"My name's Trevor. I'm the head electrician at the powder mills just down the road."
"Well, I'm a police officer," said Marsden, "and this gentleman is Doctor Gray."
"A police officer?" repeated the other. "Is there anything——"
"One of our friends here," continued Marsden, jerking his head in the direction of Cooper's body, "is the murderer of Professor Carter. I have no doubt you read about the case in the papers. The other was wanted on an almost equally serious charge."
Their new acquaintance stood staring at them in open-mouthed amazement.
"But—but what on earth were they doing down here?" he stammered.
"They were trying to reach Thames Haven, where they hoped to get on board a boat. We were following them in another car, and just as they got to this point they swerved right across the road into that heap of stones. You can see the result for yourself."
The electrician nodded his head. "Yes," he replied, "I can. You must excuse my being a bit flabbergasted, but it's pretty quiet round about here as a rule, and this kind of thing's a trifle out of my line." He removed the soft hat that he was wearing and wiped his forehead with his coat sleeve. "What do you propose to do?" he asked. "We've a telephone at the works if you'd like me to get into communication with any one."
Marsden pulled out his pocketbook and extracted a card.
"This is my name," he said. "Do you mind going straight back and ringing up the Southend Police Station? Say that you're speaking for me, and ask them to send out a motor ambulance and a car as soon as possible. They'll know the powder works, and when they arrive perhaps you'll be good enough to bring them on here."