IV

Inspector Craddock was forced to spend quite a long time with Coloneland Mrs. Easterbrook. He had to listen to a long disquisition on the psy-chological aspect of the case.

“The psychological approach—that’s the only thing nowadays,” the Col-onel told him. “You’ve got to understand your criminal. Now the wholesetup here is quite plain to a man who’s had the wide experience that Ihave. Why does this fellow put that advert in? Psychology. He wants to ad-vertise himself—to focus attention on himself. He’s been passed over, per-haps despised as a foreigner by the other employees at the Spa Hotel. Agirl has turned him down, perhaps. He wants to rivet her attention onhim. Who is the idol of the cinema nowadays—the gangster—the toughguy? Very well, he will be a tough guy. Robbery with violence. A mask? Arevolver? But he wants an audience—he must have an audience. So he ar-ranges for an audience. And then, at the supreme moment, his part runsaway with him — he’s more than a burglar. He’s a killer. He shoots —blindly—”

Inspector Craddock caught gladly at a word:

“You say ‘blindly,’ Colonel Easterbrook. You didn’t think that he was fir-ing deliberately at one particular object—at Miss Blacklock, that is to say?”

“No, no. He just loosed off, as I say, blindly. And that’s what brought himto himself. The bullet hit someone—actually it was only a graze, but hedidn’t know that. He comes to himself with a bang. All this—this make-be-lieve he’s been indulging in—is real. He’s shot at someone—perhaps killedsomeone … It’s all up with him. And so in blind panic he turns the re-volver on himself.”

Colonel Easterbrook paused, cleared his throat appreciatively and saidin a satisfied voice, “Plain as a pikestaff, that’s what it is, plain as apikestaff.”

“It really is wonderful,” said Mrs. Easterbrook, “the way you know ex-actly what happened, Archie.”

Her voice was warm with admiration.

Inspector Craddock thought it was wonderful, too, but he was not quiteso warmly appreciative.

“Exactly where were you in the room, Colonel Easterbrook, when the ac-tual shooting business took place?”

“I was standing with my wife—near a centre table with some flowers onit.”

“I caught hold of your arm, didn’t I, Archie, when it happened? I wassimply scared to death. I just had to hold on to you.”

“Poor little kitten,” said the Colonel playfully.