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general one of the shop, one of where the body was found, and a few of the showcases that have been broken into. You can publish all of those, and you can let me have a copy of the showcase pictures.’
    â€˜Done,’ said Simpson, and signalled to his colleague to start taking his photographs.
    Once Simpson and the photographer had departed in a cab for Fleet Street, Hardcastle and Marriott resumed their search.
    â€˜There’s a button here, sir,’ said Marriott, pointing at the item near one of the burgled showcases.
    â€˜I wonder why Catto didn’t find it,’ muttered Hardcastle, as he joined his sergeant.
    â€˜It was very dark in here when we first arrived, sir,’ said Marriott, attempting to counter what he thought was another of the DDI’s unfair criticisms of Catto.
    â€˜Seems an ordinary sort of button.’ Ignoring Marriott’s comment, Hardcastle picked it up and examined it closely. ‘We might be lucky and find the owner of the coat it came off of,’ he said hopefully. ‘Bring it with you,’ he added, handing the button to Marriott.
    There was nothing further to be found in the shop and the two detectives opened a door marked ‘Private’ and mounted the staircase.
    The jeweller’s living quarters consisted of a sitting room, a bedroom and a kitchenette; each was untidy enough to indicate that Gosling led a bachelor existence. At the rear of the first floor there was a third room, the door of which was locked.
    Entering the bedroom, Hardcastle made straight for the wardrobe. After searching various items of clothing he eventually found a bunch of keys in a pocket of an overcoat.
    â€˜Take these keys, Marriott, and see if any of ’em will open that locked door.’
    It took only a few seconds for Marriott to find the correct key. ‘It looks like a storeroom, sir,’ he said, pushing open the door.
    â€˜So it does, Marriott, so it does.’ Hardcastle entered the room and gazed around. There were two locked cupboards. ‘Have you got keys for them on that ring?’ he asked.
    â€˜Bound to be among this lot, sir.’
    The cupboards that Marriott eventually unlocked proved to be Gosling’s reserve stock of jewellery. There were rings on trays, watches – including the new wristwatches that the DDI dismissed as modern frippery – a collection of pearl necklaces, brooches and a selection of gold alberts.
    â€˜I’ll wager our two killers never knew that lot was here, Marriott,’ said Hardcastle. ‘They’d likely have doubled their haul if they had.’
    â€˜D’you reckon there
were
two killers, sir?’
    â€˜According to what our friend Partridge next door said, he saw two men making off in a car. For the time being, I’m assuming they were the ones that done the deed. It’s hardly likely that they came across Gosling’s open door and his dead body and decided to take advantage of the situation. If I know anything about villains, Marriott, and I know quite a lot, they’d’ve run a mile.’
    A PC appeared at the top of the stairs. ‘Mr Collins is here, sir.’
    â€˜Right, tell him I’m coming down.’
    â€˜Good morning, Ernie, and a Happy New Year to you,’ said Detective Inspector Collins, as he hung up his coat and hat.
    â€˜And to you, Charlie, but right now it’s not shaping up too well.’ Hardcastle described what was known of the murder of Reuben Gosling. ‘One of ’em seems to have cut himself on one of the showcases, Charlie, so I suspect he wasn’t wearing gloves.’
    â€˜I’ll see what I can do, Ernie.’ Collins opened his case and withdrew a magnifying glass. ‘I’ll let you know if we find anything worthwhile.’
    Within minutes of Hardcastle and Marriott returning to Cannon Row police station, Marriott was surprised to find a constable appearing in his office with news of the missing