Page:Fletcher - The Mortover Grange Affair.pdf/59

 truth is, I'd a phone message from John latish that afternoon asking me to meet him at the usual time and place: I was used to meeting him occasionally that way. And"

"Excuse me—but where was the usual place and what was the usual time?" enquired the detective.

"Henekey's Wine House, in Holborn," replied Thomas, promptly. "And the time, all about half-past six. Now and then John would go there for a glass of wine."

"You understood, then, that Henekey's was the place, and the time six-thirty?"

"Of course! And as I'd a bit of business that way, I went off from my shop as soon as I got the message—that would be about five-fifteen. But I never saw John! He never came to Henekey's. I turned in there at six-thirty, and I was there until seven-thirty, but he never made his appearance. So I went home. I'll tell you what I think," he continued suddenly.

"What time, now, was it when, presumably, John was struck down in that Handel Street flat?"

"According to Miss Tandy, just about seven o'clock," replied Wedgwood. "Why?"

"Well, it's not many minutes' walk from Handel Street to Henekey's in Holborn," replied Thomas. "I think that John meant to