"Well," said Sergeant Wake, when they reached the street again, "that certainly makes the Prince's alibi look a bit funny."
"Yes, and it makes the local police-work here look a bit funny, too," said Hemingway. "Nice way to take evidence! If you ask me, the Prince hasn't got an alibi at all - to put it no stronger! Very fishy it looks, him calling attention to the time, as registered, by his own watch! Now we'll make a few inquiries, my lad, and see what's what!"
Chapter Eleven
The inquiries made by Inspector Hemingway in Stilhurst village were fruitless. The only person who seemed to have seen Vicky's sports-car draw up outside the doctor's house had such hazy ideas of the time that Hemingway gave him up in disgust. He was about to get into the police-car again when the constable nodded towards a car which had drawn up outside the post office. "That's the doctor," he said.
Hemingway did not follow Chester into the post office, which was also the grocery, but waited by his car until he returned to it. When he presently made himself known to Chester, the doctor showed no surprise, but merely asked in what way he could be of use.
"Well, sir, I'm checking up on certain times," Hemingway explained. "If you can tell me when you got back to your house on Sunday afternoon, it might help me a lot."
"I'm sorry, I don't think I can. It was some time after five - possibly nearly half past five, for I was kept longer than I had foreseen.
"Thank you," said the Inspector, with a comical look that drew a smile from Chester.
"I'm really very sorry. Hullo, Hugh!"
The Inspector turned, as Hugh Dering came strolling across the street. Dr Chester said: "You seem to have consituted yourself legal adviser up at Palings, so perhaps you'd like to be introduced to Inspector Hemingway, from Scotland Yard. This is Mr. Dering, Inspector."