Fox opened the door. Legge backed towards it, but on the threshold he paused.

‘If only,’ he said with extraordinary intensity, ‘if only you’d have the sense to see that I couldn’t have done anything even if I’d wanted to. If only you’d realize that and leave me in peace. You don’t know what damage you may do, indeed you don’t. If only you would leave me in peace!’

He swallowed noisily, made a movement with his hands that was eloquent of misery and defeat, and went away.

Fox stopped with his hand on the door knob.

‘He’s gone back to the garage,’ said Fox. ‘Surely he won’t bolt.’

‘I don’t think he’ll bolt, Fox. Not in that car.’

Fox stood and listened, looking speculatively at Alleyn.

‘Well,’ he said, ‘that was a rum go, Mr Alleyn, wasn’t it?’

‘Very rum indeed. I suppose you’re thinking what I’m thinking?’

‘He’s been inside,’ said Fox. ‘I’ll take my oath that man’s done his stretch.’

‘I think so too, and what’s more he had that suit before he went in. It was made by a decent tailor about six years ago, or more, and it was made for Mr Legge. It fits him well enough and he’s too odd a shape for reach-me-downs.’

‘Notice his hands?’

‘I did. And the hair, and the walk, and the eyes. I thought he was going to sob it all out on my bosom. Ugh!’ said Alleyn, ‘it’s beastly, that furtive, wary look they get. Fox, ring up Illington and ask Harper to send the dart up to Dabs. It’s got his prints. Not very nice ones, but they’ll do to go on with.’

Fox went off to the telephone, issued cryptic instructions, and returned.

‘I wonder,’ said Fox, ‘who he is, and what they pulled him in for.’

‘We’ll have to find out.’

‘He behaved very foolish,’ said Fox austerely. ‘All that refusing to have his prints taken. We’re bound to find out. We’ll have to get his dabs, sir.’

‘Yes,’ agreed Alleyn, ‘on the sly, as he foretold.’

‘I wonder what he’s doing out there,’ said Fox.

‘Wait a moment,’ said Alleyn. ‘I’ll have a look.’

He stole into the passage. Legge had left the side door ajar and Alleyn could see the yard outside, flooded with moonshine. He slipped out and moved like a cat, across the yard and into the shadow of the garage door. Here he stopped and listened. From inside the garage came a rhythmic whisper interrupted at intervals by low thuds and accompanied by the sound of breathing. A metal door opened and closed stealthily, a boot scraped across stone. The rhythmic whisper began again. Alleyn stole away and recrossed the yard, his long shadow going fantastically before him.

When he rejoined Fox in the parlour, he was grinning broadly.