“Who gave it to you?”
“Mr. McNair.” “And the one set in your vanity case-who gave you that one?” “Mr. McNair.”
“Astonishing.
I wouldn't have supposed you cared for diamonds.” Wolfe opened a bottle of beer and filled his glass.
“You mustn't mind me, Miss Frost. I mean, my seeming inconsequence.
A servant girl named Anna Fiore sat in that chair once and conversed with me for five hours. The Duchess of Rathkyn did so for most of a night.
I am apt to poke into almost any comer, and I beg you to bear with me.” He lifted the glass and emptied it in par. “For instance, this diamond business is curious. Do you like them?”
“I don't…not ordinarily.”
“Is Mr. McNair fond of them?
Does he make gifts of them more or less at random?”
“Not that I know of.”
“And although you don't Wee them, you wear these out of…respect for Mr. McNair?
Affection for an old friend?”
“I wear them because I happen to feel like it.”
“Just so. You see, I know very little about Mr. McNair. Is he married?”
“As I told you, he is an old friend of my mother's.
A lifelong friend.
He had a daughter about my age, a month or so older, but she died when she was two years old.
His wife had died before, when the baby was born. Mr. McNair is the finest man I have ever known.
He is…he is my best friend.”
“And yet he puts diamonds on you.
You must forgive my harping on the diamonds; I happen to dislike them. – Oh, yes, I meant to ask, do you know anyone else who is fond of Jordan almonds?”
“Anybody else?”
“Besides Mr. McNair.”
“No, I don't.” Wolfe poured more beer and, leaving the foam to settle, leaned back and frowned at his victim.
“You know, Miss Frost, it is time something was said to you.
In your conceit, you are assuming, for your youth and inexperience, a terrific responsibility.
Molly Lauck died nine days ago, probably through bungling of someone's effort to kill another person.
During all that time you have possessed knowledge which, handled with competence and dispatch, might do something much more important than wreak vengeance; it might save a life, and it is even possible that the life would be one worth saving.
What do you think; isn't that responsibility pretty heavy for you?
I have too much sense to try coercion.
There's too much egotism and too much mule in you.
But you really should consider it.”
He picked up his glass and drank.
She sat and watched him.
Finally she said,
“I have considered it.
I'm not an egotist.
I…I've considered.”
Wolfe lifted his shoulders an inch and dropped them.
“Very well.
I understand that your father is dead.
I gathered that from the statement of your uncle, Mr. Dudley Frost, that he is the trustee of your property.” She nodded.
“My father died when I was only a few months old.
So I've never had a father.” She frowned. “That is…”
“Yes? That is?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head. “Nothing at all.”
“And what does your property consist of?”
“I inherited it from my father.”
“To be sure. How much is it?” She lifted her brows.