“Yes, probably,” Charles intervened. “But not this murder! You'd go in for something a bit more subtle.”
“Why, Charles, I did not look for this tribute from you!” Gavin said mockingly.
“You can take it that way if you like. I'd be willing enough to consider you for the star part in this drama if I could think of any conceivable reason why you should want to murder Sampson Warrenby. As I can't, you'll have to go on being a super, as far as I'm concerned.”
“But doesn't your dislike of me make it possible for you to picture me in the star role?” Gavin asked softly.
“No.”
“Oh, you are a very poor hater, Charles! Or are you maliciously attempting to make the Chief Inspector lose interest in me? I believe you are. I shall have to tell him that I have already committed one murder, and I meant to let him find that out for himself.”
“On paper. That's different.”
“Many, on paper. Only one in actual fact.”
“Look here, don't you think this has gone far enough?” said the Major uncomfortably. “It isn't quite a fit matter for joking, you know!”
“But I wasn't joking. It is well known that I murdered my half-brother.”