PC Maidment was ready with his answer.

“Well, sir, in a way I did. In a way I didn’t.”

“What happened ?”

“It was about two o’clock, sir, or a little after. A car turned out of Wavertree Road and came towards me down Wick-ham Avenue. Don’t often see a car I don’t know at that hour, and it certainly wasn’t any of the local doctors.” Roger recognized the officer who would tell a story better than he would answer questions, and gave him his head. “Funny thing was the way I didn’t hear the engine one minute, and the next I did. Very quiet around Wavertree Road at that hour, you can hear a cat move. Suddenly the engine started up and the head-lights went on, and the car was at the corner quick as snap.”

“Now what have you got up your sleeve?” demanded Roger.

Maidment beamed.

“Wavertree Road’s on a hill, sir. Anyone starting from the top of the hill could switch off and then switch on again near the corner. So I took particular notice last night, and was extra careful trying front doors and back. I couldn’t find anything wrong, sir. The car was a big Austin A70, one of those new jobs, very nice, and there aren’t many about.”

“Sure of that?”

“Positive. Black. Might have been dark blue, only I don’t think they do a blue one. Three men were in it, two at the front, one at the back — I saw them as they passed beneath a lamp. It wasn’t going fast, not really fast. The man at the back looked round after me, I could see his face when it went under the lamp.” Caution tempered his eagerness. “Not that I could recognize it again, sir.”

“And this was about two o’clock?”

“Near as dammit, sir.”

“Anything else?”

“Everything was quiet and normal,” answered PC Maidment, and actually looked uneasy. “I hope nothing went wrong I didn’t catch on to, sir.”