Roughly, he lifted a chair out from behind the nearest table and plonked it down in front of Albert. Albert looked at it, then at Ucho. ‘I’d rather stand, if y—’

‘Sit.’

He sat.

‘Now,’ said Ucho, ‘from what we can figure, you were one of the last few people he spoke to.’

‘Me?’

‘Yes.’

‘Well, the last time I saw him was when he came with Father to see Theo’s tent.’

‘What did he say to you?’

‘Not much. Just some stuff about how he liked to call his guard Fritz and—’

‘His name was Fritz.’

Albert looked at him, feeling a chill coming on. ‘Did you say was?’

‘Just go on,’ said Ucho.

‘There’s nothing to tell. Then he went off with June, and that was the last I saw of him.’

‘He didn’t come with me,’ said June. ‘The moment we were round the corner, he yelped and said he was getting late, that I should excuse his rudeness, and left. A couple of hours later he met Father and told him he was going to see Vail and would meet him afterwards. That was the last anyone ever heard from him.’

Vail again!

Albert started to say, ‘Well, have you asked Vail—’

Father shook his head. ‘Vail says Castor never came to see him.’

‘He’s lying!’

‘And how do you know?’ said Ucho.

‘Vail has witnesses to prove he was not alone, and that Castor never reached him,’ said Father.

‘Well, they must be lying too, to back him up,’ he said.

‘So why are you so sure it is Vail who is responsible, Albert?’

‘Well, he had motive, didn’t he? Castor was speaking against him.’

‘If that is sufficient cause then there is a very long line of people who might be the killer. Castor dedicated much of his time to speaking against people. And the fact is that Castor was found in his own tent, dead. Several people saw him go in. Nobody saw anyone else enter.’

‘How is that possible?’

‘Well, that’s how it is,’ said June. ‘After Castor failed to show up, Father decided to go look for him. On the way he met Ucho, who was coming to see him. Together, they asked around and found Castor had been seen going home. When they went to his tent, they found him buried under some cushions.’

‘Found? You mean he was dead?’

‘Well, what do you think he was doing, man?’ snapped Ucho. ‘Playing hide-and-seek?’

‘Easy, Ucho,’ said Father. ‘We know you are upset—’

‘Upset! I’m not upset! Angry is more like it! Two more dead men! In the middle of the camp, too!’

Albert turned to look at him. It was getting colder in the tent. ‘You said “was” earlier. About the guard. And now you said two dead men. Has Castor’s guard been murdered, too?’