“What about this friend of Staveley's? Was it a man or a woman?”
“A woman, I believe; but I didn't see. Staveley went to the door himself. That would be between nine and ten o'clock.”
“When did Staveley go out?”
“I can't say. After ten o'clock, at any rate, for I went to bed, then. I'd a headache.”
“When did you hear about the murder?”
“Before I got out of bed. I was told that two men wanted to borrow the boat.”
The inspector paused before continuing his inquiry. When he spoke again, it was on a different point.
“I shall need to go through his luggage, of course. Can I see it?”
Derek Fordingbridge led the way into the cottage.
“It's in there,” he said, indicating one of the rooms. “He'd only a suit-case with him.”