That dumped Will right out of his depth, but Kim had met his eyes as he spoke, a single hard flick of a look that suggested he’d said it for a reason. Will looked around the room for inspiration. “Erm... All right, let’s see. I come in and there’s this chap bent over the table, head on the side and looking away from me. Ice bucket on the mantelpiece with the pick sticking out, I suppose. So I grab the pick, three steps, keeping nice and quiet because you’d have to be careful not to attract his attention, wouldn’t you? An ice pick wouldn’t be any use if it came to a fight. I sneak up—you know, I reckon I’d hold his head down, to be sure of my aim. Miss the ear hole and you’d just annoy him.”

“He’d be very annoyed, what with the new hole in his face, but I take your point,” the doctor said. “Go on.”

“Walk up behind him, hand on head, done.” Will mimicked the stabbing action. “Awkward angle, isn’t it? Maybe you’re pulling the head over to you a bit. Point goes into the brain, but that doesn’t kill him at once.” He frowned down at the corpse. “I’d expect him to cry out.”

“Perhaps he did. I’m just the medical examiner.”

“No, I meant, I’d expect that to happen, therefore I’d try not to let him,” Will said. “Not rely on the injury to take him out in silence, is what I’m getting at. I’d put a handkerchief over his mouth or something.”

“Personal experience?”

“Not going in through the ear. That’s why I’d take precautions. Better safe than sorry.”

The doctor nodded. “I follow you. Perhaps a handkerchief, yes. Holding the side of the jaw down while you muffle the mouth.” He mimed. “Interesting. I’ll mention that and see if one has been found. Any other thoughts?”

“Only that this was either an experienced man or a very good improvisation,” Will said. “Grab the pick, whip out a handkerchief, while moving fast and quietly. You’d have to think on your feet.”

“Possibly. That said, they have picks along with ice buckets in every room, for the convenience of members who want to stab each other. If you had mayhem in mind—”

“You might have planned it out in advance,” Will finished. “Good point.”

The doctor clicked his tongue. “Why not leave loaded guns around as well, I ask you. Who did you say you were?”

Kim had been bending over the billiard table throughout the conversation, paying no attention to the observations he’d demanded, but he intervened at that. “Several inches of metal right into the brain. Would that require a strong man, Doctor?”