“In what way?”
“In a way that involved him. Even giving the license number of his car. How could he know Mrs. Darby wouldn’t give the message to the police instead of you? It was obvious that that message was sent by someone who wanted to tie Vail up by getting him involved, and that couldn’t be anyone but Brager. So after I went there and found Crescent Road deserted, I thought it over and decided two things. I decided that you would go straight to Mrs. Dundee, because you had said you would, and I decided that Brager’s alibis for both murders were frame-ups. So I went and enlightened Corbett and he started a search of the laboratory. Manny Beck had kept a man on guard there — but I don’t want to bore you. You’re not listening.”
“I am too listening!” Heather protested.
“Nope. You’ve lost interest. Since Ross came. You’re probably so mad at him for coming that you can’t get your mind on anything else.” Hicks took a sip of wine. “So I’ll proceed to the purpose I invited him for, and then he can go and you’ll feel better.” Hicks turned. “Nedda!”
Mrs. Garci came trotting.
“Will you please ask Rosy for the package he’s keeping for me?”
Mrs. Garci went.
“A package?” Heather inquired suspiciously.
Hicks nodded, wiping sauce from his plate with a chunk of bread. “I didn’t want to leave it in my room, for fear Vail might take it into his head to look around while I was away. As for my inviting Ross, I didn’t want to make myself liable to a lawsuit. In England, the letters a man writes and sends remain his property, not that of the recipient. In this country the question of ownership is still more or less up in the air, but I didn’t want to take a chance— Thank you, Nedda, that’s it. So I thought it best to return these things with both of you present—”
“Don’t open that!” Heather clutched his sleeve. “Don’t you dare—”
“What is it?” Ross demanded. “From its shape, it looks—”
“Its shape does rather give it away,” Hicks admitted. “It’s sonograph plates that Miss Gladd was preserving. Seven of them. There were eight, but one — no you don’t, I’m hanging onto them until you folks decide—”
Heather was glaring at him, speechless with fury. Ross was gazing at her, also speechless, though not with fury.
“Why, you—” he stammered. “You s-s-said you d-d-didn’t keep them!” He swallowed. “You darned little liar! You d-d-doggoned liar! Heather!”
Hicks chewed on the luscious chunk of bread and sauce.