But whether he had actually carried out his threat remained to be proved.
Fanwell was aware that at Police Headquarters opinion as to Collins's guilt was divided.

Britz did not believe him guilty, Greig seemed hopelessly befuddled by the conflicting evidence, while Chief Manning dared not venture an opinion.

But a majority of the other detectives engaged on the case seemed confident that Collins was the man.

Fanwell wondered whether Britz had been led into an error of judgment.
Over Collins a slow transformation was creeping.

His eyes, which had blazed indignantly while he was talking, now clouded with a dull mist.
The tense expression of his face relaxed and his head sank on his shoulders.