“With all the tact of an angry bull, then?”

Jenkins laughed. “If you choose to say so, Mr. Lenox. He’s roused every able-bodied stable boy and driver on the street to accuse them of the crime.”

Lenox snorted. “A clever stable boy, to use a rope ladder rather than risk getting caught by servants who walk between houses every day.”

“Indeed,” said Jenkins. “Though it backfired in the end, that cleverness-we found the ladder, after all.”

“What else?”

“One other thing about Carruthers.”

“Yes?”

“There were a pen and blotter on his supper table, both freshly used, and ink on his hands.”

“But no paper in evidence, I suppose you’ll tell me. So the murderer was partly there to steal a damaging document.”

“He might have filed it away, Inspector Exeter argued.”

“Yes, yes, or brought it from his newspaper’s office, or given it to a dove to fly to Noah’s Ark with. I’m familiar with the inane pattern of thought Exeter might employ.”

“Well.”

Lenox sighed. “I’m sorry. I oughtn’t to talk like that.”

“No, perhaps not.”

“What about Pierce?”

“That’s altogether more mysterious, actually. Nobody saw or heard a thing, other than the shot.”

“Nothing missing from his house?”

“No, nothing.”

“Do you read the News of the Day?” asked Lenox.

“Since you recommended I do so, Lenox, yes.”

“What was the ‘definite link’ between Carruthers and Pierce?”

“Excuse me?”

“Ah-you must have gotten up early to get the first edition.”

“Yes, I’ve been up all night, trying to help.”

“According to the second edition of the News Exeter had discovered a solid link between the two men, aside from their careers.”

Jenkins looked uneasy. “Oh, yes-that.”