Chapter 33 Chapter Thirty-Three In the Oriental Café

Neither Bobby nor Frankie knew whether they had lost their composure, but when they walked out of the post office, they looked at each other and laughed together. "In the vicarage all the time." Bobby gasped with laughter. "I've gone through four hundred and eighty Evans," said Frankie with mock mournfulness. "Now I see why Roger was so amused when he found out we didn't even know who Evans was!" "From their point of view, it's certainly dangerous for you to actually live under the same roof as Evans." "Go ahead," said Bobby, "next to Marchbolt."

"Like where the rainbow disappeared," said Frankie, "go back home dear." "Never mind," said Bobby, "we've got to do something for Badger. Have you any money, Frankie?" Frankie opened her bag and took out a wad of bills. "Give him these and tell him to settle the debt with the creditor. Father will buy the garage and put him in charge." "Great," said Bobby, "the first thing to do is to go." "Why is there such a hurry?" "I don't know, but I have a feeling something is going to happen."

"How dreadful! Let us go quickly." "I'll go and settle down with Badger, and you go and start the car." "I'm not buying that toothbrush again," said Frankie. Five minutes later they were speeding away from Chipping Somerton.Bobby complained irrationally that the car was too slow. Still, Frankie said, "Look, Bobby, it's going fast enough." Bobby glanced at the needle on the speedometer, which now indicated eighty miles an hour, and said dryly, "I don't think there's anything we can do." "We can take a taxi," said Frankie. "We're only seven miles from Middyshot."

"My dear girl!" cried Bobby. "If we fly, we'll be home in two hours." "Okay," said Bobby, "we'll take a taxi." The whole action begins with a dreamlike and whimsical character.Why such a frantic rush to March Bolt?Bobby didn't know, and he suspected Frankie didn't know either, it was just a hunch. At Middyshot, Frankie asked to see Mr. Donald King.A scruffy young man appeared, with a languid face, and he was startled at the sight of Frankie. "Hello, Frankie," he said. "Long time no see. Can I help you?" "I need a taxi," said Frankie. "Isn't that what you do?"

"Oh! Yes. Where do you want to go?" "I want to go home quickly," said Frankie. Donald, Mr. King shrugged his eyebrows and asked, "Just for this?" "Not exactly," said Frankie, "but that's the main idea." "Oh! Well, we can arrange it soon." "I'll write you a check," said Frankie. Five minutes later, they took off. "Frankie," said Bobby, "why are we doing this?" "I have no idea," said Frankie, "but I feel we must, don't you?" "Oddly enough, I feel the same way. But I don't know why. Our Mrs. Roberts isn't going to fly off on a broomstick."

"She might. Remember, we don't know what Roger is going to do." "That's true," said Bobby thoughtfully. It was already late when they reached their destination.The plane landed at Parker Field.Five minutes later the Earl of Marchington's Chrysler, in which Bobby and Frankie were traveling, pulled into Marchbolt. They parked outside the parsonage, because the parsonage driveway did not allow luxury cars to back up. They jumped out of the car and ran up the driveway. "I'll see soon enough," thought Bobby, "what and why are we doing this?"

A slender figure stood on the doorstep.Frankie and Bobby recognized her at the same time. "Moira!" cried Frankie. Moira turned around, shaking slightly. "Ah! Nice to see you. I just don't know what to do." "But what wind brought you here?" "I suppose it's the same wind that brought you here." "Have you found out who Evans is?" Bobby asked. Moira nodded: "Yes, it's a long story..." "Go inside," said Bobby. But Moira backed away. "No, no," she said hastily, "let's go somewhere and talk. Before we go in, there's something I must tell you. Is there a coffee house or something like that in town? somewhere we can go?"

"Okay," said Bobby reluctantly, moving away from the door, "but why..." Moira stomped her feet: "You'll understand when I tell you. Oh! Let's go, we can't lose a minute." They obeyed her urging.About the middle of the street, there is an "Oriental Cafe". The luxurious name of the cafe does not match the interior decoration.The three entered one after another. It was half past six, the emptiest time of the day in the cafe. They sat down at a small table in the corner.Bobby ordered three cups of coffee, and said, "Can we talk now?"

"Wait till the coffee comes," said Moira. The waitress came and lazily placed three cups of lukewarm coffee in front of them. "Tell me now," said Bobby. "I hardly know where to begin," said Moira. "It was on the train to London. Really, a most astonishing coincidence. I was walking down the aisle..." She stopped.Her seat was facing the door, and she leaned forward, staring at something. "He must be following me," she said. "Who?" cried Frankie and Bobby together. "Roger," Moira whispered. "Did you see him?"

"He's just outside. I saw him with a red-haired woman." "It's Mrs Cayman," cried Frankie. She and Bobby jumped up and rushed out the door.Moira looked uncomfortable, but neither of them noticed.They looked around the street, but Roger was nowhere to be seen. Moira came to join them. "Is he gone?" she asked in a trembling voice. "Oh! Be careful. He's a dangerous man. Dangerous to be feared." "He can't do anything as long as we're together," said Bobby. "Cheer up," said Frankie, "don't be so timid."

"Forget it, we can't do anything right now." Bobby led the way back to the cafe table, "Go ahead, Moira." He picked up the coffee mug.Frankie suddenly lost her balance and leaned against him, spilling the coffee on the table. "I'm sorry," Frankie said. She spread out the tablecloth for the diners at the next table, and on the table were two covered bottles of condiments, one for soy sauce and one for vinegar. Frankie's odd behavior gets Bobby's attention.She took the vinegar bottle and poured it all into a dirty bowl, then poured the coffee from her coffee cup into the bottle. "Are you crazy, Frankie?" asked Bobby. "What the hell are you doing?" "Take a sample of this coffee and have it tested by George Arbuthnot," said Frankie. She turned to Moira and said, "Game over, Moira! We were standing in the doorway and I knew it all in a split second! I saw you when I knocked Bobby's hand and made him spill the coffee." You put something in our cups when you sent us running out for Roger. Game over, Mrs Nicholson, or Mrs Templeton, or whatever you like to call yourself Mrs. "Templeton?" cried Bobby. "Look at her face," cried Frankie, "and if she denies it, send her to the vicarage and see if Mrs. Roberts knows her." Bobby watched her intently.He saw that charming, brooding face, transfigured by rage.That beautiful mouth opened wide, pouring out a stream of obscene and horrible curses. She reached into her handbag. Bobby was still dizzy, but he took action at the critical moment. With a blow from his hand, the muzzle of the gun was raised. The bullet went over Frankie's head and into the wall of the "Oriental Cafe". Because it was the first time I saw such a thing, a waitress hurried over.With a yell, she rushed to the street and exclaimed, "Help! Kill someone! Police!"