Vallon said: "Very well."
Perdreau took off a telephone; ordered the drinks. Then he went and stood in front of the fireplace, his hands in his pockets, looking at Vallon.
Vallon said: "Last Wednesday afternoon Joe Chennault died in his office. Did you know that?"
"No," said Perdreau. "But I'm not surprised. He had a bad heart, hadn't he?"
"That's right— a very bad heart. But I have an idea that he didn't die. I have an idea that somebody killed him. Somebody fired a blank cartridge out of an automatic at him. You get the idea?"
"You mean the shock killed him," said Perdreau. "In his condition it would. A clever trick, that."
"Maybe," said Vallon. "Well, nobody's got any ideas about this yet. I mean the police haven't. I spoke to Dolores Chennault about it, and she thought at first t
