adapter to the radiator be brought into play?â
âBy gum,â said Fox, âyouâre right! Thatâs how it was done, Chief. The heavier flex was cut away from the radiator and shoved through. There was a fire, so he wouldnât want the radiator and wouldnât notice.â
âIt might have been done that way, certainly, but thereâs little to prove it. Return to the bereaved Tonkses, my Fox, and ask prettily if any of them remember Septimusâs peculiarities when tuning his wireless.â
Fox met little Mr Hislop at the door and left him alone with Alleyn. Phillipa had been right, reflected the Inspector, when she said Richard Hislop was not a noticeable man. He was nondescript. Grey eyes, drab hair; rather pale, rather short, rather insignificant; and yet last night there had flashed up between those two the realization of love. Romantic but rum, thought Alleyn.
âDo sit down,â he said. âI want you, if you will, to tell me what happened between you and Mr Tonks last evening.â
âWhat happened?â
âYes. You all dined at eight, I understand. Then you and Mr Tonks came in here?â
âYes.â
âWhat did you do?â
âHe dictated several letters.â
âAnything unusual take place?â
âOh, no.â
âWhy did you quarrel?â
âQuarrel!â The quiet voice jumped a tone. âWe did not quarrel, Mr Alleyn.â
âPerhaps that was the wrong word. What upset you?â
âPhillipa has told you?â
âYes. She was wise to do so. What was the matter, Mr Hislop?â
âApart from theâ¦what she told youâ¦Mr Tonks was a difficult man to please. I often irritated him. I did so last night.â
âIn what way?â
âIn almost every way. He shouted at me. I was startled and nervous, clumsy with papers, and making mistakes. I wasnât well. I blundered and thenâ¦Iâ¦I broke down. I have always irritated him. My very mannerismsââ
âHad he no irritating mannerisms, himself?â
âHe! My God!â
âWhat were they?â
âI canât think of anything in particular. It doesnât matter does it?â
âAnything to do with the wireless, for instance?â
There was a short silence.
âNo,â said Hislop.
âWas the radio on in here last night, after dinner?â
âFor a little while. Not after â after the incident in the hall. At least, I donât think so. I donât remember.â
âWhat did you do after Miss Phillipa and her father had gone upstairs?â
âI followed and listened outside the door for a moment.â He had gone very white and had backed away from the desk.
âAnd then?â
âI heard someone coming. I remembered Dr Meadows had told me to ring him up if there was one of the scenes. I returned here and rang him up. He told me to go to my room and listen. If things got any worse I was to telephone again. Otherwise I was to stay in my room. It is next to hers.â
âAnd you did this?â He nodded. âCould you hear what Mr Tonks said to her?â
âA â a good deal of it.â
âWhat did you hear?â
âHe insulted her. Mrs Tonks was there. I was just thinking of ringing Dr Meadows up again when she and Mr Tonks came out and went along the passage, I stayed in my room.â
âYou did not try to speak to Miss Phillipa?â
âWe spoke through the wall. She asked me not to ring Dr Meadows, but to stay in my room. In a little while, perhaps it was as much as twenty minutes â I really donât know â I heard him come back and go downstairs. I again spoke to Phillipa. She implored me not to do anything and said that she herself would speak to Dr Meadows in the morning. So I waited a little longer and then went to bed.â
âAnd to sleep?â
âMy God, no!â
âDid you hear the wireless