Sir William rubbed his forehead. `I don't know. I didn't see him, but then I was occupied.'
Sheila told us about this new newspaper line of his chasing hats.' For the first time Laura Bitton shuddered. `And I told him what Sheila told me, about Will's hat being stolen the night before.'
`What did he say?'
`Well, he asked a lot of questions, about where it had been stolen, and when, and all about it; and then I remember he started to pace up and down the drawing-room, and he said he'd got a "lead", and went hurrying away before we could ask what he meant'
A knock at the door preceded the appearance of an oldish tired man carrying a bundle made out of a handkerchief. He saluted. I
'Sergeant Hamper, sir. I have the dead man's belongings here. And the police surgeon would like to speak to you.'
A mild-mannered, peering little man with a goatee doddered in at the door.
`Howdy!' he said, pushing his derby hat slightly back on his head with the hand containing his black satchel. In the other he held a straight length of steel. `Here's your weapon, Hadley. Hur-umph… No, no fingerprints. I washed it'
He doddered over to the table, examined it as though he were looking for a suitable place, and put down the crossbow bolt. It was rounded, thin, and about eighteen inches long, with a barbed steel head.
`Funny-lookin' things they're usin' nowadays,' commented the doctor, rubbing his nose.