He bent forwards towards him, with his hands on his knees, and said, "Do you know where Sonia Kritchnoff is at this moment?"
"What?" said Lupin sharply.
"I ask if you know where Sonia Kritchnoff is?" said Guerchard slowly, lingering over the words.
"Do you?" said Lupin.
"I do," said Guerchard triumphantly.
"Where is she?" said Lupin, in a tone of utter incredulity.
"In a small hotel near the Star. The hotel has a telephone; and you can make sure," said Guerchard.
"Indeed? That's very interesting. What's the number of it?" said Lupin, in a mocking tone.
"555 Central: would you like to telephone to her?" said Guerchard; and he smiled triumphantly at the disabled instrument.
Lupin shock his head with a careless smile, and said, "Why should I telephone to her? What are you driving at?"
"Nothing . . . that's all," said Guerchard. And he leant back in his chair with an ugly smile on his face.
"Evidently nothing. For, after all, what has that child got to do with you? You're not interested in her, plainly. She's not big enough
