Felicity, agog with curiosity, made an excuse to follow him presently to the study and begged to know whether the cable had something to do with Dawson's murder. Without looking up Amberley replied that it had not.
Felicity was disappointed. "You seem fairly pleased with it anyway," she said.
"I'm always pleased to find my theories are correct," said Amberley. He got up and glanced at his wrist watch. "I shall have to leave you, loved one. Back soon."
He went round to the garage and got his car out, and for the second time that day drove into Upper Nettlefold and to the police station. The sergeant was just coming off duty when he arrived, but he readily accompanied Amberley back into the station and led him into his little office.
"It's about Mark Brown," Amberley said, without waste of words. "The inspector is inclined to pooh-pooh the necessity of watching him, and it occurs to me that that attitude may have communicated itself to Constable. Tucker. Get this, Sergeant! It's absolutely vital that Brown should not be allowed out of the police's sight. Detail a man to relieve Tucker tonight; I'll take the responsibility."
The sergeant responded nobly. "I haven't got anyone free, sir, but if you want it done I'll do it myself, that's what I'll do. Yes, what do you want?"
The constable who was on duty had come in in a hurry. "It's Tucker, Sergeant. At least, it ain't him exactly, but there's an urgent message. He wants you to go at once. It is on the Collinghurst Road."
"Well, what is it?" said the sergeant. "Come on, let's have it!"
"That young fellow he was watching, Sergeant. He's Born and fallen in the river."
"Well, you needn't make such a to-do about that," said the sergeant testily. "Anyone might have known that was bound to happen one of these days. More fool Tucker to let him."