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think very likely I was,’ said Phillipa composedly. ‘I had a row with him before I went to bed.’
    â€˜What about?’
    â€˜I don’t see that it matters.’
    Alleyn considered this. When he spoke again it was with deliberation.
    â€˜Look here,’ he said, ‘I think there is very little doubt that your father was killed by an electric shock from his wireless set. As far as I know the circumstances are unique. Radios are normally incapable of giving a lethal shock to anyone. We have examined the cabinet and are inclined to think that its internal arrangements were disturbed last night. Very radically disturbed. Your father may have experimented with it. If anything happened to interrupt or upset him, it is possible that in the excitement of the moment he made some dangerous readjustment.’
    â€˜You don’t believe that, do you?’ asked Phillipa calmly.
    â€˜Since you ask me,’ said Alleyn, ‘no.’
    â€˜I see,’ said Phillipa; ‘you think he was murdered, butyou’re not sure.’ She had gone very white, but she spoke crisply. ‘Naturally you want to find out about my row.’
    â€˜About everything that happened last evening,’ amended Alleyn.
    â€˜What happened was this,’ said Phillipa; ‘I came into the hall some time after ten. I’d heard Arthur go out and had-looked at the clock at five past. I ran into my father’s secretary, Richard Hislop. He turned aside, but not before I saw…not quickly enough. I blurted out: “You’re crying.” We looked at each other. I asked him why he stood it. None of the other secretaries could. He said he had to. He’s a widower with two children. There have been doctor’s bills and things. I needn’t tell you about his…about his damnable servitude to my father nor about the refinements of cruelty he’d had to put up with. I think my father was mad, really mad, I mean. Richard gabbled it all out to me higgledy-piggledy in a sort of horrified whisper. He’s been here two years, but I’d never realized until that moment that we…that…’ A faint flush came into her cheeks. ‘He’s such a funny little man. Not at all the sort I’ve always thought…not good-looking or exciting or anything.’
    She stopped, looking bewildered.
    â€˜Yes?’ said Alleyn.
    â€˜Well, you see – I suddenly realized I was in love with him. He realized it too. He said: “Of course, it’s quite hopeless, you know. Us, I mean. Laughable, almost.” Then I put my arms round his neck and kissed him. It was very odd, but it seemed quite natural. The point is my father came out of this room into the hall and saw us.’
    â€˜That was bad luck,’ said Alleyn.
    â€˜Yes, it was. My father really seemed delighted. He almost licked his lips. Richard’s efficiency had irritated my father for a long time. It was difficult to find excuses for being beastly to him. Now, of course…He ordered Richard to the study and me to my room. He followed me upstairs. Richard tried to come too, but I asked him not to. My father…I needn’t tellyou what he said. He put the worst possible construction on what he’d seen. He was absolutely foul, screaming at me like a madman. He was insane. Perhaps it was DTs. He drank terribly, you know, I dare say it’s silly of me to tell you all this.’
    â€˜No,’ said Alleyn.
    â€˜I can’t feel anything at all. Not even relief. The boys are frankly relieved. I can’t feel afraid either.’ She stared meditatively at Alleyn. ‘Innocent people needn’t feel afraid, need they?’
    â€˜It’s an axiom of police investigation,’ said Alleyn and wondered if indeed she was innocent.
    â€˜It just
can’t
be murder,’ said Phillipa. ‘We were all too much afraid to kill him. I believe he’d win even if you murdered him. He’d