“But you’re going straight home, aren’t you?” exclaimed Hessel.
“No, I told you I’d got a Hospital Board this afternoon. It’s nearly three now.”
“But good heavens, man, are you out of your wits today? You’ve had a severe shock. You must get straight to bed and send for your doctor.”
“Rubbish. I’m quite all right now. I must go to this Board meeting—I’m in the Chair and I’ve got to report on an amalgamation scheme. Besides, if I’m ill, what better place to go to than a hospital? They’ve even got a mortuary I believe, if the worst comes to the worst!”
Fratten laughed at his companion’s harassed expression and took his arm.
“Now then, lead me out to the ambulance, old man,” he said.
Hessel watched his friend drive off in the taxi, and then turned and walked slowly off towards the bank, an anxious and very thoughtful expression on his face.
The police-constable established himself against a convenient wall, took out his note-book and wetted his pencil.
“At 2.45 p. m., I . . .”