"Inspector Gillan, you are an astute man.
Excuse me." He crossed the room and, with a key which he took from a chain attached to his trouser button, opened a small but powerful safe fitted into the wall.

He opened it confidently enough, gazed inside and remained for a moment transfixed.

Then he took up a few little packets of papers, glanced them through and replaced them.

He still stood there, dangling the key in his hard.

The inspector watched him curiously.
"Anything missing, sir ?" he asked.
Tallente swung the door to and came back to his chair.
"Yes!" he admitted.
"Can I make a note of the nature of the loss, sir ?" the man asked, moistening his pencil.
"A political paper of some personal consequence," Tallente replied.
"Its absence disquiets me.