During the meal all reference to the tragedy of the day had been dropped by tacit consent. Now each of the men drew up his chair to the fire, and prepared to discuss the affair—in spite of the heat of the day the nights were cold.
Collins suggested, with an irony which was lost on the others, that Boyce should give them the light of his wisdom on the problem.
This he hastily declined, and Sinclair asked Collins to open the ball. Here he was in his element.
“I will go through the facts, and Sinclair can check me.” The others nodded assent. The cigars were good and the chairs comfortable. They were in the right mood for listening.
“First then,” said Collins, “there are four possibilities. It may have been suicide, but the doctor does not think that is possible. There was no blackening round the wound, and it would not be likely that a man could shoot himself through the head and throw the revolver away from him.”
“But what about the telephone messages and the newspaper article?” said Boyce.
“We are coming to that, but they may have nothing to do with the crime.”
The other two exchanged glances.
“Then we come to accident. That is a possibility. A man may have tried blackmail or to extract some secret, and fired by accident. Here again the position of the body and the whole arrangement of the room are against such an idea.”
“Then there is only murder?” said Boyce.