The Case of the Diamond Shadow by Masson Sophie

Author:Masson, Sophie [Masson, Sophie]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2012-04-30T16:00:00+00:00

George hastily put away the offending magazine in his pocket. He was very glad he had not mentioned his half-baked theory to the detective after all.

‘Here,’ said Woodley-Foxe, handing him a newspaper. ‘You read this one, I’ll take the other. Two pairs of eyes might find what one may miss.’

‘What are we looking for, sir? Reports of the robberies?’

‘That and other, more interesting, things: strange notices or advertisements that might have been written in code. Perhaps signals to The Shadow’s associates that another robbery may be about to take place.’

‘Cor,’ breathed George, tingling all over. He scanned each column carefully. There were lots of dull foreign news stories and advertisements for cigarettes, soap, pens, insurance and all kinds of other things in which, try as he might, he could not see a connection to The Shadow. The comic seemed to burn a hole in his pocket. Could it be a kind of code, a sort of signal? But he still didn’t dare bring it to Woodley-Foxe’s attention.

George turned a page. There was a little article about gardening, and another on fashion — he could just imagine Daisy in the dresses — and then a gossip column. He ran his eye down it swiftly, not really being interested in celebrities, unless they were detectives. But then his attention was caught by two phrases: ‘Brooks Hotel’ and ‘Blue Moon Diamond’.

‘Mr Woodley-Foxe! I think I’ve got it!’

‘Don’t shout, boy. What is it?’

‘It says here that Olivia Marlow, the film star, was spotted staying at the Brooks Hotel. Look — there’s a picture of her here. It says she’s been seen wearing the magnificent jewel given to her by Prince Ottokar of Luxenstein. The centrepiece of the necklace, the Blue Moon Diamond alone is worth thousands and thousands of pounds! Oh, Mr Woodley-Foxe! I’m sure this will be the next one taken! And if The Shadow’s really the Countess, and she’s already at the Brooks Hotel …’

‘Give it here,’ said Woodley-Foxe, and taking the paper, he scanned the column. ‘Hmm,’ he said, when he’d finished. ‘You’re probably right. Well-spotted, lad.’

George swelled with pride, all his past humiliations forgotten.

‘Sir,’ he said, eagerly, ‘wouldn’t it be good if we could catch The Shadow red-handed?’

‘It would,’ said the detective. ‘But if the Countess — The Shadow — gets wind of my coming to the Brooks, then it’s likely she will be very careful indeed. As a habitual criminal, she will know of my high reputation. She will be aware that I have never yet lost my man — or woman! She may well decide to give the Blue Moon Diamond a miss.’

A picture of the detective trussed up and helpless in Lady Eleanor’s back laundry popped into George’s mind. But he loyally brushed it aside. ‘She won’t know you suspect her, sir!’ he said. ‘After all, she’s not to know you recognised the smell of the cigar smoke her coat was impregnated with! She took great pains so you would not see her, or guess she was a woman.

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