The streets were deserted, washed clean by the heavy rain and the wipers had difficulty in keeping the screen clear. They didn’t speak and Miller drove on mechanically so stunned by what had happened that he was unable to think straight.

They turned a corner and Mallory gripped his arm. ‘For God’s sake, what’s that?’

Miller braked instinctively. About half-way along the street, two men struggled beside a parked motorcycle. One of them was a police patrolman in heavy belted stormcoat and black crash helmet. The other wore only shirt and pants and seemed to be barefooted.

The policeman went down, the other man jumped for the motorcycle and kicked it into life. It roared away from the kerb as the patrolman scrambled to his feet, straight down the middle of the street. Miller swing the wheel, taking the Mini-Cooper across in an attempt to cut him off. The machine skidded wildly as the rider wrenched the wheel, and shaved the bonnet of the Mini-Cooper with a foot to spare, giving Miller a clear view of his wild, determined face. Gunner Doyle. Well this was something he could handle. He took the Mini-Cooper round in a full circle across the footpath, narrowly missing an old gas lamp, and went after him.

It was at that precise moment that Jack Morgan arrived back at Faulkner’s flat. He knocked on the door and it was opened almost at once by Joanna Hartmann. She was very pale, her eyes swollen from weeping, but seemed well in control of herself. She had a couple of dresses over one arm.

‘Hello, Jack, I’m just getting a few of my things together.’

That she had lived with Faulkner on occasions was no surprise to him. She moved away and he said quickly, ‘He didn’t kill Grace Packard, Joanna.’

She turned slowly. ‘What did you say?’

‘The police had already charged the girl’s boyfriend when we got there. They have a full confession and corroborating evidence.’

‘But Bruno said …’

Her voice trailed away and ‘Morgan put a hand on her arm gently. ‘I know what he said, Joanna, but it wasn’t true. He was trying to teach us some sort of lesson. He seemed to find the whole thing rather funny.’

‘He doesn’t change, does he?’

‘I’m afraid not.’

‘Where is he now?’

‘He went out ahead of me. Last I saw he was going for a walk in the rain.’

She nodded briefly. ‘Let’s get out of here then – just give me a moment to get the rest of my things.’

‘You don’t want to see him?’

‘Never again.’

There was a hard finality in her voice and she turned and went into the bedroom. Morgan followed and stood in the entrance watching. She laid her clothes across the bed and added one or two items which she took from a drawer in one of the dressing tables.