The Seven Dials Mystery - Agatha Christie [49]
‘Cut out the compliments. Let’s make plans.’
To her relief, Bill reacted favourably to the suggestion.
‘You’re right about the formula,’ he said. ‘Eberhard’s got some sort of formula with him, or rather Sir Oswald has. The stuff has been tested out at his works–very secretly and all that. Eberhard has been down there with him. They’re all in the study now–what you might call coming down to brass tacks.’
‘How long is Sir Stanley Digby staying?’ asked Jimmy.
‘Going back to town tomorrow.’
‘H’m,’ said Jimmy. ‘Then one thing’s quite clear. If, as I suppose, Sir Stanley will be taking the formula with him, any funny business there’s going to be will be tonight.’
‘I suppose it will.’
‘Not a doubt of it. That narrows the thing down very comfortably. But the bright lads will have to be their very brightest. We must come down to details. First of all, where will the sacred formula be tonight? Will Eberhard have it, or Sir Oswald Coote?’
‘Neither. I understand it’s to be handed over to the Air Minister this evening, for him to take to town tomorrow. In that case O’Rourke will have it. Sure to.’
‘Well, there’s only one thing for it. If we believe someone’s going to have a shot at pinching that paper, we’ve got to keep watch tonight, Bill, my boy.’
Bundle opened her mouth as though to protest, but shut it again without speaking.
‘By the way,’ continued Jimmy, ‘did I recognize the commissionaire from Harrods in the hall this evening, or was it our old friend Lestrade from Scotland Yard?’
‘Scintillating, Watson,’ said Bill.
‘I suppose,’ said Jimmy, ‘that we are rather butting in on his preserves.’
‘Can’t be helped,’ said Bill. ‘Not if we mean to see this thing through.’
‘Then it’s agreed,’ said Jimmy. ‘We divide the night into two watches?’
Again Bundle opened her mouth, and again shut it without speaking.
‘Right you are,’ agreed Bill. ‘Who’ll take first duty?’
‘Shall we spin for it?’
‘Might as well.’
‘All right. Here goes. Heads you first and I second. Tails, vice versa.’
Bill nodded. The coin spun in the air. Jimmy bent to look at it.
‘Tails,’ he said.
‘Damn,’ said Bill. ‘You get first half and probably any fun that’s going.’
‘Oh, you never know,’ said Jimmy. ‘Criminals are very uncertain. What time shall I wake you? Three?’
‘That’s about fair, I think.’
And now, at last, Bundle spoke:
‘What about me?’ she asked.
‘Nothing doing. You go to bed and sleep.’
‘Oh!’ said Bundle. ‘That’s not very exciting.’
‘You never know,’ said Jimmy kindly. ‘You may be murdered in your sleep while Bill and I escape scot-free.’
‘Well, there’s always that possibility. Do you know, Jimmy, I don’t half like the look of that countess. I suspect her.’
‘Nonsense,’ cried Billy hotly. ‘She’s absolutely above suspicion.’
‘How do you know?’ retorted Bundle.
‘Because I do. Why, one of the fellows at the Hungarian Embassy vouched for her.’
‘Oh!’ said Bundle, momentarily taken aback by his fervour.
‘You girls are all the same,’ grumbled Bill. ‘Just because she’s a jolly good-looking woman–’
Bundle was only too well acquainted with this unfair masculine line of argument.
‘Well, don’t you go and pour confidences into her shell-pink ear,’ she remarked. ‘I’m going to bed. I was bored stiff with that drawing-room and I’m not going back.’
She left the room. Bill looked at Jimmy.
‘Good old Bundle,’ he said. ‘I was afraid we might have trouble with her. You know how keen she is to be in everything. I think the way she took it was just wonderful.’
‘So did I,’ said Jimmy. ‘It staggered me.’
‘She’s got some sense, Bundle has. She knows when a thing’s plumb impossible. I say, oughtn’t we to have some lethal weapons? Chaps usually do when they’re going on this sort of stunt.’
‘I have a blue-nosed automatic,’ said Jimmy with gentle pride. ‘It weighs several pounds and looks most dangerous. I’ll lend it to you when the time comes.’
Bill looked at him with respect and envy.
‘What made you think of getting that?’ he said.
‘I don’t know,’ said Jimmy carelessly. ‘It just came to me.’
‘I hope