I sighed. 'Look, Mr. Fallon; an American kills my brother and the tray is involved. Four days before my brother is murdered two Americans try to buy it from him. And now you come along, an American, and also want to buy the tray. Don't you think you've got some explaining to do?'
He seemed to have aged five years and his face was drawn, but he looked up alertly. 'The Americans,' he said. 'The ones who wanted to buy the tray. What were their names?'
'Perhaps you can tell me,' I said.
'Was one of them Halstead?'
'Now you have got some explaining to do,' I said grimly. 'I think I'd better run you down to the police station right now. [ think Superintendent Smith would be interested in you.'
He looked down at the floor and brooded for a while, then raised his head. 'Now I think you are being stupid, Mr. Wheale. Do you really think that if I was implicated in this murder I would have come here openly today? I didn't know that Halstead had approached your brother, and I didn't know the housebreaker was an American.'
'But you knew Halstead's name.'
He flapped his hand tiredly. 'I've been crossing Halstead's trail all over Central America and Europe for the last three years. Sometimes I'd get there first and sometimes he would. I know Halstead; he was a student of mine some years ago.'
'A student of what?'
'I'm an archeologist,' said Fallon. 'And so is Halstead.'
Madge came in with the tea, and there were some scones and strawberry jam and clotted cream. She put the tray on the desk, smiled at me wanly and left the room. As I offered the scones and poured the tea I reflected that it made a cosy domestic scene very much at odds with the subject of discussion. I put down the teapot, and said, 'What about Gatt? Did you know him?'
'I've never heard of the man,' said Fallon.
I pondered awhile. One thing struck me -- I hadn't caught out Fallon in a lie. He'd said that Halstead was an archeologist, and that was confirmed by Dave Goosan. He'd said he arrived at the Cott on Friday, and that was confirmed by Nigel. I thought about that and made a long arm to pull the telephone closer. Without saying anything I dialled the Cott and watched Fallon drink his tea.
'Oh, hello, Nigel. Look, this chap Fallon -- what time did he arrive last Friday?', 'About half-past six in the evening. Why, Jemmy?'
'Just something that's come up. Can you tell me what he did that night?' I stared unblinkingly at Fallon, who didn't seem at all perturbed at the trend of the questions. He merely spread some cream on a scone and took a bite.
'I can tell you everything he did that night,' said Nigel. 'We had a bit of an impromptu party which went on a bit. I talked to Fallon quite a lot. He's an interesting old bird; he was telling me about his experiences in Mexico.'
'Can you put a time on this?'
Nigel paused. 'Well, he was in the bar at ten o'clock -- and he was still there when the party broke up. We were a bit late -- say, quarter to two in the morning.' He hesitated. 'You going to the police with this?'
I grinned. 'You weren't breaking the licensing laws, were you?'
'Not at all. Everyone there was staying at the Cott. Guests' privileges and all that.'
'You're sure he was there continuously?'
'Dead sure.'
Thanks, Nigel; you've been a great help.' I put down the phone and looked at Fallon. 'You're in the clear.'
He smiled and delicately dabbed his fingertips on a napkin. 'You're a very logical man, Mr. Wheale.'
I leaned back in my chair. 'How much would you say the tray is worth?'
That's a hard question to answer,' he said. 'Intrinsically not very much -- the gold is diluted with silver and copper. Artistically, it's a very fine piece and the antiquarian value is also high. I daresay that at auction in a good saleroom it would bring about ?7,000.'
'What about the archeological value?' He laughed. 'It's sixteenth-century Spanish; where's the archeological value in that?'
'You tell me. All I know is that the people who want to buy it are archeologists.' I regarded him thoughtfully. 'Make me an offer.'
'I'll give you ?7,000,' he said promptly, 'I could get that at Sotheby's,' I pointed out. 'Besides, Halstead might give me more or Gatt might.'
'I doubt if Halstead could go that much,' said Fallon equably. 'But I'll play along, Mr. Wheale; I'll give you ?10,000.'
I said ironically, 'So you're giving me ?3,000 for the archeological value it hasn't got. You're a very generous man. Would you call yourself a rich man?'
A slight smile touched his lips. 'I guess I would.'
I stood up and said abruptly, 'There's too much mystery involved in this for my liking. You know something about the tray which you're not telling. I think I'd better have a look at it myself before coming to any firm decision.'
If he was disappointed he hid it well. 'That would appear to be wise, but I doubt if you will find anything by a mere inspection.' He looked down at his hands. 'Mr. Wheale, I have made you a most generous offer, yet I would
