MURDER
"I don't think so, sir, but I'll make inquiries."
He moved towards the door, but the inspector held up a large hand.
"No, thanks. I'll do my own inquiring. But first of all I want to fix the time a little more clearly. When was Mr. Ackroyd last seen alive?"
"Probably by me," I said, "when I left at—let me see—about ten minutes to nine. He told me that he didn't wish to be disturbed, and I repeated the order to Parker."
"Just so, sir," said Parker respectfully.
"Mr. Ackroyd was certainly alive at half-past nine," put in Raymond, "for I heard his voice in here talking."
"Who was he talking to?"
"That I don't know. Of course, at the time I took it for granted that it was Dr. Sheppard who was with him. I wanted to ask him a question about some papers I was engaged upon, but when I heard the voices I remembered that he had said he wanted to talk to Dr. Sheppard without being disturbed, and I went away again. But now it seems that the doctor had already left?"
I nodded.
"I was at home by a quarter-past nine," I said. "I didn't go out again until I received the telephone call."
"Who could have been with him at half-past nine?" queried the inspector. "It wasn't you, Mr.—er———"
"Major Blunt," I said.
"Major Hector Blunt?" asked the inspector, a respectful tone creeping into his voice.
Blunt merely jerked his head affirmatively.
"I think we've seen you down here before, sir," said the
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