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has——”
    â€œAnd has abandoned Carradine in favor of Penzance,” Julia put in.
    â€œAnd Smythe-Carson for something else, no doubt. And took new offices, but hasn’t left Marylebone. I don’t know just where Pelham Court is, Evan. Julia?”
    I said, “I was there last night.”
    â€œNo one home, I don’t suppose?”
    â€œNo. The building was locked.” I had guessed it would be, but I found the ad around 3:30 and had four hours to kill before Nigel and Julia would get up, and there are times when pointless activity is preferable to inactivity.
    â€œSo whatever he was doing before—”
    â€œHe’s doing it again,” I said.
    â€œI wonder what it is.”
    I stood up. “Whatever it is, I’ll find out soon enough. And I’ll find out just what the hell happened to Phaedra, and—”
    â€œHow?”
    I looked down at Julia. “Why, I’ll ask him, I suppose.”
    â€œBut don’t you suppose he’s bent?” I looked puzzled. “I’m sorry, you people say crooked, don’t you?”
    â€œOh.” Two countries, I thought, divided by a single language. “I’m certain he’s working some sort of racket. Oh.” I nodded slowly. For the past few days I had operated on the vague assumption that Phaedra had gone on a tour or taken some form of legitimate employment, after which something went awry. Thus I had shown her photograph to travel agents and employment agencies and had inquired after her by both of her names, in the full expectation of getting an honest answer to an honest question. That line wouldn’t work with Mr. Smythe-Carson.
    â€œYou might call the police,” Nigel suggested.
    I thought it over. But if S-C was working a racket, or playing some version of foreign intrigue, it was more than possible that Phaedra was involved to a point where official attention might be a bad idea. Besides, I wasn’t entirely certain how I stood with the police—they might turn out to be displeased with my presence in their country.
    â€œI could go round if you’d like,” Nigel went on. “Pass myself off as an inspector from the Yard. I’ve played the bloody part often enough, and the moustache would go well with the role. Or do you think that would just put the wind up him?”
    â€œIt might.”
    â€œOr I could disguise myself as female, under forty, unmarried. Somehow I don’t think that would wash. You might do some sort of exploratory research, Evan.Inquiring about the position on behalf of a female relative, that sort of thing. Give you the feel of the man—”
    Julia said, “Of course you’ve both overlooked the obvious.”
    We looked at her.
    â€œYou ought to send an unmarried female under forty to find out exactly what’s going on. Fortunately I know just the girl. She’s had a bit of acting experience, she’s considered moderately attractive and intelligent, and she’s bloody adventurous.” She stood up, a thin smile on her freshly scrubbed face, a light dancing in her eyes. “I hereby volunteer my services,” she said.
    So of course we both told her that it was a ridiculous idea, not to say dangerous, not to mention foolhardy. We pointed out that she might compromise herself in any of a number of ways and added that we could not possibly let her risk herself in such a fashion.
    And, of course, three hours later I was looking through a tea shop window on Pelham Court, waiting for her to return from the offices of Penzance Export just across the street.
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    â€œIt does restore a girl’s confidence,” she said. We were having lunch at a Lyon’s Corner House a few blocks away from Penzance Export. “One regards oneself as utterly dependent upon the stray pence one ekes out playing chambermaids in bedroom farces, along with the meager income from a legacy and the generosity of one’s