‘Why did he give you the sack?’

Stopped dead in his tracks, Fine looked almost insulted.

‘If Mr Stein liked your work enough to take you on,’ said Keedy, ‘why did he dismiss you?’

‘He didn’t dismiss me,’ said the other, petulantly. ‘If truth be told, he wanted me to stay.’

‘Then who got rid of you — was it Mr Cohen?’

‘No — he didn’t have the authority.’

‘Somebody must have sacked you. Who was it?’

Howard Fine winced, his nervous smile replaced by a grimace.

‘It was Mr Stein’s brother,’ he said. ‘Herbert Stone.’

Herbert Stone would never win any awards for patience. Once his brother’s funeral was over, and once he felt that he’d convinced Ruth of the seriousness of her sin in attempting suicide, he turned his attention to the investigation once more. Instead of hounding Harvey Marmion directly, he went over the inspector’s head and spoke to the commissioner. They met in the latter’s office at Scotland Yard. Sir Edward Henry gave details of the progress made so far but was unable to announce the arrest either of the killer, or of the man believed to have used petrol to accelerate the blaze. Stone was peeved.

‘Why is it taking so long, Sir Edward?’

‘Evidence has to be pieced together bit by bit.’

‘Put more detectives on the case,’ suggested Stone.

‘That’s not possible,’ explained the commissioner. ‘The events in Jermyn Street are not the only crimes with which we have to deal. There are scores of other cases demanding urgent attention. I’m doing my best to deploy my men to the best advantage but — with a depleted force — I can’t spare any more of them at the moment.’

‘Perhaps I should hire some private detectives.’

‘That’s your right, of course, but I wouldn’t advise it. No private detective has the resources that Scotland Yard can offer, nor the experience of someone like Inspector Marmion. You seem to have forgotten that he’s already solved one serious crime,’ said Sir Edward. ‘Incidentally, how is your niece?’

Stone’s face darkened. ‘Ruth is still suffering badly.’

‘Was she heartened by the news of the two arrests made?’

‘She will be in due course — when she’s pulled herself together.’

‘I’ve dealt with victims of crime for many years,’ said the commissioner, ‘and what I’ve noticed is that their greatest need is for reassurance. They want to feel safe and that the outrage will not occur again. It’s only after those two imperatives have been met that they begin to think about punishment for the offenders.’

‘I’ve thought about nothing else,’ said Stone, icily.

‘In arresting the two men, we’ve given your niece some peace of mind. They no longer represent a threat to her. The healing process can finally begin.’

‘It may not be as easy as that, Sir Edward.’

‘Why not?’

‘Ruth is an unusually sensitive girl.’

Stone did not tell him about the despair into which his niece had sunk, nor did he mention the abortive attempt at killing herself. They were private matters that had to be kept strictly within the family. What he did explain was that, hopefully, Ruth’s brother was on his way home. Stationed with his regiment in Mesopotamia, Daniel Stein had missed his father’s funeral and there was no certainty that word of it had actually reached him because the expedition was on the move. Writing to his nephew’s commanding officer, Stone had asked for compassionate leave so that Daniel could return home to mourn with the rest of the family. He and his sister had always been close. Stone believed that seeing him again might help to bring Ruth out of her depression. Before that could happen, however, Daniel would have to make the long and perilous journey home.

‘This war has played havoc with families,’ observed Sir Edward. ‘And as far as I can see, there’s no end in sight.’

‘Daniel is needed here. I expressed that need in the strongest terms, yet I still haven’t had a response.’

‘Correspondence does go astray, I fear.’

‘Then I’ll keep on sending word until it gets through.’

‘You do that, Mr Stone. Perseverance is everything.’

They chatted for a few more minutes then Stone rose to leave. After a farewell handshake, he moved to the door, pausing when he remembered something.

‘You might tell Inspector Marmion that I’m considering the hire of private detectives,’ he said.

‘Why should I do that?’

‘It might act as a spur to him if he knows he has competition.’

‘Nobody can compete with the inspector,’ said Sir Edward.

‘It won’t be the first time I’ve had to take matters into my own hand,’ explained Stone, pointedly. ‘When one of my warehouses was razed to the ground, I realised that I couldn’t rely on police protection. That’s why I’ve brought in a private firm to guard my property.’ He arched an eyebrow. ‘You might mention that to the inspector as well.’

When both interviews were concluded, the detectives discussed them over a cup of coffee. Marmion felt that he’d had the more productive session, picking up a whole new line of inquiry from Cyril Burridge. Keedy was as astonished as the inspector had been that the name of Herbert Stone was put forward as a possible suspect.

‘Mind you,’ said Keedy, thoughtfully, ‘it does chime in with something that Howard Fine told me.’

‘What was that, Joe?’

‘The person who booted him out of a job was Herbert Stone.’

‘Who gave him the right to do that?’

‘He just took it.’

‘That decision should surely have lain with Jacob Stein.’

‘I put that point to Fine.’

‘What was his response?’

‘He said that Stone was always poking his nose into the shop and asking to see the accounts. He obviously has some stake in the company but Fine didn’t know what it was.’

‘We need to dig a little deeper on that front.’

Keedy shook his head. ‘No,’ he said, ‘I can’t accept that Stone is behind it all. What possible motive would he have for killing his brother and seeing the premises go up in smoke? Unless the place was heavily insured, of course — can we find out if it was?’

‘I’ve already sent someone off to do just that,’ said Marmion. ‘And I agree that Stone would not be my prime suspect either. On the other hand, we didn’t see any sign of grief when he realised that his brother might be dead. I’d be devastated if anything like that had happened to Ray.’

‘How is your brother?’

‘He’s still doing good work in the name of the Salvation Army.’

Keedy grinned. ‘Brass bands and soup kitchens, eh?’

‘Don’t mock them, Joe. They relieve distress. How many people can you say that about?’

‘Very few.’

‘There you are, then.’

‘No disrespect to your brother but I think that people in the Salvation Army are holy fools — full of good intentions, yes, but altogether too misguided.’

‘I must remember to invite you over next time that Ray and Lily come to tea. By the end of the meal, I guarantee, they’ll have you banging the tambourine and singing hymns as loud as anyone.’

‘Don’t bet on that.’

‘You’re ripe for conversion,’ teased Marmion.

‘Oh no I’m not,’ said Keedy with a chuckle. ‘But since we’re on the subject of tea at the Marmion household, I haven’t really thanked you for inviting me last Sunday. Please pass on my thanks to the family.’

‘It was good to see you off duty, Joe.’

‘I could say the same about you. And it was lovely to see Ellen and Alice again. They both looked wonderful. I had a long talk with your daughter,’ he said, recalling their time alone in the kitchen. ‘Alice is so intelligent. I can see why she frightens most men off.’

‘I’m still not sure if that’s good or bad.’

‘She seems perfectly happy with things as they are.’

‘That’s true.’

‘Alice told me that her mother wants grandchildren.’