He puzzled over the thought while the lawyer greeted Vidal and Grayson. There followed a long exchange in Spanish and then Miranda leaned back while Ramon Zu-meta took over.
'We have questioned some of the help at the Tucan,' he said, 'and have established certain facts. You came to the hotel about seven thirty, Mr. Grayson. Mr. Baker met you. Do you care to tell us what you did then?'
'Why not' Grayson slumped in his chair and now he smoothed his hair with the palm of his hand. 'I went up to his room, stayed about one minute, and came down. I went home. You can check with the servants/'
'At approximately ten minutes of eight,' Zumeta continued, 'Mr. Baker came to the desk to ask if there were any messages. He went from there to the bar and ordered a dry martini. When it was served he reached into his pocket and then told the barman he must have left his wallet in his room. The barman remembers this because he told Mr. Baker he could sign the check, but Mr. Baker said he would rather pay and to hold his drink. He never came back for it.'
Zumeta glanced up, hesitated, then consulted his notes. 'At about five minutes of eight Mr. Baker came to the desk
to ask for his key. The clerk could not find the regular key, so he offered a duplicate, thinking Mr. Baker had left the other one in his room. He saw Mr. Baker start for the elevators, but he cannot remember whether he saw Mr. Baker actually step in or not.'
He glanced at the girl 'You were right about the telephone call you heard. At 8.01 someone used a house phone and the operator rang room 312 three times before the party hung up. At 8.07 the light on 312 flashed on the switchboard. When the operator answered someone said: 'Outside/ and was given a line. She thinks it was no more than fifteen or twenty seconds before the telephone was replaced. Unfortunately, because of the dial system, we do not know where the call went. Unless he died instantly, which is doubtful, Mr. Baker could have pulled the telephone to the floor and made that call . . . Would you know anything about that call, Mr. Grayson?' he asked.
'Me? No. I'd just talked to him a half-hour before that**
'About what?' Vidal asked.
'A personal matter.' Grayson sat up, the grooves digging into the sides of his nose and his pale gaze intent. 'What did you find in the room?'
'Aside from the usual things, the gun,' Zumeta said. TEfis traveling bag was unlocked and the keys were in the lock.'
'But— I mean, wasn't there anything else?'
'Clothing, Mr. Grayson. His wallet, the usual papers. . . . Should there be something else?'
Grayson s glance slid to Luis Miranda and he jerked it back. He cleared his throat and shrugged. 'I wouldn't know,' he said. 'I just wondered if you found some clue, something that would give you a lead.'
Under the circumstances the reply lacked conviction and Jeff wondered about this when Grayson slumped in his chair and the scowl deepened. Then Zumeta said:
'Is there anything any of you can add to the Information we have?'
On the other side of him Karen Holmes sat up, *1 don't know if it's important/' she said, 'but Mr. Miranda was at the hotel too. He came in right after Mr. Grayson. I remember seeing him from the writing-room windows.'
It was then that Jeff remembered. For he was certain now that this was the man who had served as an interpreter for him with the taxi driver. But that was later, he thought. Not when Karen saw him.
'This was about seven thirty, Miss Holmes?' Vidal glanced at Miranda as she nodded.
'Quite true;' Miranda said, his accents precise. 'I am one of the attorneys for PanAm Oil, as you know. I was included in the guest list for tonight's dinner. In fact,' he added, 'I was paged there by my home. That is how I knew Mr. Grayson wished me to come here. 5 *
'Did you see Mr. Grayson at the hotel?' Vidal asked.
'Not that I recall/'
'Or Mr. Baker?'
'Mr. Spencer'— Vidal fixed his gaze on the reporter— 'you say you went into the bar after you saw Mr. Grayson and Mr. Baker. How long did you stay?'
'Quite a while. I was still there when I got the idea something was wrong.**
'Did you see Mr. Baker?'
'Not after the Irst time.'
'But-'
Spencer granted and dug absently at the base of his throat. 'I wasn't in that bar, Chief. I m a reporter. I can t afford to pay four B*s for a Scotch and soda very often. Not when there's a Company bar set up in the private din- ing-room.**
O3SDE MINUTE PAST EIGHT AK
Miranda stood up and spoke in Spanish to Vidal. Presently lie nodded and turned to Grayson.
'There seems to be no need for me here at this time/* he said stiffly. 'Mr, Vidal has assured me that no one will be detained tonight and I have other business to attend to.'
'Wait a minute!' Grayson Jumped up', his eyes flaring and his voice mean.
'You will excuse me,' Miranda said as though he had not heard.
'But you can t walk out on me without—'
He stopped as the door slammed in his face, his neck red with anger and his mouth twisted. As he stood there Jeff eyed him with some amazement because, though it was obvious there was ill-feeling between Grayson and the lawyer, he could not understand the reason for the outburst. Then, the fury still riding him, Grayson wheeled on Vidal.
'How much longer does this go on?' he demanded savagely.
Vidal eyed him narrowly but his voice remained calm.
'Not long,'* he said. 'One more question. Our records show that Mr. Baker went to Barbados on Saturday and returned yesterday morning. It has been said that you engaged his services.**
*So what?'
1 wonder if you would mind telling us the nature of his work and why he went to Barbados.**
'Sure I mind,' Grayson said. 'Not because it's important but because I don't think it's any of your business.'
Vidal shrugged and his mouth tightened as he reached for two sheets of paper on his desk. When he separated them Jeff could see they were cablegrams.
'These were found in Baker s wallet,' he said. 'I will read them to you.' He gave the date of the first one and
said: 'This was addressed to Mr. Harry Baker, Marine Hotel, Barbados and says: 'Accept offer. No reprisal on Lane if cash. Advise immediately where and when delivery will be made/ It is signed 'Westwind/ and was sent from Las Vegas, Nevada.'
He glanced up. 'I am curious about the reference to the name Lane! 9 He fixed his dark gaze on Jeff. 'Would this be you?'
Jeff shook his head. When he said he had never been in Las Vegas Vidal considered Grayson a silent moment. 'And you, Mr. Grayson, used to be known in the States as Arnold Lane, is that true?'
'What about it?'
Vidal hesitated, then picked up the second cable. 'This is to the same name and address. It reads: 'Carl Webb will make collection Wednesday/'
He put the message aside and glanced at Spencer. 'You once worked in Las Vegas. What is the Westwind?'
'A hotel.'
'Do you have any idea about these cables?'
'Not the faintest/'
Once more Vidal considered Grayson. 'It seems obvious you sent Baker to Barbados to make some offer in your behalf. Perhaps you can tell us who Carl Webb is.'
'I never heard of him before.'
'And you do not wish to tell us what this offer was about/*
'Not now I don't'
Vidal turned his hand palm down on the desk. 'As you wish,' he said. 'But we will require a statement from
