“The question is, why was he in the churchyard, if he’d already set his sights on Marshall?” Rutledge looked at his watch. “I must go back to Hastings. I’m expecting a telephone message from the Yard—”

Mr. Kenton came down the street, hurrying in their direction. “I say. There you are, Rutledge!” he hailed them.

Rutledge turned to him. “Just the man I wanted to see. You had a clerk some years ago, by the name of Summers. He left for another position. Do you recall where he went?”

Caught unprepared, Kenton said, “What? Summers? My God, that was fifteen or more years ago. Somewhere in Staffordshire, I think. Or was it Shropshire? Yes, it must have been Shropshire. A firm of wardrobe makers. The name escapes me. Never mind Summers! I’ve come about a far more important matter. I’ve just been told about Hector Marshall. I want Carl out of that jail, do you hear me? I won’t take no for an answer.”

“I was just going down to Hastings. Follow me in your own motorcar and you can bring Carl back to Eastfield.”

Kenton spun on his heel and went back the way he’d come.

Watching him go, Walker said, “He’s happy. Mr. Pierce won’t be.”

Carl Hopkins was almost dazed with relief when he was brought to Inspector Norman’s office.

“They say I’m free to go. Has there been another murder, then?”

“Hector Marshall,” Kenton said.

“Dear God.” Hopkins shook his head. “When is it going to stop?”

Inspector Norman said, “Yes, it’s a good question, Rutledge.”

He ignored the taunt.

After the formalities were complete, Rutledge walked with Hopkins out of the station, followed by Kenton.

“I didn’t think I could manage another night in that cell,” Hopkins was saying. “I’d started to imagine things. Is there any news on Inspector Mickelson?”

“Nothing new,” Kenton said from behind them.

Hopkins sighed, looking up at the blue sky. And then his jaw tightened, and he said, “Do I still have a place at Kenton Chairs?”

Kenton had the grace to look ashamed. But he said, “I never doubted you, my boy. You must believe me.”

“Then why didn’t you come to see me? Why didn’t you bring me books—some writing paper?”

Rutledge walked away, leaving them to sort out the changes in their relationship. He drove to The White Swans and asked at the desk for any messages. There were none.

After a brief hesitation, he went up the stairs to the room belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Pierce.

The maid was just closing the door after cleaning the room, and Rutledge said to her, “I just wish to leave a message.”