‘Are there any other incidents of any sort that might have some bearing on this tragedy?’ he asked at large.

Nobody answered.

‘Then I shall ask you all to stay in here for a little while longer. I want to see each of you separately, before we close down tonight. Miss Troy, will you allow us to use a separate room as a temporary office? I am sorry to give so much trouble.’

‘Certainly,’ said Troy. ‘I’ll show you—’

She led the way to the door and went into the hall without waiting for them. Alleyn and Fox followed, leaving the local man behind. When the door had shut behind them Alleyn said to Fox:

‘Get through to the Yard, Fox. We’ll have to warn all stations about Garcia. If he’s tramping, he can’t have walked so far in three days. If he’s bolted, he may be anywhere by now. I’ll try and get hold of a photograph. We’d better broadcast, I think. Make sure nobody’s listening when you telephone. Tell them to get in touch with the city. We must find this warehouse. Then see the maids. Ask if they know anything at all about the studio on Friday night and Saturday morning. Come along to the drawing-room when you’ve finished, will you?’

‘Right, sir. I’ll just ask this PC where the telephone hangs out.’

Fox turned back, and Alleyn moved on to the end of the hall, where Troy waited in a pool of light that came from the library.

‘In here,’ she said.

‘Thank you.’

She was turning away as Alleyn said:

‘May I keep you a moment?’

He stood aside for her to go through the door. They returned to the fire. Troy got a couple of logs from the wood basket.

‘Let me do that,’ Alleyn said.

‘It’s all right.’

She pitched the logs on the fire and dusted her hands.

‘There are cigarettes on that table, Mr Alleyn. Will you have one?’

He lit her cigarette and his own and they sat down.

‘What now?’ asked Troy.

‘I want you to tell me exactly what you did from the time you left the studio on Friday at noon until the class assembled this morning.’

‘An alibi?’

‘Yes.’

‘Do you think for a moment,’ said Troy, in a level voice, ‘that I might have killed this girl?’

‘Not for a moment,’ answered Alleyn.

‘I suppose I shouldn’t have asked you that. I’m sorry. Shall I begin with the time I got up to the house?’

‘Yes, please,’ said Alleyn.