‘You know, then, this evening’s perpetrator?’ asked Holmes.

‘No!’

‘Explain yourself, Madame.’

Behind her, Falco Fricano and two other stagehands were clearing away the Great Borelli’s props and equipment. ‘Please, wait one moment,’ said Madame Borelli as she strode onto the stage. She had a word with Fricano, who shrugged and began to direct the others.

Holmes had clearly overheard something. ‘You are preparing another act?’ said he incredulously, as the lady returned to us.

She again took hold of Holmes’s arm. ‘Dario will insist. Sitting down, of course. We will be very careful. But Mr Holmes … Santo Colangelo hates Dario, it is true, and Dario may change his mind and tell the police his suspicions. Then they will arrest Santo. Santo, he is angry enough to do this, and the police will see.’

‘But your husband did not want the police!’ I said.

The lady shrugged. ‘He maybe want to handle himself. I fear this.’

‘Your Dario is unpredictable, Madame Borelli. Of course, Mr Colangelo does have a clear motive, if your husband caused his career-changing accident.’

‘Yes, but I think Santo did not do this to Dario.’

‘And so?’

‘I would like you to confirm.’

‘To investigate your former lover with an eye to clearing him?’

‘Yes, please. And also to be sure Dario did not harm Santo with the guillotine.’

‘You want me to investigate both stage accidents? And if I discover the two men are waging a vendetta?’

She hesitated. Her face clouded. ‘I … well I suppose then you must tell the police.’ A reasonably believable tear appeared in one eye. She wiped it away.

‘Of course, then both would go to gaol, Madame,’ said Holmes. ‘Which might well be convenient for you, given that your interests look to the future.’

Holmes stared at the woman in a fashion that I had seen unnerve the sternest barrister and the most violent street thug.

Madame Borelli met the challenge. ‘Mr Holmes, why you look at me so?’ she demanded.

‘If that lock was rigged tonight, and I could not spot it, then it took a real expert to do so.’

‘Yes.’

‘I expect you could name more than one suspect with the skills needed to sabotage that one lock tonight.’

‘I … I am not sure.’

‘Madame, I believe you have one or even more definite ideas.’

‘I do not wish to point the finger.’

The finger. A lot of fingers involved in this case!

‘For example, if not Santo Colangelo, it might be your new lover?’ asked Holmes.

‘What? How do you know I have a—’