“What time did you go there?”
“About eight, and I stayed playing cards till nearly midnight.”
“Baxter, don’t forget Smith left Sir John soon after six. His dead body wasn’t found till next morning. You’ve got to account for the time from six to eight and after midnight. Then Marston has absolutely forgotten. How about you, Moorhouse?”
“Oh, I was at the theatre.”
“That’s only another partial one, then. Why on earth don’t you people try to find out who did murder the man and not wait till you are in sight of the rope yourselves before you start?”
“But what can we do?”
“You can offer a reward for one thing. You can engage Dennis Yardley, the detective, for another.”
“Tempest, can we make it worth your while for you to take a hand in it?”
“No. I’m not keen at playing detective professionally. It’s not my profession. But I don’t mind helping Yardley, as I’ve done in other cases, if that’s what you want.”
“Will you take a retainer from us?”