“Yes,” said the doctor slowly. “I should say the assassin sprang forward with the chloroform, or perhaps approached his victim unobserved, and attempted to stupefy him, and then strangled him. That is how it looks to me. For anything more definite we must wait for the post-mortem.”
The inspector made a few hieroglyphics in his notebook, then he looked up.
“You say that death took place probably about two hours before you saw the body, doctor? and you were called in about two o'clock. Therefore, Mr. Bechcombe must have died about twelve o'clock. You are quite definite about this?”
“I cannot be more exact as to the time,” Dr. Hackett said slowly. “I should say about twelve o'clock—certainly not much after. More probably a little before.”
The inspector stroked his clean-shaven chin and glanced over his notes.
“Just one more question, Dr. Hackett. Can you tell me just who was in the room when you got there?”
Dr. Hackett hesitated a moment.
“Well, there was Mr. Walls, who seems to be managing things in Thompson's absence, and three other men whose names I do not of course know, and the late Mr. Bechcombe's secretary, whose name I understand to be Hoyle—Miss Hoyle.”
The inspector pricked up his ears.
“I have not seen Miss Hoyle. What sort of a woman?”