He put one or two other questions to her, and then got rid of her, and asked to see Mr Rudolph Mesurier.
Mesurier came in five minutes later. He looked rather white, but greeted Hannasyde easily and cheerfully. “Superintendent Hannasyde, isn't it? Good-morning. You're investigating the cause of Arnold Vereker's death, I understand. Rather an awful thing, isn't it? I mean, stabbed like that, in the back. Anything I can tell you that might help you, I shall be only too glad to - only I'm afraid I can't tell you much.” He laughed apologetically, and sat down on one side of the bare mahogany table, carefully hitching up his beautifully creased trousers. Just what is it you want to know?” he asked.
“Well, I want to know several things, Mr Mesurier,” answered the Superintendent. “Can you remember where you were on Saturday evening between the hours of- let us say eleven o'clock and two o'clock?”
Mesurier wrinkled his brow. “Let me see now: Saturday! Oh yes, of course! I was at home, Redclyffe Gardens, Earl's Court. I have digs there.”
“Are you sure that you were in home then, Mr Mesurier?”
“Well, really - !” Mesurier laughed again, a little nervously. “I was certainly under that impression! I had a bit of a head that night, and I went to bed early.”
Hannasyde looked at him for a few moments. Mesurier stared back into his eyes, and moistened his lips. “Where do you garage your car?” asked Hannasyde.
“What an odd question! Just round the corner. I have a lock-up garage, you know, in a mews.”
“Are you always careful to keep that garage locked, Mr Mesurier?”
Mesurier replied a shade too quickly. “Oh, I'm afraid I'm rather casual sometimes! Of course I do usually see that it's locked, but occasionally, when I've been in a hurry - you know how it is!”