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‘Yes,’ said Bunch ‘Definitely’

‘And you, sir?’

‘I say this suitcase is mine’

Thevoice and a superior manner A feminine voice from inside the car said, ‘Of course it’s your suitcase, Edwin I don’t knohat this woman means’

‘We’ll have to get this clear,’ said Police Constable Abel ‘If it’s your suitcase, madam, what do you say is inside it?’

‘Clothes,’ said Bunch ‘A long speckled coat with a beaver collar, tool jumpers and a pair of shoes’

‘Well, that’s clear enough,’ said Police Constable Abel He turned to the other

‘I am a theatrical costumer,’ said the dark man importantly ‘This suitcase contains theatrical properties which I brought down here for an amateur performance’

‘Right, sir,’ said Police Constable Abel ‘Well, we’ll just look inside, shall we, and see? We can go along to the police station, or if you’re in a hurry we’ll take the suitcase back to the station and open it there’

‘It’ll suit me,’ said the dark man ‘My name is Moss, by the way, Edwin Moss’

The police constable, holding the suitcase, went back into the station ‘Just taking this into the parcels office, George,’ he said to the ticket collector

Police Constable Abel laid the suitcase on the counter of the parcels office and pushed back the clasp The case was not locked Bunch and Mr Edwin Moss stood on either side of hiefully

‘Ah!’ said Police Constable Abel, as he pushed up the lid

Inside, neatly folded, was a long rather shabby tweed coat with a beaver fur collar There were also tool jumpers and a pair of country shoes

‘Exactly as you say,to Bunch

Nobody could have said that Mr Edwin Moss under-did things His disnificent

‘I do apologize,’ he said ‘I really do apologize Please believe me, dear lady, when I tell you how very, very sorry I am Unpardonable—quite unpardonable—my behaviour has been’ He looked at his watch ‘I one on the train’ Raising his hat once ive me,’ and rushed hurriedly out of the parcels office

‘Are you going to let hiet away?’ asked Bunch in a conspiratorial whisper to Police Constable Abel

The latter slowly closed a bovine eye in a wink

‘He won’t get too far, et far unobserved, if you take ’

‘Oh,’ said Bunch, relieved

‘That old lady’s been on the phone,’ said Police Constable Abel, ‘the one as was down here a few years ago Bright she is, isn’t she? But there’s been a lot cooking up all today Shouldn’t wonder if the inspector or sergeant was out to see you about it to’

III

It was the inspector who careeted Bunch with a smile as an old friend

‘Criain,’ he said cheerfully ‘You don’t lack for sensation here, do you, Mrs Harmon?’

‘I could do with rather less,’ said Bunch ‘Have you cos for a change?’

‘I’ll tell you soin with, Mr and Mrs Eccles have been having an eye kept on them for some time There’s reason to believe they’ve been connected with several robberies in this part of the world For another thing, although Mrs Eccles has a brother called Sandbourne who has recently co in the church yesterday was definitely not Sandbourne’