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certain about the time than doctors are as a rule,” Ulyett remarked, not quite sure whether to be pleased by, or suspicious of, such unusual dogmatism. “Say there are two or three different pointers they can go by. What’s odd, though, is that they say suffocation was the cause of death.”
    â€œSuffocation,” repeated Bobby, very surprised. “Not the head injury?”
    â€œNo. They say that was a nasty crack all right and probably knocked the chap out. Fractured the skull, but not necessarily fatal. The way they figure it is that somebody clubbed him and he passed out. But he recovered sufficiently to try to ’phone. He may have been too weak and collapsed or he may even have forgotten what he wanted to do – he must have been in a dazed state – or he may have put his call through. No telling. Anyhow, he must have touched both the receiver and the dial after being knocked out because of blood stains on them that agree with his fingerprints. But when you found the body it was lying some distance away and the doctors are clear death resulted from suffocation. They’ve found a cushion on one of the chairs with marks of blood and sputum on it.”
    Bobby listened gravely. He seemed to see the picture so clearly. A quarrel or dispute of some kind. A blow given with something blunt and heavy – something in the shape of a life-preserver perhaps, or even a heavy walking-stick. There flashed back into Bobby’s memory a recollection of Waveny’s cane – the ‘Penang Lawyer’ with the heavy silver fitting to the handle. Afterwards the injured man recovering to some degree and trying to get to the ’phone to summon help. And his assailant, panic-stricken, dragging him away, completing the dreadful task.
    There seemed thus introduced into the affair an element of fiendish cold-bloodedness. Bobby’s mouth set in grim, hard lines. A blow, even a fatal blow, might be given in sudden passion, without malice or premeditation, but this slow and deliberate completion of the deed was different altogether. To Bobby, too, it seemed that about the method used, suffocation, there was something especially repulsive. Who was guilty of such a deed must not be let go free, must answer for it to the full.
    â€œNo money, no watch, no valuables, no papers, on the body,” Ulyett said abruptly. “Looks like a robbery and murder. Where did the three pound notes come from and what were they doing outside there?”
    Bobby had no answer to make. Ulyett went on:
    â€œYou heard Mr. Judson identify him as one of his staff. Mark Macklin’s the name. Had a good job apparently. Manager of the coal export department. Judson says he was at the office this morning as usual, up to lunch time, anyhow. He’s not sure after that. Says Macklin was often out, hunting business. Doesn’t seem to know much about him out of office hours. We’ve got his address though, a flat in St. John’s Wood. When we go through it, we may get a pointer or two. Judson can’t account for Macklin’s presence here.”
    â€œI believe Macklin used to see to things when Mr. Judson was asking friends here,” Bobby said.
    â€œJudson mentioned that,” agreed Ulyett, “but he says nothing of the kind was in prospect at present. Judson gave Macklin the key if there was anything on like that, but Macklin always returned it. I suppose he could easily have had another made.”
    â€œIt seems a little unusual,” Bobby remarked, “for the manager of a department to arrange his employer’s private parties. More like a secretary’s job.”
    â€œJudson mentioned that. Said it was Macklin’s own idea. It was worth an invite to him and then Judson says his secretary at the office is a girl, quite efficient and all that, but he didn’t want to risk shocking her, as he admits the affairs were a bit unconventional. But he won’t have it there