He was going through the kitchen, when they were startled by a loud, imperative double knock on the knocker which, so far, no one had touched that morning. The front door bell also pealed through the house.
“You wait just inside here, sir. I’ll go to the door. I’ve got it on the chain. No one can force their way in.”
Elsie purposely left the kitchen door open, and soon the doctor heard a stern voice say:
“Please take off the chain and admit me at once. I’m a police inspector sent down by the Director of Public Prosecutions. I’ve come to take statements from Miss Jean Bower and Dr. Maclean.”
The tone of the speaker was not pleasant. But a moment later, to Dr. Maclean’s relief, he heard the same voice apparently addressing a small crowd of men who had gathered round him. They could be seen through the window of the kitchen edging closer and closer to the now open front door.
“If you newspaper people don’t show a little more good feeling and decent regard in such a case as this we shall have a Bill put through Parliament making it illegal to take any photograph or any interview in connection with any murder case as yet untried! That wouldn’t suit some of you, I reckon? There’s nothing doing this morning, apart from what I’ve come to do, so I advise you to be off.”
Dr. Maclean heard Elsie’s voice: “If you’ll come into the doctor’s consulting room, sir, I’ll go and tell him that you’re here.”
“I should like to see Miss Bower.”
“Miss Bower’s still in bed sir.”
“I shall have to see her in bed, if she’s not inclined to get up.”