Partners in Crime

In the short story collection, Partners in Crime, we meet Tommy and Tuppence after six years of marriage, bored and in need of a new challenge they take over the nearly-bankrupt detective agency 'Blunt's International Detective Agency' and solve cases in the manner of assorted great detectives including Sherlock Holmes, Father Brown and Hercule Poirot

____________________

The visitor was ushered into the private office, and a pleasant faced young man with red hair and and air of brisk capability rose to greet him.

"Sit down. You wished to consult me? I am Mr. Blunt."

"Oh! Really, I say, you're awfully young aren't you?"

"The day of the old man is over.... Let me tell you this, sir, not a person on my highly trained staff is a day over twenty-five. That is the truth."
Since the highly trained staff consisted of Tuppence and Albert, the statement was truth itself.
"First of all," he said, "will you give me your name? My office boy is trained never to ask names. In that way the consultations can remain completely confidential."

"Oh! rather," said the young man. "Jolly good idea. My name -er- my name's Smith."

"Oh! no," said Tommy. "The real one, please."
His visitor looked at him in awe.

"Er - St. Vincent," he said. "Lawrence St. Vincent."

"It's a curious thing," said Tommy, "how very few people there are whose real name is Smith. Personally, I don't know anyone called Smith. But nine out of ten who wish to conceal their real name give that of Smith. I am writing a monograph upon the subject....."

Later...
..... Tuppence laid aside her pad.
"Do you wish for our special twenty-four hour service?" she asked in business-like tones.

"What's that?"

"The fees are doubled, but we put all our available staff on to the case."

"What? I say, that's wonderful."

"We only employee experts - and we gaurantee results," said Tuppence crisply.

"But, I say, you know. You must have the most topping staff."

"Oh! we have."

________________________________

The girl was shaking hands with the celebrated "Mr. Blunt", whilst Tuppence sat by with eyes demurely downcast, and pad and pencil in hand.

"My confidential secretary, Miss Robinson," said Mr. Blunt with a wave of the hand. "You may speak freely before her." Then he lay back for a minute, half closed his eyes and remarked in a tired tone: "You must find traveling in a bus very crowded this time of day."



"I came in a taxi," said the girl.



"Oh!" said Tommy aggrieved. His eyes rested reproachfully on a blue bus ticket protruding from her glove. The girl's eyes followed his glance, and she smiled and drew it out.



"You mean this? I picked it up on the pavement. A little neighbor of ours collects them."


______________________________



The Villian: "Don't you understand that I have got you- got you in the hollow of my hand? That you're absolutely in my power? That no one who knows you is ever likely to see you again?"


"Can't we cute out the melodrama?" asked Tommy plaintively. "Have I go to say 'You villian. I'll foil you yet?' That sort of thing is so very much out of date."

-Partners in Crime

Agatha Christie