‘I must say,’ Mr Nankivell interrupted, ‘and say it I do and will, I did not anticipate when called upon at a busy and inconvenient time, to be axed to clear myself of participation in a damn’ fool childish prank. Further, I take leave to put on record that I look upon the demand made upon me as one unbecoming to the office I have the honour to hold. Having said which, I’ll thank you to make a note of it, Alf Coombe. I state further that during the first part of the period in question I was in the Mayoral Chambers at the execution of my duties from which I moved to the back office of my butchery attending to my own business which is more than can be said of persons who shall for purposes of this discussion, remain nameless.’

Mr Coombe made a short note: ‘In his Butchery,’ and turned to the Rector.

‘I’ve been trying to think,’ said Mr Carstairs. ‘I’m not at all good at times and places, I fear, and it’s been a busy day. Let me see. O, yes. I visited the cottages this morning. Actually, the main object was to call on that wretched Mrs Trehern. Things have been very much amiss, there. It’s a sad case. And one or two other folk on the Island. I don’t know when I walked back but I believe I was late for lunch. My wife, I daresay, could tell you.’

‘Did you come up to The Boy-and-Lobster, sir?’

‘Did I? Yes, I did. As a matter of fact, Miss Pride, I intended to call on you to see if you were quite recovered, but the main entrance was crowded and I saw that luncheon had begun so – I didn’t, you see.’

‘You went home, sir?’ asked the Superintendent.

‘Yes. Late.’

Mr Coombe shut his notebook. ‘All right,’ he said, ‘so far as it goes. Now, in the normal course of procedure these statements would be followed up and follow them up I shall which takes time. So unless anyone has anything further to add – Yes, Miss Pride?’

‘I merely observe, Superintendent, that I shall be glad to support you in your investigations. And to that end,’ she added, in the absence of any sign of enthusiasm, ‘I shall announce at once, that I have arrived at my own conclusion. There is, I consider, only one individual to whom these outrages may be attributed and that person, I firmly believe, is –’

The telephone rang.

It was at Miss Emily’s elbow. She said ‘T’ch!’ and picked it up. ‘Yes? Are you there?’ she asked.

A treble voice, audible to everybody in the room asked:

‘Be that Miss Emily Pride?’

‘Speaking.’

‘You leave us be, Miss Emily Pride, or the Lady will get you. You’ll be dead as a stone, Miss Emily Pride.’

‘Who is that?’

The telephone clicked and began to give the dialling sound.