In the Onyx Lobby Part 37

"I can't see it. To be sure, I've only dipped into things so far, but the crime is so skillfully planned and carried out----"

"It might have been impulsive and unpremeditated----"

"At the time it happened, yes. I mean, it may not have been planned for that moment, but it was planned beforehand and the criminal sprang to take his chance when it offered."

"Her chance."

"I use the common p.r.o.noun. When I say his or him, I merely mean the hand that struck the blow."

"Have you seen the paper,--the message?"

"I have it with me."

Wise produced the gla.s.s-protected paper and together they studied the writing.

"It's positively Binney's," Wise declared. "I've compared lots of his writing with it, and it's surely his. Again, it was surely written at the moment of his death, for Moore found him dying, and the pencil just dropping from his fingers."

"Oh, I don't doubt all that," Zizi said, impatiently, "but what does it mean? I've gone past the fact that women did it; I thoroughly believe that,--in fact, I think it means that women used the knife, but it may not, it may be merely that they were the primary causes. However, he knew, he was _sure_ of the criminals who were to be punished. Now, if that _bo_ means 'get both' there were only two. If it means something else there may be more than two women implicated."

"Oh, Lord, Ziz, don't gather in more than two suspects. Women don't form a club for murder."

"Women don't murder, as a rule, anyway. You know yourself, the small proportion of feminine murderers."

"That ought to make it easier."

"Not at all. These weren't professionals, who might be listed; they were women, two, most likely, who had a personal matter to settle with the Englishman, and--settled it."

"I grant you all that, except the personal matter. I can't help thinking the bun business is a factor, and though women did the murder, it may be they were interested in the sale of the buns."

"Reasons?"

"Because Sir Herbert Binney was a man who jollied round with little chorus youngsters and such, and they couldn't and wouldn't kill anybody.

Don't look for the impossible, or so improbable as to amount to the same thing."

"I agree."

"Nothing has turned up to hint at Sir Herbert's connection, even acquaintance, with any older women or indeed any woman of a different stamp, of his own station in life, or in society at all. No woman who could be mentioned by name has ever had to do with Sir Herbert since he came to New York,--that we know of."

"There might be somebody though."

"Of course, there might. If there is, we'll find her. But we can't hunt a needle in a haystack. If she materializes, we'll spot her."

"Then, excluding the squabs, the only women tagged onto the case are the two Feudists."

"You've said it."

"And they didn't act in collusion?"

"Never!"

"Then it comes down to a decision between Miss Prall and her companion or Mrs Everett and her maid."

"Not necessarily her maid."

"Crickets! Not her daughter!"

"Oh, I don't know. I've just started, Ziz. Help me, don't jump around so."

"Well, bless his heart, he shouldn't be tormented. He should just be guided, counselored and befriended by his faithful helper. Now, to start straight, what's the motive in each of these two cases?"

"Merely to get rid of the man who was for furthering the marriage of the two young people. Miss Prall knew that if Sir Herbert were dead, his fortune would be young Bates' without any conditions and the boy could go on with his inventing in peace. Then, she felt, he'd get so engrossed he'd forget about the Everett girl, and as the Everett mother plans to move away all would be well."

"If the Everetts are leaving, why should Miss Prall go to the trouble of eliminating the Bun man?"

"Point well taken, Zizi; but, you see, as long as the Bun man was around he nagged at nephew to go into Buns and give up his more congenial occupation."

"Pretty slim reason for a real live murder, I think."

"So do I. But it's the best we can get in that direction. Now, coming to the Everett suspects, the widow may have more reason for wishing Sir Herbert dead than we yet know of."

"All we know of is so he can't push along the romance of the youngsters."

"Exactly. And here's the conclusion of the whole matter. I conclude that those two women are the ones to be looked up, not, of course, acting together, but one or the other of them. If we can get anything on either, let's do so."

"And the business men?"

"I want to look those up, too. There's one Crippen, who considered buying out Sir Herbert's business. Also, he was an old beau of the two enemy women. There may be a complication worth studying there."

"What is this bun business? I mean, does he merely sell the good will,--of what?"

"Oh, no; he sells his recipe. It's a secret process,--the making of Binney's Buns,--and the recipe is the thing. No one has ever been able to imitate them successfully. All attempts are dismal failures. But with the formula any one can make them. It's Sir Herbert's great source of anxiety lest the recipe, or formula, whatever they call it, should be discovered."

"Or stolen!"

"Stolen?"

"Yes, don't you see, he had the recipe and he was murdered for it."

"Oh, don't go off wild-goose chasing! It might be,--or it might be he was murdered for his watch and chain, which they didn't take after all,--but we have to have some shred of evidence to go upon."

"Sure we do. And, therefore, I ask you, where _is_ this recipe?"

"Why, I don't know,--truly I don't."

Wise smiled at her as at a foolish child, but the saucy little brown face looked very sober as she said, seriously: "and you call yourself a detective! Why, Penny-piece of Wisdom, that recipe is the bone of contention. At least, if it isn't found, it is."

"And did the women murder him for that?"