`You're away ahead of yourself, Mr. Hillman. He hasn't been charged with anything yet.'
`He will be.'
His voice sounded both fatalistic and defiant.
`Maybe. Let's consider the possibilities. The only evidence against him is the knife, and that's pretty dubious if you think about it. He didn't take it with him, surely, when you put him in Laguna Perdida.'
`He may have. I didn't search him.'
`I'm willing to bet they did.'
Hillman narrowed his eyes until they were just a glitter between the folded lids. `You're right, Archer. He didn't have the knife when he left the house. I remember seeing it afterwards, that same 'day.'
`Where was it?'
`In his room, in one of the chests of drawers.'
`And you left it in the drawer?'
`There was no reason not to.'
`Then anybody with access to the house could have got hold of it?'
`Yes. Unfortunately that includes Tom. He could have sneaked in after he escaped from the school.'
`It also includes Dick Leandro, who wouldn't have had to sneak in. He's in and out of the house all the time, isn't he?'
`I suppose he is. That doesn't prove anything.'
`No, but when you put it together with the fact that Dick was probably seen at the Barcelona Hotel last night, it starts you thinking about him. There's still something missing in this case, you know. The equations don't balance.'
`Dick isn't your missing quantity,' he said hastily.
`You're quite protective about Dick.'
`I'm fond of him. Why shouldn't I be? He's a nice boy, and I've been able to help him. Dammit, Archer.'
His voice deepened. `When a fellow reaches a certain age, he needs to pass on what he knows, or part of it, to a younger fellow.'
`Are you thinking of passing on some money, too?'
`We may eventually. It will depend on Elaine. She controls the main money. But I can assure you it couldn't matter to Dick.'
`It matters to everybody. I think it matters very much to Dick. He's a pleaser.'
`What is that supposed to mean?'
`You know what it means. He lives by pleasing people, mainly you. Tell me this. Does Dick know about the gun incident in Tom's room?'
`Yes. He was with me that Sunday morning. He drove me to the judge's house and home again.'
`He gets in on a lot of things,' I said.
`That's natural. He's virtually a member of the family. As a matter of fact, I expected him tonight. He said he had something he wanted to talk over with me.'
He looked at his watch. `But it's too late now. It's past eleven o'clock.'
`Get him out here anyway, will you?'
`Not tonight. I've had it. I don't want to have to pull my face together and put on a front for Dick now.'
He looked at me a little sheepishly. He had revealed himself to me, a vain man who couldn't forget his face, a secret man who lived behind a front. He pushed his silver mane back and patted it in place.
`Tonight is all the time we have,' I said. `In the morning you can expect Bastian and the sheriff and probably the DA pounding on your door. You won't be able to put them off by simply denying that you bought that knife. You're going to have to explain it.'
`Do you really think Dick took it?'
`He's a better suspect than Tom, in my opinion.'
`Very well, I'll call him.'
He rose and went to the telephone on the desk.'
`Don't tell him what you want him for. He might break and run.'
`Naturally I won't.'
He dialed a number from memory, and waited. When he spoke, his voice had changed again. It was lighter and younger. `Dick? You said something to Elaine about dropping by tonight. I was wondering if I was to expect you . . . I know it's late. I'm sorry you're not too well. What's the trouble? . . . I'm sorry. Look, why don't you come out anyway, just for a minute? Tom came home tonight, isn't that great? He'll want to see you. And I particularly want to see you . . . Yep, it's an order .... Fine, I'll look for you then.'
He hung up.
