“How could he?”
“If the end of the key protruded, as it does in many cases, it would be quite easy to turn with a pair of pincers,” Hensman replied. “If he is a crook he most probably carries a pair, for by that means locked doors are frequently opened by thieves.”
This explanation, simple though it was, appeared perfectly adequate and I was chagrined that neither Seton nor myself had hit upon it. Later, when I again examined the door, I had no doubt at all about it. The end of the key projected beyond the surface of the door and as the lock was well-oiled and went very easily, it was easy, I found, to turn the key from the outside with a pair of pliers.
It was clear that Audley had been alarmed by something, whether it was my knock at his door that had disturbed him, we could not tell. Whatever it was, he had evidently slipped out when he heard me walk away from the door, locked the door behind him and hidden in one of the other rooms. Then his movements, masked by the noise made in breaking open the door, he had calmly walked out and disappeared.
“My advice, Rex, is to have nothing further to do with the affair,” my partner argued. “Leave it all severely alone. There is no sort of reason why you should allow yourself to be dragged into any police-court business. Suppose Audley is arrested, as no doubt he will be eventually, then you’ll be called for the prosecution. And you don’t want that.”
I demurred. It was the same advice that old Feng had given me. And yet, try how I could, I could not bring myself to desert Thelma in her distress.
Three days later I received a note from her from the Hotel Reubens, in Buckingham Palace Road, saying that her mother and she were staying there for a few days and asking whether I could see her.
I called that evening, and was invited to stay to dinner. She was very charming, but I saw she was pale and anxious. She seemed overwrought and nervous, her slim fingers ever fidgeting with her wedding ring.
After dinner we were taking coffee in the lounge when Thelma, seeing a girl she knew, rose and left us to speak to her.
“Well, Mrs. Shaylor,” I asked quickly, “has Thelma had any further news of her husband?”