Dr Maverick smiled the superior smile again.

‘We are all mental cases, Inspector Curry.’

Tomfool answer, thought the Inspector. He knew quite well he wasn’t a mental case, whatever Dr Maverick might be!

‘Is he responsible for his actions? He knows what he is doing, I suppose?’

‘Perfectly.’

‘Then when he fired that revolver at Mr Serrocold it was definitely attempted murder.’

‘No, no, Inspector Curry. Nothing of that kind.’

‘Come now, Dr Maverick. I’ve seen the two bullet holes in the wall. They must have gone dangerously near to Mr Serrocold’s head.’

‘Perhaps. But Lawson had no intention of killing Mr Serrocold or even of wounding him. He is very fond of Mr Serrocold.’

‘It seems a curious way of showing it.’

Dr Maverick smiled again. Inspector Curry found that smile very trying.

‘Everything one does is intentional. Every time you, Inspector, forget a name or a face it is because, unconsciously, you wish to forget it.’

Inspector Curry looked unbelieving.

‘Every time you make a slip of the tongue, that slip has a meaning. Edgar Lawson was standing a few feet away from Mr Serrocold. He could easily have shot him dead. Instead, he missed him. Why did he miss him? Because he wanted to miss him. It is as simple as that. Mr Serrocold was never in any danger — and Mr Serrocold himself was quite aware of that fact. He understood Edgar’s gesture for exactly what it was — a gesture of defiance and resentment against a universe that has denied him the simple necessities of a child’s life — security and affection.’

‘I think I’d like to see this young man.’

‘Certainly if you wish. His outburst last night has had a cathartic effect. There is a great improvement today. Mr Serrocold will be very pleased.’

Inspector Curry stared hard at him, but Dr Maverick was serious as always.

Curry sighed.

‘Do you have any arsenic?’ he asked.

‘Arsenic?’ The question took Dr Maverick by surprise. It was clearly unexpected. ‘What a very curious question. Why arsenic?’

‘Just answer the question, please.’

‘No, I have no arsenic of any kind in my possession.’

‘But you have some drugs?’

‘Oh certainly. Sedatives. Morphia — the barbiturates. The usual things.’

‘Do you attend Mrs Serrocold?’

‘No. Dr Gunter of Market Kimble is the family physician. I hold a medical degree, of course, but I practise purely as a psychiatrist.’

‘I see. Well, thank you very much, Dr Maverick.’

As Dr Maverick went out, Inspector Curry murmured to Lake that psychiatrists gave him a pain in the neck.

‘We’ll get on to the family now,’ he said. ‘I’ll see young Walter Hudd first.’

Walter Hudd’s attitude was cautious. He seemed to be studying the police officer with a slightly wary expression. But he was quite co-operative.

There was a good deal of defective wiring in Stonygates — the whole electric system was very old-fashioned. They wouldn’t stand for a system like that in the States.

‘It was installed, I believe, by the late Mr Gulbrandsen when electric light was a novelty,’ said Inspector Curry with a faint smile.