The hood of the car was up when it was seen in the mews and the time apparently was between ten and eleven on the night of the murder.

But though he pursued the most diligent inquiries, Tarling failed to discover any human being who had either recognised Lyne or observed the car arrive or depart.
The hall porter of the flats, on being interviewed, was very emphatic that nobody had come into the building by the main entrance between the hours of ten and half-past.

It was possible, he admitted, that they could have come between half-past ten and a quarter to eleven because he had gone to his "office," which proved to be a stuffy little place under the stairs, to change from his uniform into his private clothes before going home.

He was in the habit of locking the front door at eleven o'clock.
Tenants of the mansions had pass-keys to the main door, and of all that happened after eleven he would be ignorant.

He admitted that he may have gone a little before eleven that night, but even as to this he was not prepared to swear.
"In fact," said Whiteside afterwards, "his evidence would lead nowhere.
At the very hour when somebody might have come into the flat--that is to say, between half-past ten and a quarter to eleven--he admits he was not on duty." Tarling nodded.