★ XX ★
Upon landing from the yacht Neill went direct to Bonniger in his office.
“Did you get anything?” asked Bonniger. His face was stern and watchful.
Suppressing the first part of his talk with Buckless, Neill described the clue he had obtained.
Bonniger considered it. Neill thought, Probably he doesn’t believe a word I say.
“ ‘Ran into Googly in his beer-joint accidentally on purpose,’ ” Bonniger repeated dryly. “Sounds fantastic to me.”
“We have often to build up a case on just such scraps of overheard conversation,” said Neill. “There is Fanning’s saying to put with it, ‘She never tells him anything.’ ‘She’ obviously refers to Miss Rayner. I could go to her for further information.”
Bonniger was silent.
“If you approve I’ll go back to town and see what I can do with it.”
