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Japanese hands was Randle. After the war he succeeded in reaching Australia and bummed his way around there till a few months ago. He must have known his father was dead but the old man was a bit of a miser. No one thought he had more than a few hundred pounds to leave and I suppose Rafter didn’t think it worth while admitting his identity for that. His collaboration was rather a famous one in its way. He might even have been charged with war crimes.”
    â€œOr treason.”
    â€œThen I suppose he got news of what had happened or he was desperate. At all events he came home. Reached London two weeks before he came down to Selby.”
    â€œOh. Two weeks. Then he may have been in communication with the family?”
    â€œThey all deny this. They all say they had heard or seen nothing to make them doubt that he was dead. He certainly went to Somerset House and saw his father’s will. He came down to Selby on the 4.15 that day and put up at the Queen Victoria. He went into the bar, knocked back half a dozen doubles and told one of the barmaids he had been presumed dead and that his ‘resurrection’ would not be welcomed by certain people in the town. Then, although it was a beastly night with a cold wind, he insisted on taking a walk on the promenade.”
    â€œThere is nothing to suggest that he had spoken to any of the family then?”
    â€œNothing. He asked to use the telephone and came back to the bar to say he could not get through. His movements otherwise don’t leave much opportunity. His train got in on time at 5.40 and he went straight to the Queen Victoria. He went up to his room for a wash and was in the bar by half past six or so. He did not leave it, except when he tried to telephone, till 9.30 or thereabouts. Then he walked straight down to the promenade, passing a man on his beat at about twenty to ten. At 10.50 our man found him dead in the farthest shelter—right at the end of the promenade.”
    â€œHad he got his wits about him, this man of yours?”
    Moore smiled.
    â€œAn enthusiast, anyway. Rather turned his head, having found the corpse. Sitwell, his name is and he’s still in his early twenties. Thinks I’m pretty unappreciative. But he seems to have got his times right, which is the main thing.”
    â€œI gather it was done with a sledge hammer.”
    â€œOh no. That’s press exaggeration. It was a good heavy hammer such as is used for breaking coal, but not so big that it could not have been carried to the place unnoticeably by man or woman. It’s the sort of thing that might be found in any house. Nothing of the sort has been reported missing or stolen. We’re unlikely to trace its ownership, for it might be ten years old or more and thousands of them are sold all over the country.”
    â€œFinger prints?”
    â€œNot one.”
    â€œAnything left anywhere near the body?”
    â€œNothing really. The technical boys have got some threads and particles, I believe, but they could only be any use as additional evidence if we had our man, and would be dubious then. Rafter apparently never took his hands out of his pockets so he wasn’t clutching that traditional piece of cloth. Once we’ve found someone itis possible that the microscope will help, but it tells us nothing useful now.”
    â€œIs it certain that the man had been killed with the hammer?”
    â€œAs far as expert opinion goes, yes.”
    â€œAt least you’ve got the time narrowed down nicely. How far was it from where Rafter passed the policeman to the shelter?”
    â€œAt the most fifteen minutes’ walk for a man with drink in him and the wind against him. It could be done in ten.”
    â€œSo the earliest possible time, if your man is accurate, is 9.50. And the latest, say 10.40. That’s a very small margin, John.”
    â€œYes. But what’s the good of it?”
    â€œDo you know who was along that part of