The note was short and in type.
“Sir,” it said, “I am authorized to inform you that the Home Secretary, Sir James Watson, was murdered this afternoon at his house in Leveson Square between three and four o’clock, by an unknown assailant. He was shot through the head, and death was instantaneous.
“ ‘The cause of the crime is at present unknown, and no trace of the assailant can be found. Scotland Yard have the matter in hand, and a reward will shortly be offered for information leading to the apprehension of the murderer.’ ”
It was signed ‘Arthur Sinclair, Superintendent, C.I.D.’ and had the official stamp on it.
Sinclair laid the paper down with a look of bewilderment.
“We must keep this carefully,” said Boyce sententiously. “It is a document of the utmost importance.”
“This is of greater importance,” said Collins quietly.
The other two looked at him in surprise. He was holding the envelope.
Slowly he laid it on the table and pointed.
“This has escaped the notice of the Central News people. Probably because they have an assistant to open envelopes who simply throws them into the waste-paper basket. I particularly asked them to get the envelope, which they have done.”