Alfred Hale had been cursing himself. After a string of fraudulent claims regarding the murder, a more credible witness had appeared. Yet Hale had failed to question him properly or to keep him there until Yeomans had returned. Giles Clearwater, he believed, had not simply come in pursuit of the reward money. Judging by his appearance and his lordly manner, he was already a wealthy man. Financial gain was not his motivation. He wanted the assassin caught and convicted.

By the time that Yeomans arrived, Hale was shamefaced. It didn’t take him long to make his confession. Yeomans was furious.

‘You let him go?’

‘He had business in hand, Micah.’

‘And so do we, you numbskull. In case you’ve forgotten, we are in pursuit of a killer. I’ve just spent an hour with the chief magistrate getting the rough edge of his tongue, flayed because of our lack of progress. And what do you do when we finally have someone who was actually there at the time of the murder?’

‘I have apologised,’ said Hale, meekly.

‘You should be down on your knees in penitence.’

‘Anyone can make a mistake, Micah.’

‘I would never have blundered the way that you did. Even a dolt like Chevy Ruddock would have had the sense to take a statement from him.’

‘Mr Clearwater did say that he’d come back.’

‘He’d better do so,’ said Yeomans, eyes ablaze. ‘When he does, be sure to keep your trap shut.’ He clicked his tongue. ‘There are times when I despair of you, Alfred, and this is one of them. I’m bound to ask if you’re getting too old for this job.’

‘But I’m years younger than you.’

‘My judgement is not in question. I still have all my faculties.’

‘And so do I. My mind is crystal clear.’

‘Then why did you make such a serious mistake? Why didn’t you question this man more thoroughly to establish his honesty? You know my rule. Trust nobody until you have cast-iron proof that they are who they say they are. Mr Clearwater sounds promising, I grant you, but he hasn’t been interrogated by a master of the art like me.’ Yeomans tapped his chest and bared his teeth. ‘I’ll get the truth out of him, I warrant you.’