Mr Owen

In the novel Why Didn't They Ask Evans?, Mr Owen, of Wheeler & Owen, House and Estate Agents, is the only house agent in Marchbolt. Roger Bassington-ffrench had earlier claimed to Bobby Jones that he was in the area to look for a house. This struck Frankie Derwent as strange as who would want to look for a house in Marchbolt? So she goes to Mr Owen to ask about Roger. From what Mr Owen tells her, it appears that Roger is above board. He did go to make enquiries from Mr Owen and he did leave his address, Merroway Court with the firm, and he had even told Mr Owen about his part in the incident of finding a dying man who had just fallen off a cliff. Still, Mr Owen tells Frankie that Roger came to the office just before closing time, at six thirty in the evening, and just after the being at the scene of the accident. Moreover he left for London early the next day. This struck Frankie as suspicious. If one were serious about finding a house, why bother with such a short stay? Why make the trip at all?

Mr Owen has a clerk named Frank in his office.