prints too.’
‘I’ll fix it.’
For the next three hours, I didn’t move from the telephone. The moment I replaced the receiver, the bell rang again. By ten o’clock, the outer office was packed with newspaper men, all clamouring for the story.
At ten-thirty, I took the whole crowd of them to Meadows. He certainly could handle newspaper men.
Police Captain Reiger and Federal Officer Barty were there, but they didn’t get a look in. Meadows hogged the whole show.
Glad of a little respite, I left them with him and returned to my office. As I sat down at my desk, the telephone bell rang. It was Nina.
‘Harry, I’ve lost my car keys and I want to use the car. Did you take them?’
The car!
During the past hectic hours I had forgotten about the car and what was in the trunk.
‘I hadn’t time to tell you,’ I said. ‘You can’t use the car. The gearbox has packed up. I had to get a tow home last night.’
‘What shall I do? I have a lot of pots to take to the shop. Can’t we get it fixed? Shall I get someone from the garage…?’
‘No! It means a new gearbox. We just can’t afford that. Take a taxi. Look, Nina, I’m right up to my eyes. Forget the car. I’ll see you some time tonight,’ and I hung up.
I hadn’t got over that shock before there was a tap on the door and Tim Cowley walked in.
The sight of him jarred me down to my heels.
‘Hello, boy,’ he said. ‘So you’re really in the thick of it.’
‘You’re missing something,’ I said. ‘The D.A. is holding a Press meeting right now. All the boys are in there.’
He pursed his lips and made a rude noise.
‘That old wind-bag! All he thinks about is getting his ugly mug in the papers.’ He came in and folded himself down in one of the armchairs. ‘When I write my piece about this kidnapping, it’s going to be from a completely different angle from those suckers in with your boss. This, Harry, could be the big story if it is handled right and I’m going to handle it right. Renick is a smart boy. I’ll talk to him, but not to his boss. He’s no use to me.’ He lit a cigarette, his quizzing eyes searching my face. ‘They reckon she’s dead, don’t they?’
‘That’s their guess. They don’t know for sure.’
‘How’s Malroux taking it? I went there, but the house is surrounded by cops. I couldn’t get near him.’
‘He seems to be taking it pretty well. You must remember he is a dying man. He hasn’t more than a couple of months to live.’
‘And how’s his glamorous wife taking it?’
‘She’s collapsed.’
Cowley stared at me.
‘She’s – what?’
‘She’s under doctor’s orders. She has collapsed. You know what the word collapse means?’
He threw his head back and laughed like a hyena.
‘That’s rich! I would have betted she would have been dancing the can-can on the roof.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Look, these people – the Malroux – are French. Do you know anything about the heredity laws in France?’
‘I can’t say I do. What has that to do with it?’
‘By law, a child inherits half the parents’ estate. That means this girl would have got half Malroux’s millions. Even if Malroux wanted to give his wife all his money, he couldn’t do it. Half what he owns goes automatically and by law to the girl when he dies, and half what he owns must be a very, very large slice of dough.’
I felt a spooky feeling run through me.
‘If these kidnappers have murdered the girl, and it seems likely, and if Malroux dies shortly, and that seems likely too, Rhea Malroux inherits the whole fortune. That’s why I’m surprised to hear she has collapsed – probably with joy.’
Here then could be the motive for Odette’s death: had this faked kidnapping been a blind to set the stage for murder? Had Rhea picked on me for a catspaw?
Cowley said, ‘What’s on your mind, Harry? You look as if you have swallowed a bee.’
The inter-com buzzed at this moment. I flicked down the switch.
‘I want you,’ Meadows bawled. ‘Come on in.’
‘His Master’s Voice,’ Cowley said, grinning.
I got to my feet.
‘See you, Tim,’ I said. ‘Anything I can do, just let me know.’
Glad to escape from his quizzing eyes, I left the office at a run.
II
By midday, the organised search for Odette Malroux had
