Scotland Yard Can Wait by David Frome

Author:David Frome [Frome, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: D.L. Roberts
Published: 2014-10-14T07:00:00+00:00

Jerry had come down to breakfast with his key safe in his pocket, hoping chiefly for a chance to apologize to Kitty Bailey, to Mr. Bailey, and to Sir John Bailey.

Thinking it over on the way down, he decided that it might be a little awkward to apologize to Mr. Philip Bailey, particularly if he intended, as Prothero had asked, keeping an eye on him while he was in town. He had also come to one definite conclusion. He had let old Prothero blind him to the one thing that could be called a fact in the whole arrangement. He had actually seen Oliphant in company with the man positively known to have been the man who actually did the robbery. No matter who else was concerned in it, Sprat Marlin had done it. And Oliphant's presence at the restaurant in Soho with Marlin, plus his presence in Sir John's house, indicated (assuming old Prothero was right, and that Bailey was just waiting for Marlin to come out of prison so they could get the hidden loot) that Oliphant was also waiting. The more Jerry thought it over, the better it sounded. What better place could there be to wait in than in the home of the brother of Mr. Philip Bailey? They were always in touch. It was too simple.

"The first thing to do," Jerry thought as he shaved, "is to catch Bailey and Oliphant alone, when they're off guard."

After Marlin's death they would obviously have a great many things to talk about. Chiefly one of the topics was the whereabouts of the key. That, Jerry thought, explained exactly why the Baileys had come up to town at this time.

Clearly, he thought further, it was Oliphant who had to be watched.

His first opportunity came unexpectedly, before breakfast that Thursday morning. He went down a little before eight. As he came even with the dining room door, he saw that the door was open and also that he had a complete though distorted view of the room in the girandole over the mantel. He looked, first, to see if he was the first down, and with nothing else in mind. He continued to look because Philip Bailey was seated at the table. Oliphant was serving him. Jerry could see the faces of both men clearly. Mr. Bailey's was bent over his bacon and eggs, and Oliphant, having served him without expression of any kind on his pale face, moved back to the sideboard and stood at a respectful and impassive attention.

While Jerry stood on the stairs Oliphant, far from taking advantage of their being alone, actually took the tall silver pot and went out toward the pantry. Philip Bailey continued eating, quite oblivious of anything else.

Jerry was almost convinced—it was taking less and less to convince him—that Mr. Philip Bailey was grossly maligned by both his brother and old Prothero. His own prospective role as defender of the future Mrs. Prothero's father became a more brilliant, if sadder, prospect. He could hear himself saying, "You wronged her, sir, in believing her father so base.

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