“The busiest of the Busies,” said Tuppence. “Or is it ‘Noses?’ I always get mixed between Busies and Noses.”
The Inspector advanced upon them with a beaming smile of welcome.
“Well and how are things?” he asked breezily. “None the worse for our little adventure the other day?”
“Oh! rather not,” said Tuppence. “Too, too marvellous, wasn’t it?”
“Well, I don’t know that I would describe it exactly that way myself,” said Marriot cautiously.
“What has brought you here today, Marriot?” asked Tommy. “Not just solicitude for our nervous systems, is it?”
“No,” said the Inspector. “It is work for the brilliant Mr. Blunt.”
“Ha!” said Tommy. “Let me put my brilliant expression on.”
“I have come to make you a proposition, Mr. Beresford. What would you say to rounding up a really big gang?”
“Is there such a thing?” asked Tommy.
“What do you mean, is there such a thing?”
“I always thought that gangs were confined to fiction—like master crooks, and super criminals.”
“The master crook isn’t very common,” agreed the Inspector. “But Lord bless you, sir, there’s any amount of gangs knocking about.”
“I don’t know that I should be at my best dealing with a gang,” said Tommy. “The amateur crime, the crime of quiet family life—that is where I flatter myself that I shine. Drama of strong domestic interest.