Why should you？〃
〃That's my business； isn't it？〃
〃No。 You can't fob the cops off that way。 You have to satisfy them that you are being frank and open and have nothing to hide。 As long as they think you are hiding something they never let up。 Give them a reasonable and plausible story and they go away cheerful。 And the most reasonable and plausible story is always the truth。 Any objection to telling it？〃
〃Every possible objection；〃 she said。 〃But it doesn't seem to make much difference。 Do we have to tell them that I suspected my daughter…in…law of stealing the coin and that I was wrong？〃
〃It would be better。〃
〃And that it has been returned and how？〃
〃It would be better。〃
〃That is going to humiliate me very much。〃
I shrugged。
〃You're a callous brute；〃 she said。 〃You're a cold…blooded fish。 I don't like you。 I deeply regret ever having met you。〃
〃Mutual；〃 I said。
She reached a thick finger to a key and barked into the talking box。 〃Merle。 Ask my son to e in here at once。 And I think you may as well e in with him。〃
She released the key； pressed her broad fingers together and let her hands drop heavily to her thighs。 Her bleak eyes went up to the ceiling。
Her voice was quiet and sad saying： 〃My son took the coin。 Mr。 Marlowe。 My son。 My own son。〃
I didn't say anything。 We sat there glaring at each other。 In a couple of minutes they both came in and she barked at them to sit down。
21
Leslie Murdock was wearing a greenish slack suit and his hair looked damp； as if he had just been taking a shower。 He sat hunched forward； looking at the white buck shoes on his feet； and turning a ring on his finger。 He didn't have his long black cigarette holder and he looked a little lonely without it。 Even his mustache seemed to droop a little more than it had in my office。
Merle Davis looked just the same as the day before。 Probably she always looked the same。 Her copper blond hair was dragged down just as tight； her shell…rimmed glasses looked just as large and empty； her eyes behind them just as vague。 She was even wearing the same one…piece linen dress with short sleeves and no ornament of any kind； not even earrings。
I had the curious feeling of reliving something that had already happened。
Mrs。 Murdock sipped her port and said quietly：
〃All right； son。 Tell Mr。 Marlowe about the doubloon。 I'm afraid he has to be told。〃
Murdock looked up at me quickly and then dropped his eyes again。 His mouth twitched。 When he spoke his voice had the toneless quality； a flat tired sound； like a man making a confession after an exhausting battle with his conscience。
〃As I told you yesterday in your office I owe Morny a lot of money。 Twelve thousand dollars。 I denied it afterwards； but it's true。 I do owe it。 I didn't want mother to know。 He was pressing me pretty hard for payment。 I suppose I knew I would have to tell her in the end； but I was weak enough to want to put it off。 I took the doubloon； using her keys one afternoon when she was asleep and Merle was out。 I gave it to Morny and he agreed to hold it as security because I explained to him that he couldn't get anything like twelve thousand dollars for it unless he could give its history and show that it was legitimately in his possession。〃
He stopped talking and looked up at me to see how I was taking it。 Mrs。 Murdock had her eyes on my face； practically puttied there。 The little girl was looking at Murdock with her lips parted and an expression of suffering on her face。
Murdock went on。 〃Morny gave me a receipt； in which he agreed to hold the coin as collateral and not to convert it without notice and demand。 Something like that。 I don't profess to know how legal it was。 When this man Morningstar called up and asked about the coin I immediately became suspicious that Morny either was trying to sell it or that he was at least thinking of selling it and was trying to get a valuation on it from somebody who knew about rare coins。 I was badly scared。〃
He looked up and made a sort of face at me。 Maybe it was the face of somebody being badly scared。 Then he took his handkerchief out and wiped his forehead and sat holding it between his hands。
〃When Merle told me mother had employed a detectiveMerle ought not to have told me； but mother has promised not to scold her for it〃 He looked at his mother。 The old warhorse clamped her jaws and looked grim。 The little girl had her eyes still on his face and didn't seem to be very worried about the scolding。 He went on： 〃then I was sure she had missed the doubloon and had hired you on that account。 I didn't really believe she had hired you to find Linda。 I knew where Linda was all the time。 I went to your office to see what I could find out。 I didn't find out very much。 I went to see Morny yesterday afternoon and told him about it。 At first he laughed in my face； but when I told him that even my mother couldn't sell the coin without violating the terms of Jasper Murdock's will and that she would certainly set the police on him when I told her where the coin was； then he loosened up。 He got up and went to the safe and got the coin out and handed it to me without a word。 I gave him back his receipt and he tore it up。 So I brought the coin home and told mother about it。〃
He stopped talking and wiped his face again。 The little girl's eyes moved up and down with the motions of his hand。
In the silence that followed I said： 〃Did Morny threaten you？〃
He shook his head。 〃He said he wanted his money and he needed it and I had better get busy and dig it up。 But he wasn't threatening。 He was very decent； really。 In the circumstances。〃
〃Where was this？〃
〃At the Idle Valley Club； in his private office。〃
〃Was Eddie Prue there？〃
The little girl tore her eyes away from his face and looked at me。 Mrs。 Murdock said thickly： 〃Who is Eddie Prue？〃
〃Morny's bodyguard；〃 I said。 〃I didn't waste all my time yesterday； Mrs。 Murdock。〃 I looked at her son； waiting。
He said： 〃No； I didn't see him。 I know him by sight； of course。 You would only have to see him once to remember him。 But he wasn't around yesterday。〃
I said： 〃Is that all？〃
He looked at his mother。 She said harshly： 〃Isn't it enough？〃
〃Maybe；〃 I said。 〃Where is the coin now？〃
〃Where would you expect it to be？〃 she snapped。
I almost told her； just to see her jump。 But I managed to hold it in。 I said： 〃That seems to take care of that； then。〃
Mrs。 Murdock said heavily： 〃Kiss your mother； son； and run along。〃
He got up dutifully and went over and kissed her on the forehead。 She patted his hand。 He went out of the room with his head down and quietly shut the door。 I said to Merle： 〃I think you had better have him dictate that to you just the way he told it and make a copy of it and get him to sign it。〃
She looked startled。 The old woman snarled：
〃She certainly won't do anything of the sort。 Go back to your work； Merle。 I wanted you to hear this。 But if I ever again catch you violating my confidence； you know what will happen。〃
The little girl stood up and smiled at her with shining eyes。 〃Oh yes； Mrs。 Murdock。 I never will。 Never。 You can trust me。
〃I hope so；〃 the old dragon growled。 〃Get out。〃
Merle went out softly。
Two big tears formed themselves in Mrs。 Murdock's eyes and slowly made their way down the elephant hide of her cheeks； reached the corners of her fleshy nose and slid down her lip。 She scrabbled around for a handkerchief； wiped them off and then wiped her eyes。 She put the handkerchief away； reached for her wine and said placidly：
〃I'm very fond of my son； Mr。 Marlowe。 Very fond。 This grieves me deeply。 Do you think he will have to tell this story to the police？〃
〃I hope not；〃 I said。 〃He'd have a hell of a time getting them to believe it。〃
Her mouth snapped open and her teeth glinted at me in the dim light。 She closed her lips and pressed them tight。 scowling at me with her head lowered。
〃Just what do you mean by that？〃 she snapped。
〃Just what I said。 The story doesn't ring true。 It has a fabricated； over…simple sound。 Did he make it up himself or did you think it up and teach it to him？〃
〃Mr。 Marlowe；〃 she sa