It would have alarmed his superiors, and done away with his chances of promotion.
His promotion had been very rapid.
"There isn't one of them, sir, that we couldn't lay our hands on at any time of night and day.

We know what each of them is doing hour by hour," he had declared.

And the high official had deigned to smile.

This was so obviously the right thing to say for an officer of Chief Inspector Heat's reputation that it was perfectly delightful.

The high official believed the declaration, which chimed in with his idea of the fitness of things.