“I will repeat,” and the same impassive message came through with the concluding words, “Have you got that?”
Sinclair pulled himself together.
“Who is speaking?” he said. He heard a laugh and then the voice⸺
“Oh, no one in particular, just the murderer,” and then silence.
He rang his bell, and his assistant, or ‘familiar’ as he was termed, Lewis, entered.
“Someone is playing a joke of sorts on us. Just find out who called up,” he said abruptly, and went on reading. The thing was so absurd, but something was wrong, and someone would have to answer for this. In a minute Lewis returned.
“They don’t seem to know downstairs, sir, there is a new operator at the exchange, and it seems that someone said she was a personal friend of yours, and must speak at once to you.”
“Oh, of course, the same old game. I suppose they think it’s funny,” and he turned savagely to his work.
“By the way, Lewis, just find out where the Home Secretary is,” he added.
About ten minutes had passed, when a knock came at the door, and a clerk ushered in Mr. Collins.