“Well, from what one hears, I should have thought you were too busy to bother about us.”
The barrister laughed. “The courts aren’t sitting.”
“Of course not. I’d forgotten. Inquests, you know, aren’t postponed over vacations. Good morning.”
Tempest joined Yardley and Parkyns on the pavement outside.
“Well, Mr. Tempest, what do you think of it all?” said the inspector.
“Parkyns, you’ve known me a good many years now. It must be nearly twenty years since I first cross-examined you at the Old Bailey.”
“Yes, it must be quite that long.”
“And we’ve been interested together or against each other in the same cases a good many times since then, haven’t we?”
“We have, sir.”
“Well, have you ever known me to make a positive statement without being fairly certain of it?”