The door opened at that moment to admit Grant. He spoke in a low voice to his chief.
"Oh, he's turned up, has he? Yes, let him come in! I've got no objection. Just a moment: I want a word with you!" He took the Inspector by the arm, and led him out into the hall. Here he found Timothy and his brother, divesting themselves of their coats. He said: "Now, what is all this? How many more people are going to walk in here? Anyone 'ud think it was a soiree, or something! Good-evening, Mr.. Kane! And who might it have been who sent for you, may I ask?"
"Sorry if you object," said Jim, "but I was with my brother when Miss Birtley rang up, and, all things considered, I thought I'd come along with him."
" Just to take care of him, I suppose? Yes, you never know what I might take it into my head to do to him, do you? Not but what I should have thought he was very well able to take care of himself - too well! If you want to have a word with Miss Birtley, Mr.. Harte, you'll find her in there." He jerked his head towards the library, adding, as Timothy passed him: "And if you can convince her that the silliest thing she can do is to refuse to answer my questions, I shall be quite glad she sent for you!"
"I'll wait for you, Timothy," Jim said.
"All right, but I've already told you there's not the slightest need," Timothy replied over his shoulder.
"I take it that the extraordinary story Miss Birtley told my brother was true?" Jim said, as the library door shut behind Timothy.
"If she told him that Mrs. Haddington had been murdered, it was true enough, sir. If you like to wait in the dining-room, there's a fire burning there."
"Very well. I don't know how seriously you took my brother's lack of alibi for that other affair, but I imagine this new development lets him out, doesn't it?"
"Well, he certainly didn't commit this murder," said Hemingway. "If it's any comfort to you, sir, I don't propose to waste any time asking him what he was doing this afternoon. For one thing, it's a safe bet you'd swear blind you were with him all day, and I've got enough on my hands without trying to prove you're grossly deceiving me."