‘Come to think of it, Mr. Temple, I’ve been seeing your name the papers once or twice lately in connection with this Rex case. Was the report true in the Evening Courier a couple of nights back?’
‘Which report was that exactly?’
‘The one that said Sir Graham Forbes had finally decided to send for Paul Temple.’
Temple shrugged, took out his cigarette-case, and offered one to Lathom.
‘Are you interested in this Rex affair?’ he asked.
There was silence for a moment, then Lathom said, ‘Yes, as a matter of fact I am. I don’t actually take an interest in murders and sordid crimes, but this business rather intrigues me. Maybe it’s partly because I knew Norma Rice.’ He gave an apologetic laugh, then added somewhat self-consciously, ‘I’m afraid I’ve even got quite a little theory of my own.’
‘What is it?’ asked Temple quietly.
‘Oh, really! You must get dozens of people trying to foist their wild ideas on you. Doesn’t it get rather boring?’
‘I’m not easily bored, Mr. Lathom,’ Temple assured him, he lit his cigarette. ‘In a case of this nature, one has to consider every possible angle, and there’s an old story about the onlooker seeing most of the game.’
‘Then, if you really want my opinion, Mr. Temple,’ said Lathom earnestly, ‘I think this fellow Rex is nothing more than a homicidal maniac.’
‘What makes you think that?’
‘Well, look at the Norma Rice affair. If Rex really was responsible for murdering Norma Rice, what possible motive could he have had?’
‘I suppose Norma Rice had enemies, the same as anyone else. I believe she had rather a gift for alienating people.’
‘But poor old Norma never meant any harm. Everyone knew it was just her temperamental moods. And then take this murder of Cranbury in the Brains Trust. It sounds fantastic to me.’
‘Then you’ve heard of Sir Ernest’s death?’
‘Good lord, yes. Haven’t you seen the papers today? They gave you a pretty good show. But why did Rex pick on poor old Cranbury?’
‘Who says Rex killed him?’
‘Why, the papers. Anyhow, you were there – you know what happened.’ He paused, evidently expecting Temple to supply some further information.
‘There was nothing very dramatic about it,’ said the novelist. ‘Sir Ernest simply collapsed – it just appeared to be heart failure.’
‘Then why are the newspapers saying that he was murdered by Rex?’
‘Because,’ Temple quietly informed him, ‘Sir Ernest mentioned Rex just before he died.’
‘Did he?’ Lathom’s eyes widened. ‘Did he, by Jove! I didn’t know that. Can you tell me what he said, or is it a secret?’
Temple smiled.
‘It wasn’t as startling as all that. He simply said, “Temple, I want to tell you about Rex.”’
Again there was silence. Then Lathom asked:
‘That was all?’
‘All there was time for.’
Lathom nodded his head thoughtfully, as if he were busy fitting facts into his theory. Suddenly he exclaimed, ‘Well, there you are! Obviously this fellow Rex is a lunatic. Must be as crazy as a hatter. Good heavens, why should anyone want to murder poor old Ernest?’
‘You knew Sir Ernest?’ put in Temple quickly.
‘Good lord, yes! He was quite a man about town, you know. He wasn’t exactly a friend of mine, but we were always bumping into each other in clubs and places. Seemed quite a harmless old stick – completely wrapped up in his work – the last sort of person you’d expect to find at cross-purposes with a murderer.’
As Lathom finished speaking the door opened, and Mrs. Trevelyan said, ‘The doctor will see you now, Mr. Temple.’
Temple rose and thanked her. As he went to the door, Lathom murmured, ‘We shall meet again, I hope, Mr. Temple. I hope my theories haven’t bored you too much.’
‘Not at all,’ replied Temple politely, and there was some degree of truth in his answer, for he had not made up his mind about Mr. Carl Lathom. And one is invariably intrigued by a stranger who retains some element of mystery.
Outside, Mrs. Trevelyan closed the door behind them. ‘Before you see Doctor Kohima, could I have a word with you?’ she said.
Her voice was low and urgent, and Temple detected an expression of alarm in her eyes.
‘Yes, of course,’ he answered.
She led him a little way along the corridor, then turned once more.
‘Listen! I’ve got to talk to you!’ she whispered, and there was a note of urgency in her voice. ‘I’ve got to talk to you about Rex.’
She looked round cautiously as if she were scared of being overheard. Then she went on, ‘Please believe me, it’s desperately important.’
Temple said, ‘I’m sure it must be.’
‘We can’t talk here,’ she said nervously, looking at the row of doors, as if she expected any one of them to open suddenly.
‘Then what do you suggest?’
She placed a forefinger and thumb inside a belt she wore, and produced a slip of paper.
‘Could you possibly come to this address – tonight?’
Temple took the paper and glanced at it casually.
‘Tonight, at what time?’
She moistened her lips, hesitated, then said:
‘Half past ten. You will come, won’t you?’
‘Yes, all right.’
‘You promise?’ she insisted anxiously.
Temple eyed her keenly, noting the attractive high cheekbones and keen grey eyes set widely apart.
‘Yes, I promise,’ he slowly assured her.
Obviously relieved, she went to a door opposite where they stood and opened it. ‘This way, sir, please,’ she called, raising her voice.
The room into which she showed him was quite plainly furnished. There was, however, a very comfortable couch in an alcove farthest from the window, and there was also a large armchair beside it.
Doctor Kohima was sitting at a large desk in the middle of the room, and he rose to shake hands with Temple as he came in. The doctor was quite obviously an Egyptian. His skin was honey-coloured and he had a handsome profile that would most certainly find favour with a large feminine clientele. When he spoke he had a soft voice rather like the purr of a contented cat, a voice calculated to extract the most intimate confidences, however unwilling the patient.
Temple had already looked up his record and had discovered that he was fully qualified in medicine, but had devoted five years to psychological analysis under the celebrated Pulitzer in Vienna. He was, in fact, reputed to have been a favourite pupil of the great man.
At a first meeting, Kohima always gave the impression of holding a tremendous reserve of very vital mental power which it was difficult to describe. There was a warmth in his handclasp, and he nodded to Temple to take a chair.
‘I am so sorry to have kept you waiting, Mr. Temple,’ he apologised in a sincere voice with the merest trace of accent.