Vera said anxiously: "Isn't it very risky, what he's doing?"
"In a sense you mean - no, I don't think it is! Armstrong's not armed, you know, and anyway Blore is twice a match for him in physique and he's very much on his guard.
And anyway it's a sheer impossibility that Armstrong can be in the house.
I know he's not there."
"But - what other solution is there?"
Philip said softly: "There's Blore."
"Oh - do you really think -?"
"Listen, my girl. You heard Blore's story.
You've got to admit that if it's true, I can't possibly have had anything to do with Armstrong's disappearance.
His story clears me.
But it doesn't clear him.
We've only his word for it that he heard footsteps and saw a man going downstairs and out at the front door.
The whole thing may be a lie.
He may have got rid of Armstrong a couple of hours before that."
"How?"
Lombard shrugged his shoulders.
"That we don't know.
But if you ask me, we've only one danger to fear - and that danger is Blore!
What do we know about the man?
Less than nothing!
All this ex-policeman story may be bunkum!
He may be anybody - a mad millionaire - a crazy business man - an escaped inmate of Broadmoor.
One thing's certain.
He could have done every one of these crimes."
Vera had gone rather white.
She said in a slightly breathless voice: "And supposing he gets - us?"
Lombard said softly, patting the revolver in his pocket: "I'm going to take very good care he doesn't."
Then he looked at her curiously. "Touching faith in me, haven't you, Vera? Quite sure I wouldn't shoot you?"
Vera said: "One has got to trust some one...
As a matter of fact I think you're wrong about Blore.
I still think it's Armstrong."
She turned to him suddenly. "Don't you feel - all the time - that there's some one. Some one watching and waiting?"
Lombard said slowly: "That's just nerves."
Vera said eagerly: "Then you have felt it?" She shivered. She bent a little closer.
"Tell me - you don't think -" She broke off, went on: "I read a story once - about two judges that came to a small American town - from the Supreme Court.
They administered justice - Absolute Justice.
Because - they didn't come from this world at all..."
Lombard raised his eyebrows.
He said: "Heavenly visitants, eh?
No, I don't believe in the supernatural.
This business is human enough."
Vera said in a low voice: "Sometimes - I'm not sure..."
Lombard looked at her. He said: "That's conscience..."
After a moment's silence he said very quietly: "So you did drown that kid after all?"
Vera said vehemently: "I didn't!
I didn't!
You've no right to say that!"
He laughed easily. "Oh, yes, you did, my good girl!
I don't know why.
Can't imagine.