On the main road into Rye, Labar had his attention drawn to an antiquated Ford which he thought that he recognised. As he suspected, it contained Malone. The big sergeant was out and at the doorway of the Assistant Commissioner’s car in a trice.

“I was hoping to catch you, sir,” he said addressing Labar.

“A stumer, I suppose?” questioned Winter.

“No, it was the straight tip. We were too late to do anything ourselves, but one of the Kent men has pretty well blown Billy Bungey’s head off with a shot gun. Billy’s as dead a man as ever you saw.”

“And Larry?” interjected Labar.