He hurried away.

Savage agreed to see Palmer-Jones immediately. He was busy enough. There were files and reports in chaotic disarray on his desk, but he had been staring at each of them in turn all morning without doing any constructive work. He was troubled. It was not, as Connibear had said, that he was worried that a jury would fail to convict Mardle. There was evidence enough for that. Even Mardle’s solicitor admitted as much. It was that the boy was beginning to impress him. Nicholas seemed to have matured during his period in the police cells; he had developed a confidence that eventually his innocence would be recognized. He was irritated, occasionally, by Savage’s questions but he stuck to his story. Savage’s theory depended on the boy’s being psychiatrically disturbed, and the superintendent was beginning to believe that fundamentally he was immensely sane. Savage was not afraid of admitting that he was wrong. He had sufficient arrogance to believe that anyone else could have made a similar mistake. The problem was that he was not sure that he was wrong. Mardle was still the most likely murderer. Savage felt too that he had lost touch with the case. He was no longer sufficiently involved, he had no emotional response to the other suspects.

Connibear had told Savage that George Palmer-Jones was still on Gillibry, and that he had asked him to make inquiries about Todd Leisure Enterprises. Savage had been curious. He had hoped that Connibear’s inquiries would result in something positive, but when nothing suspicious was discovered, he put that line of investigation from his mind. When the desk sergeant informed him that Palmer-Jones wished to see him, he thought briefly that he had come simply to pursue this line of inquiry, and the thought disappointed him. Connibear was a conscientious and reliable policeman, and if the Todds had been committing some fraud, he would have found it out. Then he remembered Palmer-Jones’s power, his reputation. He would have recognized Connibear’s ability too. He would have come for more than that.

When George Palmer-Jones saw Savage he was immediately reassured. The man might follow his own theories over-enthusiastically, but he was no fool. Savage stood to greet him.

“I’m glad to see you,” he said. “Very glad. I’m sorry that I was too busy to see you earlier in the week. Connibear was able to help?”

“Indirectly,” George said. “Albert Todd must have heard that he was asking questions on my behalf. He sent for me and gave me some very useful information himself.”

“Did he?” Savage said. “I talked to him, but perhaps I didn’t handle him properly. He’s quite a character.”

He showed George to a seat and waited, giving him his whole attention.

“I think,” George said, “that I know now who killed Pam Marshall and Charles Todd. I’m afraid that I can’t prove it. I need to talk to Nicholas Mardle. And I need your support.”