5: The Murder in James Street
PETER DAWES, of Scotland Yard, and a very gloomy Lord Claythorpe sat in conference in the latter gentleman's City office. For Lord Claythorpe was a director of many companies, and had interests of a wide and varied character.
The detective sat at a table, with a little block of paper before him, jotting down notes from time to time, and there was a frown upon his face which suggested that his investigations were not going exactly as he could have wished them.
"There is the case," said Lord Claythorpe. "The whole timing was a malicious act on the part of this wretched woman, directed against me, my son, and my niece."
"Is Miss Joyce Wilberforce your niece?" asked the detective, and Lord Claythorpe hesitated.
"Well, she is not my niece," he said at last. "R
