Outside the landlord stopped them.
“Gentlemen, I hope it is understood that I have no responsibility with regard to this raid on Mr. Thompson's property?”
“Quite, quite!” assented the inspector. “Refer Mr. Thompson to me if you should see him again.”
“Which I hope I shall,” the landlord pursued, following them down the stairs. “For a better tenant I never had; punctual with his rent, and always quiet and quite the gentleman.”
Inspector Furnival stopped short. “How long has he lived with you?”
The man scratched his head. “A matter of four years or more, and always brought the rent to me, I never had to ask for it. I wish there were more like him.”
“Did you see much of him?”
“Only passing the time of day on the stairs, and when he came to pay his rent which he did regularly every Saturday morning.”
“That room does not look as if it had been slept in or eaten in,” John Steadman said abruptly.
The landlord stared at him.