Again HM. threw back the blue folder among the other papers.
"But there was another great big lie," he went an, screwing up his face hideously, "that the old man had to see through before the solution was so blazin' obvious. That lie has caused half the mystery in this case. It had to do with how Fleet was murdered.
"When I went up to have a look at that roof-top for the first time, I was stumped and flummoxed. I couldn't think of anything but colour. I talked more about colour than an interior decorator. Because I'd got my mind fixed on that pink flash.
"So I went to the front of the roof. And then this here venerable scalp did start to stir a bit with wheels workin' inside. I hadn't quite visualized the surroundings. Arthur Puckston had been over on that north gable, in a position to look at Fleet sideways — well sideways.
"It went like this: Puckston probably wrote the anonymous postcards; only a postcard mentioned the pink flash; Puckston had told lies in his statement to the police; Puckston looked sideways…
"The pink flash must have been that lurid-glowin' sky on something white or whitish. It must have moved, pretty sharply, or there wouldn't have been any flash. It couldn't have been up in the air, or Frew would have seen it But — stop a bit! — Puckston could see what Frew couldn't see: he could see behind Fleet and a part of the roof-floor. Down on the floor
"Now think! That look of intense pain or weakness, or both, which strikes the victim all of a sudden and holds him there for a second…"
"A sword!" interposed Stannard.
"Nol" said H.M. sharply. "That's the one thing it couldn't have been, in spite of the tinge of steel in ail this case. Because. why?
"Because a sword or sharp blade would have meant blood. Because that's, the one thing mat couldn't be concealed. Remember, Fleet's body was lying smack in front of a number of witnesses. Lemme quote again; and I've been over it so much I can. quote from memory."