A Decent Talk

TAGGE
Tell me what happened.
DANIEL
Well, George, as you must have surmised, got in touch with me after he left police headquarters yesterday night -- or morning. He recognized the mutual advantage of pooling forces. The Protea was his thought. He saw the notice of its arrival in the papers and remembered that he had heard in Hong Kong that Seba and Miss Moraea had been seen together. Well, Bob, he saw that notice and putting two and two together, guessed the truth – she had given the chemicals to Seba to bring here for her...
TAGGE
And at that juncture you decided to slip me the mickey, huh?
DANIEL
(sound of a moving chair). There was no place for you in our plans, Bob, so we decided to spare ourselves any possible embarrassment... George and Peter and I went to call on Seba. We were lucky enough to arrive while Miss Moraea was there. In many ways it was a difficult conference but we finally persuaded Miss Moraea to come to terms, or so we thought. We then left the boat and set out for my hotel where I was to pay Miss Moraea.Well, we men should have known better. En route she and Seba and the main piece slipped completely through our fingers.
TAGGE
You touched off the boat before you left?
DANIEL
Not intentionally, though I dare say we, or Peter at least, were responsible for one fire. While the rest of us were talking in the cabin, Peter went about the ship trying to find the main piece. No doubt he was careless with matches.
TAGGE
All right... Now about the shooting.
DANIEL
We caught up with Miss Moraea and Seba at her apartment. I sent Peter downstairs to cover the fire escape before ringing the bell. And, sure enough, while she was asking us who we were through the door and we told her, we heard a window go up. Peter shot Seba as he was coming down the fire escape -- shot him more than once. But Seba was too tough either to fall or drop the piece. He climbed the rest of the way down, knocked Peter over and ran off. We persuaded -- that is the word, Bob, we... ah... persuaded Miss Moraea to tell us where she had told Seba to take piece. And we... ah... further... ah... persuaded her to phone your office in an attempt to draw you away before Seba got there. But, unfortunately for us, it had taken too long to persuade Miss Moraea...
DANIEL
Well, Bob, I am sorry indeed to lose you and I want you to know that I couldn't be any fonder of you if you were my own brother. But well, by Gad, if it’s time for pieces that so many people can’t do without, you get yourself together for the necessary construction works and shoot the gospel.