It wasn’t often he made suggestions about taking a rest from his labours. It was obvious he had something other than refreshment on his mind. All the same, it seemed a good idea and after they had comfortably settled themselves in a quiet corner of the lounge it soon became plain what Hoppy was up to. ‘Have you formed any opinion yet, sir, as to who might have committed this crime?’ ‘To be quite candid, Hopkinson, there are plenty of possibles, but the probable one hasn’t emerged yet. Take Mr. Pollitt, for example. He was more or less being blackmailed by Heck Todd. He buys a boat for pure speculation and finds he’s got a hot potato. In other words, he’s become innocently involved in an illegal immigration racket. Who, in the town, is going to believe him when he explains that he financed the deal without knowing the purpose Heck Todd had in mind. He’ll be treated as being up to the neck in the affair.’ ‘But is he the type to get out of it all by murdering Todd?’ ‘I admit he seems to be a little pompous coward.
