“Excellent. I can see Mrs. Pratt is lucky to have found a steward such as you.”
Oliver puffed up from the compliment.
“So, on Tuesday, try and recall who came to the club,” Val began. “As you greet them by name you must remember.”
Val watched as Oliver’s face fell. “I do recall several men that came inside to have their supper. They stayed to themselves.”
“What was this group like?”
“Several men who know each other. They seem to always arrive at different times but end up spending their time together.” Oliver recalled.
“Do they now?”
“Yes.”
“What are their names?”
Oliver rattled off two of the names and none of them meant anything to Val.
“Come to think of it, I think they all went to university together. They talk mostly of their younger years and all the fun they had,” Oliver commented.
Val nodded. “Seems straightforward enough.”
“I could send Ronald to you,” Oliver said suddenly. “He worked into the night that day. He might have seen someone come in later.”
“Very well. Thank you for your time,” Val told the man.
Oliver exited the room and they only waited for about five minutes before Ronald replaced him.
Ronald was very new on the job and had only been at Pratt’s for a month. He wasn’t good with names and only remembered the same group of university men that Oliver had told them about. They thanked him for his time and left the club.
On the cab ride back to the station, Val was quiet.
“What do you think Guvnor?” He asked.
Val shook his head. “I’m not sure. I was so certain this would lead to something,” he sighed.
“They could be lying, Sir,” Felix said.
“They are most definitely lying. That is an absolute,” Val said nodding. “That is why tonight we are going to follow Oliver home and question him again.”
“Follow him home?” Felix asked.
“That Oliver. He’s a sharp fellow. White’s is the premier Club in London. You don’t work there unless you are the crème de la crème as the French say.”
“I thought as much too. He seemed so sharp and then he seemed to dumb himself when we interviewed him,” Felix nodded.
“And remember the first answer he gave us? We hadn’t said anything before he told us he had seen nothing. He was coached. I don’t blame Sophia Pratt. She’s in a pickle. But still.” Val shook his head.
“I do remember that.” Felix nodded.
“So tonight. We’ll pay a visit to our friend Oliver.”
Felix smiled. “I’ll trail him home and get an address for you.”
Val nodded.
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