‘I have turned the thought over in my mind more than once,’ Mrs Bradley replied, ‘and I am inclined to give Ed a clean slate. It is true that he could have been the messenger who took the note to Anstey’s house at the time of Bill Fullalove’s death and Tiny’s injured kneecap, but, then, you see, so could Robert Emming. And I do think that the plotters would have realized that the fewer people there were in the plot, the more chance it had of success. I must say that I was rather glad when we were able to trace the possession of the typewriter to Emming – or, rather, that the police are now in a position to trace that typewriter to where it was bought.’

‘Talking of Ed Brown,’ said Miss Bagthorpe, ‘I assume that he is still in the land of the living as no inquest upon him has been held.’

‘You are quite right, and we shall not be able to hide the truth much longer.’

‘If it can be shown that Emming purchased that typewriter, he will have to explain why he sent the letters, will he not?’

‘Yes. Why did he? I have realized that it was a case of “like mother, like son”, but I don’t think that is the full explanation,’ said Miss Hughes.

‘No, of course it is not. I think Emming argued in this way: if the anonymous letters suddenly ceased, people might begin to wonder what had happened to the writer, and, naturally, the longer Mrs Dalby Whittier’s death could be kept secret the better. Bill Fullalove’s death the plotters did not intend to hush up. That was to save Tiny Fullalove from being suspected. As soon as it was known that Bill was missing, Tiny would be questioned. The manner of Bill’s death is still not proved …’

‘What do you yourself think?’

‘I think his drink was doped and that then he was set upon in Groaning Spinney by Emming and Tiny, a sack put over his head to muffle sounds, and himself secured to four trees. The trees show signs, but Bill Fullalove’s thick winter gloves and clothing protected his skin from marks which would otherwise have been made by the dog-chains and leads. He was an easy victim, I would say, because he was taken entirely by surprise and would have been drowsy. The body, except for the head, was then covered in snow, and when he was almost dead he was hoisted up over a gate so that the body could receive the attitude desired. Then he was carried to the ghost-gate and his body inclined over that. Emming then made himself scarce, and the too-clever Tiny faked an injury.’

‘How utterly horrible and wicked!’

‘You may well say so.’

‘Why do you think Bill came to visit your nephew on Christmas Eve?’