"Come on!" said Purdie. "Let's hear what's happening."
The proprietors of the tea-rooms had led the Inspector and the man who was
with him into what was evidently a private room--and when Lauriston and
Purdie reached the door they were standing on the hearth rug, side by
side, each in a very evident state of amazement, staring at a document
which the Inspector was displaying to them. They looked up from it to
glance with annoyance, at the other men who came quietly and expectantly
crowding into the room.
"More of your people?" asked the elder man, querulously. "Look here, you
know!--we don't see the need for all this fuss, not for your interrupting
our business in this way! One or two of you, surely, would have been
enough without bringing a troop of people on to our premises--all this is
unnecessary!"
"You'll allow us to be the best judge of what's necessary and what isn't,
Mr. Pilmansey," retorted the Inspector. "There'll be no fuss, no bother--
needn't be, anyway, if you tell us what we want to know, and don't oppose
us in what we've got power to do. Here's a warrant--granted on certain
information--to search your premises.
Pages:
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343