Strangwise nodded.
"Yep," he said, "down to Essex to see if I can get a few duck or
snipe on the fens. I wish you were coming with me!"
"So do I, old man," echoed Desmond heartily. Then he added in a
serious voice:
"By the way, I haven't seen you since last night. What a shocking
affair this is about old Mackwayte, isn't it? Are there any
developments, do you know?"
Strangwise very deliberately fished a cigarette out of his case
which was lying open on the table and lit it before replying.
"A very dark affair," he said, blowing out a cloud of smoke and
flicking the match into the grate. "You are discreet, I know,
Okewood. The Intelligence people had me up this morning... to
take my evidence..."
Strangwise's surmise about Desmond's discretion was perfectly
correct. With Desmond Okewood discretion was second nature, and
therefore he answered with feigned surprise: "Your evidence about
what? About our meeting the Mackwaytes last night?"
After he had spoken he realized he had blundered. Surely, after
all, the Chief would have told Strangwise about their
investigations at Seven Kings. still...
"No," replied Strangwise,, "but about Nur-el-Din!"
The Chief had kept his own counsel about their morning's work.
Desmond was glad now that he had dissimulated.
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