“I don’t have to consider, Inspector,” she snapped, “I just don’t know. If there was any chance of my knowing I would, don’t worry.” “Perhaps you made a few personal forays of your own when Field was absent from his apartment?” pursued Queen, smiling. “Perhaps I did,” she answered with a dimpling cheek. “But it didn’t do any good. I’d swear they’re not in those rooms.... Well, Inspector, anything else?” The clear voice of Ellery seemed to startle her. But she coquettishly patted her hair as she turned towards him. “As far as you know, Mrs. Russo,” said Ellery icily, “from long and no doubt intimate association with your gallant Leander—how many different silk tophats did he possess?” “You’re the original cross-word puzzle, aren’t you?” she gurgled. “As far as I know, Mr. Man, he had only one. How many does a guy need?” “You’re certain of that, I suppose,” said Ellery. “Sure’s you’re born, Mr.—Queen.” She contrived to slip a caress into her voice. Ellery stared at her as one stares at a strange zoological specimen. She made a little _moué_ and turned about gayly. “I’m not so popular around here so I’ll beat it.... You’re not going to put me in a nasty cell, are you, Inspector? I can go now, can’t I?” The Inspector bowed. “Oh yes—you may go, Mrs. Russo, under a certain amount of surveillance.... But please understand that we may still require your delightful company at some not distant date. Will you remain in town?” “Charmed, I’m sure!” she laughed and swept out of the room. Velie snapped to his feet like a soldier and said, “Well, Inspector, I guess that settles it!” The Inspector sank wearily into his chair. “Are you insinuating, Thomas, like some of Ellery’s stupid fiction-sergeants—which you are not—that Mr. Morgan be arrested for the murder of Monte Field?” “Why—what else?” Velie seemed at a loss. “We’ll wait a while, Thomas,” returned the old man heavily. CHAPTER XVI IN WHICH THE QUEENS GO TO THE THEATRE Ellery and his father regarded each other across the length of the little office. Velie had resumed his seat with a puzzled frown. He sat quietly for a time in the growing silence, seemed suddenly to make a decision and asking permission left the room. The Inspector grinned as he fumbled with the lid of his snuff-box. “Did you get a scare, too, Ellery?” Ellery, however, was serious. “That woman gives me a case of Wodehouse ‘willies,’” he said, shuddering. “Scare is much too mild a word.” “I couldn’t for the moment grasp the significance of her attitude,” said Inspector Queen. “To think that she _knew_, while we have been fumbling around.... It scattered my wits.” “I should say the interview was highly successful,” commented Ellery. “Principally because I’ve been gathering a few interesting facts from this ponderous tome on chirography. But Mrs. Angela Russo does not measure up to my conception of perfect womanhood....”