"Two possible answers," said Corrigan. "One, it was done by a vicious-minded young thug, who likes violence for violence's sake - vicious-minded young thug, who likes violence for violence's sake - there are plenty of them about these days, more's the pity." there are plenty of them about these days, more's the pity."

"And the other answer."

The doctor shrugged his shoulders.

"Somebody had it in for your Father Gorman. Was that likely?"

Lejeune shook his head.

"Most unlikely. He was a popular man, well loved in the district. No enemies, as far as one can hear. And robbery's unlikely. Unless -" enemies, as far as one can hear. And robbery's unlikely. Unless -"

"Unless what?" asked Corrigan. "The police have a clue! Am I right?" right?"

"He did have something on him that wasn't taken away. It was in his shoe, as a matter of fact." shoe, as a matter of fact."

Corrigan whistled.

"Sounds like a spy story."

Lejeune smiled.

"It's much simpler than that. He had a hole in his pocket. Sergeant Pine talked to his housekeeper. She's a bit of a slattern, it seems. Pine talked to his housekeeper. She's a bit of a slattern, it seems. Didn't keep his clothes mended in the way she might have done. Didn't keep his clothes mended in the way she might have done. She admitted that, now and again, Father Gorman would thrust a She admitted that, now and again, Father Gorman would thrust a paper or a letter down the side of his shoe to prevent it from going paper or a letter down the side of his shoe to prevent it from going down into the lining of his cassock." down into the lining of his cassock."

"And the killer didn't know that?"

"The killer never thought of that! Assuming, that is, that this piece of paper is what he may have been wanting, rather than a miserly of paper is what he may have been wanting, rather than a miserly amount of small change." amount of small change."

"What was on the paper?"

Lejeune reached into a drawer and took out a flimsy piece of creased paper. creased paper.

"Just a list of names," he said.

Corrigan looked at it curiously.

Ormerod Sandford Parkinson Hesketh-Dubois Shaw Harmondsworth Tuckerton Corrigan?

Delafontaine?

His eyebrows rose.

"I see I'm on the list!"

"Do any of the names mean anything to you?" asked the inspector.

"None of them."

"And you've never met Father Gorman?"

"Never."

"Then you won't be able to help us much."

"Any ideas as to what this list means - if anything?"

Lejeune did not reply directly.

"A boy called at Father Gorman's about seven o'clock in the evening. Said a woman was dying and wanted the priest. Father evening. Said a woman was dying and wanted the priest. Father Gorman went with him." Gorman went with him."

"Where to? If you know?"

"We know. It didn't take long to check up. Twenty-three Benthall Street. House owned by a woman named Coppins. The sick woman Street. House owned by a woman named Coppins. The sick woman was a Mrs Davis. The priest got there at a quarter past seven and was with her for about half an hour. Mrs Davis died just before the was with her for about half an hour. Mrs Davis died just before the ambulance arrived to take her to hospital." ambulance arrived to take her to hospital."

"I see."

"The next we hear of Father Gorman is at Tony's Place, a small down-at-heel caf down-at-heel caf. Quite decent, nothing criminal about it, serves refreshment of poor quality and isn't much patronized. Father refreshment of poor quality and isn't much patronized. Father Gorman asked for a cup of coffee. Then apparently he felt in his Gorman asked for a cup of coffee. Then apparently he felt in his pocket, couldn't find what he wanted and asked the proprietor, pocket, couldn't find what he wanted and asked the proprietor, Tony, for a piece of paper. This -" he gestured with his finger "is the Tony, for a piece of paper. This -" he gestured with his finger "is the piece of paper." piece of paper."

"And then?"

"When Tony brought the coffee, the priest was writing on the paper. Shortly afterwards he left, leaving his coffee practically untasted Shortly afterwards he left, leaving his coffee practically untasted (for which I don't blame him), having completed this list and shoved (for which I don't blame him), having completed this list and shoved it into his shoe." it into his shoe."

"Anybody else in the place?"

"Three boys of the Teddy-boy type came in and sat at one table and an elderly man came in and sat at another. The latter went away an elderly man came in and sat at another. The latter went away without ordering." without ordering."

"He followed the priest?"

"Could be. Tony didn't notice when he went. Didn't notice what he looked like, either. Described him as an inconspicuous type of man. looked like, either. Described him as an inconspicuous type of man. Respectable. The kind of man that looks like everybody else. Respectable. The kind of man that looks like everybody else. Medium height, he thinks, dark blue overcoat - or could be brown. Medium height, he thinks, dark blue overcoat - or could be brown. Not very dark and not very fair. No reason he should have had Not very dark and not very fair. No reason he should have had anything to do with it. One just doesn't know. He hasn't come anything to do with it. One just doesn't know. He hasn't come forward to say he saw the priest in Tony's place - but it's early days forward to say he saw the priest in Tony's place - but it's early days yet. We're asking for anyone who saw Father Gorman between a yet. We're asking for anyone who saw Father Gorman between a quarter to eight and eight-fifteen to communicate with us. Only two quarter to eight and eight-fifteen to communicate with us. Only two people so far have responded: a woman and a chemist who had a people so far have responded: a woman and a chemist who had a shop nearby. I'll be going to see them presently. His body was shop nearby. I'll be going to see them presently. His body was found at eight-fifteen by two small boys in West Street - you know found at eight-fifteen by two small boys in West Street - you know it? Practically an alleyway, bounded by the railway on one side. The it? Practically an alleyway, bounded by the railway on one side. The rest - you know." rest - you know."

Corrigan nodded. He tapped the paper.

"What's your feeling about this?"

"I think it's important," said Lejeune.

"The dying woman told him something and he got these names down on paper as soon as he could before he forgot them? The only down on paper as soon as he could before he forgot them? The only thing is - would he have done that if he'd been told under seal of the thing is - would he have done that if he'd been told under seal of the confessional?" confessional?"

"It needn't have been under a seal of secrecy," said Lejeune.

"Suppose, for instance, these names have a connection of - say, blackmail." blackmail."

"That's your idea, is it?"

"I haven't any ideas yet. This is just a working hypothesis. These people were being blackmailed. The dying woman was either the people were being blackmailed. The dying woman was either the blackmailer, or she knew about the blackmail. I'd say that the blackmailer, or she knew about the blackmail. I'd say that the general idea was, repentance, confession, and a wish to make general idea was, repentance, confession, and a wish to make reparation as far as possible. Father Gorman assumed the reparation as far as possible. Father Gorman assumed the responsibility." responsibility."

"And then?"

"Everything else is conjectural," said Lejeune. "Say it was a paying racket, and someone didn't want it to stop paying. Someone knew racket, and someone didn't want it to stop paying. Someone knew Mrs Davis was dying and that she'd sent for the priest. The rest Mrs Davis was dying and that she'd sent for the priest. The rest follows." follows."

"I wonder now," said Corrigan studying the paper again. "Why do you think there's an interrogation mark after the last two names?" you think there's an interrogation mark after the last two names?"

"It could be that Father Gorman wasn't sure he'd remembered those two names correctly." those two names correctly."

"It might have been Mulligan instead of Corrigan," agreed the doctor with a grin. "That's likely enough. But I'd say that with a doctor with a grin. "That's likely enough. But I'd say that with a name like Delafontaine, either you'd remember it or you wouldn't - if name like Delafontaine, either you'd remember it or you wouldn't - if you know what I mean. It's odd that there isn't a single address." He you know what I mean. It's odd that there isn't a single address." He read down the list again. read down the list again.

"Parkinson - lots of Parkinsons. Sandford, not uncommon - Hesketh-Dubois - that's a bit of a mouthful. Can't be many of them." Hesketh-Dubois - that's a bit of a mouthful. Can't be many of them."

On a sudden impulse he leaned forward and took the telephone directory from the desk. directory from the desk.

"E to L. Let's see. Hesketh, Mrs A... John and Company, Plumbers... Sir Isidore. Ah! here we are! Hesketh-Dubois, Lady. Forty-nine, Sir Isidore. Ah! here we are! Hesketh-Dubois, Lady. Forty-nine, Ellesmere Square, S.W.I. What say we just ring her up?" Ellesmere Square, S.W.I. What say we just ring her up?"

"Saying what?"

"Inspiration will come," said Doctor Corrigan airily.

"Go ahead." said Lejeune.

"What?" Corrigan stared at him.

"I said go ahead," Lejeune spoke mildly. "Don't look so taken aback." He himself picked up the receiver. "Give me an outside aback." He himself picked up the receiver. "Give me an outside line." He looked at Corrigan. "Number?" line." He looked at Corrigan. "Number?"

"Grosvenor 64578."

Lejeune repeated it, then handed the receiver over to Corrigan.

"Enjoy yourself." he said.

Faintly puzzled, Corrigan looked at him as he waited. The ringing tone continued for some time before anyone answered. Then, tone continued for some time before anyone answered. Then, interspersed with heavy breathing, a woman's voice said: interspersed with heavy breathing, a woman's voice said: "Grosvenor 64578."

"Is that Lady Hesketh-Dubois' house?"

"Well - well, yes - I mean -"

Doctor Corrigan ignored these uncertainties.

"Can I speak to her, please?"

"No, that you can't do! Lady Hesketh-Dubois died last April."

"Oh!" Startled. Dr Corrigan ignored the "Who is it speaking, please?" and gently replaced the receiver. please?" and gently replaced the receiver.

He looked coldly at Inspector Lejeune.

"So that's why you were so ready to let me ring up."

Lejeune smiled maliciously.

"We don't really neglect the obvious," he pointed out.

"Last April," said Corrigan thoughtfully. "Five months ago. Five months since blackmail or whatever it was has failed to worry her. months since blackmail or whatever it was has failed to worry her. She didn't commit suicide, or anything like that?" She didn't commit suicide, or anything like that?"

"No. She died of a tumour on the brain."

"So now we start again," said Corrigan, looking down at the list.

Lejeune sighed.

"We don't really know that list had anything to do with it," he pointed out. "It may have been just an ordinary coshing on a foggy pointed out. "It may have been just an ordinary coshing on a foggy night - and precious little hope of finding who did it unless we have night - and precious little hope of finding who did it unless we have a piece of luck..." a piece of luck..."

Dr Corrigan said: "Do you mind if I continue to concentrate on this list?"

"Go ahead. I wish you all the luck in the world."

"Meaning I'm not likely to get anywhere if you haven't! Don't be too sure. I shall concentrate on Corrigan. Mr or Mrs or Miss Corrigan - sure. I shall concentrate on Corrigan. Mr or Mrs or Miss Corrigan - with a big interrogation mark." with a big interrogation mark."

Chapter 3.

"Well, really, Mr Lejeune, I don't see what more I can tell you! I told it all before to your sergeant. I don't know who Mrs Davis was, or it all before to your sergeant. I don't know who Mrs Davis was, or where she came from. She'd been with me about six months. She where she came from. She'd been with me about six months. She paid her rent regular, and she seemed a nice quiet respectable paid her rent regular, and she seemed a nice quiet respectable person, and what more you expect me to say I'm sure I don't know." person, and what more you expect me to say I'm sure I don't know."

Mrs Coppins paused for breath and looked at Lejeune with some displeasure. He gave her the gentle melancholy smile which he displeasure. He gave her the gentle melancholy smile which he knew by experience was not without its effect. knew by experience was not without its effect.

"Not that I wouldn't be willing to help if I could," she amended.

"Thank you. That's what we need - help. Women know - they feel instinctively - so much more than a man can know." instinctively - so much more than a man can know."

It was a good gambit, and it worked.

"Ah," said Mrs Coppins. "I wish Coppins could hear you. So hoity- toity and offhand he always was. 'Saying you know things when you toity and offhand he always was. 'Saying you know things when you haven't anything to go on!' he'd say and snort. And nine times out of haven't anything to go on!' he'd say and snort. And nine times out of ten I was right." ten I was right."

"That's why I'd like to hear what ideas you have about Mrs Davis. Was she - an unhappy woman, do you think?" Was she - an unhappy woman, do you think?"

"Now as to that - no, I wouldn't say so. Business-like. That's what she always seemed. Methodical. As though she'd got her life she always seemed. Methodical. As though she'd got her life planned and was acting accordingly. She had a job, I understood, planned and was acting accordingly. She had a job, I understood, with one of these consumer research associations. Going around with one of these consumer research associations. Going around and asking people what soap powder they used, or flour, and what and asking people what soap powder they used, or flour, and what they spend on their weekly budget and how it's divided up. Of they spend on their weekly budget and how it's divided up. Of course I've always felt that sort of thing is snooping really - and why course I've always felt that sort of thing is snooping really - and why the Government or anyone else wants to know beats me! All you the Government or anyone else wants to know beats me! All you hear at the end of it is only what everybody has known perfectly hear at the end of it is only what everybody has known perfectly well all along, but there, there's a craze for that sort of thing well all along, but there, there's a craze for that sort of thing nowadays. And if you've got to have it, I should say that poor Mrs nowadays. And if you've got to have it, I should say that poor Mrs Davis would do the job very nicely. A pleasant manner, not nosy, Davis would do the job very nicely. A pleasant manner, not nosy, just businesslike and matter-of-fact." just businesslike and matter-of-fact."

"You don't know the actual name of the firm or association that employed her?" employed her?"

"No. I don't, I'm afraid."

"Did she ever mention relatives?"

"No. I gathered she was a widow and had lost her husband many years ago. A bit of an invalid he'd been, but she never talked much years ago. A bit of an invalid he'd been, but she never talked much about him." about him."

"She didn't mention where she came from - what part of the country?" country?"