“What did he die of?”
“Suicide. Inquest isn't till Tuesday or Wednesday,” parried Pointer. “Do you recognise him? Ever sold anything to him this last week or even yesterday?”
The assistant shook his head.
“Never saw him before.”
“Quite sure?” Pointer had not expected this.
“Oh, absolutely.”
“Humph. Well, what about this bottle? It was standing on the dead man's washstand.” He produced the cough mixture.
The two men agreed that the bottle came from them.
“Could you call to mind any people you sold one like it to? It's a very important point in the case.”
“But there's nothing whatever in that medicine,” began the two chemists hastily, and perhaps more truthfully than they intended.