Hamish said, “Second thoughts.”

Pierce turned to them and said, “What’s this about Carl?”

“I was just saying he was one of my best workers. I’ve known him all his life, I can’t see him committing murder.”

Rutledge thought that when Kenton was speaking to him about Hopkins earlier, he had been driven by his own uncertainty, perhaps even the fear that if the killer was shown to be an employee as well as a personal connection of the owner of Kenton Chairs, it might seem that Kenton had protected him.

Pierce said, “I’m of two minds there. Anthony would have trusted him, if he’d come into the brewery looking for him.”

It was to Pierce’s advantage, Rutledge knew, to distract the police from any interest in his son Daniel. But would the man go as far as letting another person take the blame? He reminded himself that Pierce might have attacked Mickelson if he had been on the verge of finding new evidence that pointed in Daniel Pierce’s direction.

Kenton scowled. “And why, pray, would Carl need to find your son, in the brewery or out of it?”

“I’m only saying—” He broke off as their soup arrived, and then added, “How is Inspector Mickelson? Any news in that direction?”

“Just that he’s alive and holding his own,” Rutledge told them. He hoped that it was still true.

Pierce said, “Nasty business. I suppose he hasn’t spoken yet?” The question wasn’t as casual as it seemed. Rutledge understood now why Pierce had sought him out when he’d failed to come to the brewery.

“He was found in Hastings, I’m told. Just as young Hartle was,” Kenton put in. “I don’t see why that shouldn’t clear Carl.”

They argued through the first course and well into the second. Rutledge was heartily sick of it. And then Kenton asked, “When is Daniel coming back to take his brother’s place? He’ll require some training, I should think. He was never as interested in the business as his brother was, although I wondered if that was only a facade. He said to me once, before the war, that there was no room for him at the brewery and it was all he knew. What has he been doing since the Armistice? New interests of some sort?”

Pierce said shortly, “When he’s ready, he’ll take his place at Pierce’s.”

“You’re not growing any younger,” Kenton pointed out. “I’d considered leaving Kenton Chairs to Carl, before all this happened. Now I’m not so sure if it’s the right thing to do. Last thing I heard about Daniel, he was going into business with someone. Mrs. Farrell-Smith’s husband, as I remember. But then the man died rather suddenly, and nothing came of it. Race horses, was it?”

He was goading Pierce, using Rutledge’s presence to keep the moment civil.