In that swift darkness Racksole heard Rocco spring on to the bed.

Another half-dozen moments of suspense, and there was a blinding flash of white, which endured for several seconds, and showed Rocco standing like an evil spirit over the corpse, the black box in one hand and a burning piece of aluminium wire in the other.

The aluminium wire burnt out, and darkness followed blacker than before.
Rocco had photographed the corpse by flashlight.
But the dazzling flare which had disclosed the features of the dead man to the insensible lens of the camera had disclosed them also to Theodore Racksole.

The dead man was Reginald Dimmock! Stung into action by this discovery, Racksole tried to find the exit from his place of concealment.

He felt sure that there existed some way out into the State bathroom, but he sought for it fruitlessly, groping with both hands and feet.