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"So this," said Robin, pointing at the letter, "was what caused Hartley Parrish to make his will. It would lead one to suppose that it was what induced him to commit suicide were not the presumption so strong that he was murdered. But who killed him? Was it Jeekes or Marbran?" Herr Schulz pitched his cigar-stump into an ash-tray.
All unconsciously he paid the tribute of 'sir' to Herr Schulz's undoubted habit of command. "Victor Marbran," replied the big man, "is Elias van der Spyck & Co., a firm which made millions in the war by trading with the enemy.
"Whether the secret of his death may not be found somewhere in his adventurous past. You see he said that Victor Marbran was an enemy. Then there was something else. I never told you when you took all that trouble to get me another job after Parrish had sacked me the exact reason for my dismissal. You never asked me either. That was decent of you, Robin ..."
As they slowed down at the gate in the side road Herr Schulz tapped him on the shoulder. "Better leave the car here and put the lights out," he counselled. "And Miss Trevert should stay if the doctor here would remain to look after her ..." "You think there'll be a scrap?" whispered the doctor. "With a man like Marbran," returned the Chief, "you never know what may happen ..."
If I only could have got hold of Marbran this morning ..." "Marbran!" said Robin thoughtfully. "When I read Dulkinghorn's letter just now I thought I had heard that name before. Of course Victor Marbran! That was it! I remember now! He knew Hartley Parrish in the old days. Parrish once said that Marbran would do him an injury if he could. Who is Marbran, sir?"
"The chain is not yet complete. I wonder what this van der Spyck letter of Miss Trevert's contained that made Victor Marbran and the secretary chap so desperately anxious to get hold of it. For you understand, don't you?" he said briskly, turning to Robin, "that they were after that and that alone. And they risked penal servitude in this country to get it ..." Robin nodded.
Look at Jeekes's face and tell me if you see in it any feature indicating the bold, ingenious will to try a bluff like that. I never knew this fellow here. But I know Marbran, a resolute, undaunted type. You can take it from me, Marbran directed Jeekes merely carried out instructions. What do you say, Manderton?" But the detective had retired into his shell again.
To get the Dutch police to move against these gentry in the matter of the assault upon Miss Trevert would waste valuable time. And we have to move quickly before these two lads can get away. I therefore propose that we start this instant for the Villa Bergendal and try, if we are not too late, to force Marbran or Jeekes or both of them to a confession.
"'By Gad, he went on, 'how the smell of the place brings back those days to me the smell of decayed fruit, of stale fish, of dirt! Why, it seems like yesterday that Victor Marbran and I used to drive round uncle's cart with vegetables and coal. What a life to escape from, Bruce, my boy! Gad, you can count yourself lucky! "He was like a man talking to himself.
It will not delay us more than five minutes to stop at her hotel in passing, We will then call in at my place. We should be at the Villa within half an hour from now ..." "Gentlemen," said Herr Schulz as they prepared to go, "I know my Mr. Victor Marbran. You should all be armed." Robin produced the pistol he had taken from Jeekes.
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