that not unusual, in your profession? I had understood that such articles are ordinarily commissioned.’
‘Ordinarily they are. I don’t happen to have a commission. I think I can sell it after it ’s written.’
‘And that is your only interest in Freddy Farr?’
‘S top beating around the bush,’ George said, bristling. ‘What are you getting at?’
Neyrolle answered carefully. ‘Most people who show an interest in Freddy Farr are after his money. It is an unfortunate truth that he has few other attractions. But while he is a guest of the Principality it is my duty to protect him - and his money - and the steward of his yacht has made allegations which, however nonsensical they may appear at first glance, cannot be dismissed without police investigation. I am naturally interested in anyone who has shown unusual interest in him during the past few days. You are one of those.’
‘I’ve told you the reason for my interest.’
‘ S o you have. So you have.’ The sous-chef nodded agree-ably. ‘Perhaps you can tel l me something more. In your re search into Farr ’s affairs did you learn anything that might throw light on the peculiar matter of the Angel ’s departure, assuming that neither the steward ’s melodramatic interpretation nor the engineer ’s dark accusation is wholly correct?’
‘I’m as confused by it as you are.’ George ’s neck was still red. He did not choose his words as carefully as he might have. ‘I was talking to his captain after Freddy and his guests went aboard this morning. He had the crew standing by to cast off. I got the impression that the yacht was ready to leave within minutes, everything in order.’
‘That is the one feature which leads me to put some small credence in the steward ’s story. The crew was, in fact, tricked ashore when the yach t was on the very verge of sail ing. A seizure and immediate flight would have been impossible otherwise.’
‘It needn’t have been a trick. A simple mistake, perhaps -a waterfront rumor .’
‘No, no, my friend.’ Neyrolle shook his head. ‘That I will not accept. The engineer and the steward agree only in respect to a few facts; the crew was sent ashore for the false permis , the yacht was headed s eaward within minutes after wards, and the two men who were on the jetty when the crew left it were not there when they returned. I believe, with the steward and the engineer alike, that those two men took the crew ’s place. Whether they were invited aboard or forced their way is something we have yet to learn, but I decline to believe it was merely coincidence that they also persuaded the captain of the need for the fake permis . There is a connection .’
‘You see connection s where they don’t exist,’ George said flatly. ‘Have you tried raising the yacht by radiophone?’
‘Not yet. We do not have direct ship-to-shore communication in Monaco. It is possible to send a message through
George stiffened. ‘What kind of questions?’
‘I have a report that a man answering your description was observed at the port this morning in a fiacre with Freddy Farr and his guests, shortly before the Angel sailed. And we always know what is going on at the casino. You have passed the last several nights there in Farr ’s company, although you do not yourself gamble. Why is that?’
‘I don’t gamble because I don’t like to gamble. As for spending time with Freddy, I have to. I’m writing an article about him.’
‘For whom?’
‘No one in particular. Anybody who will buy it.’
‘Is that not unusual, in your profession? I had understood that such articles are ordinarily commissioned.’
‘Ordinarily they are. I don’t happen to have a commission. I think I can sell it after it ’s written.’
‘And that is your only interest in Freddy Farr?’
‘S top beating around the bush,’ George said, bristling. ‘What are you getting at?’
Neyrolle answered carefully. ‘Most people who show an interest in Freddy Farr are after his money. It is an unfortunate truth that he has few other attractions. But while he is a guest of the Principality it is my duty to protect him - and his money - and the steward of his yacht has made allegations which, however nonsensical they may appear at first glance, cannot be dismissed without police investigation. I am naturally interested in anyone who has shown unusual interest in him during the past few days. You are one of those.’
‘I’ve told you the reason for my interest.’
‘ S o you have. So you have.’ The sous-chef nodded agree-ably. ‘Perhaps you can tel l me something more. In your re search into Farr ’s affairs did you learn anything that might throw light on the peculiar matter of the Angel ’s departure, assuming that neither the steward ’s melodramatic interpretation nor the engineer ’s dark accusation is wholly correct?’
‘I’m as confused by it as you are.’ George ’s neck was still red. He did not choose his words as carefully as he might have. ‘I was talking to his captain after Freddy and his guests went aboard this morning. He had the crew standing by to cast off. I got the impression that the yacht was ready to leave within minutes, everything in order.’
‘That is the one feature which leads me to put some small credence in the steward ’s story. The crew was, in fact, tricked ashore when the yach t was on the very verge of sail ing. A seizure and immediate flight would have been impossible otherwise.’
‘It needn’t have been a trick. A simple mistake, perhaps -a waterfront rumor .’
‘No, no, my friend.’ Neyrolle shook his head. ‘That I will not accept. The engineer and the steward agree only in respect to a few facts; the crew was sent ashore for the false permis , the yacht was headed s eaward within minutes after wards, and the two men who were on the jetty when the crew left it were not there when they returned. I believe, with the steward and the engineer alike, that those two men took the crew ’s place. Whether they were invited aboard or forced their way is something we have yet to learn, but I decline to believe it was merely coincidence that they also persuaded the captain of the need for the fake permis . There is a connection .’
‘You see connection s where they don’t exist,’ George said flatly. ‘Have you tried raising the yacht by radiophone?’
‘Not yet. We do not have direct ship-to-shore communication in Monaco. It is possible to send a message through
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