“I’m sorry, Miss Marple,” Inspector Slack began, “I know you are convinced that Thomas Rowlinson stole Mrs White-Redfern’s jewellery…”

“I thought there were eye witnesses to him being in the grounds about that time,” Miss Marple protested.

“This is true, but Rowlinson maintains he wasn’t there, and has brought forward two witnesses who state he was in Market Basing all that afternoon. So, although we know he was in the Blue Boar at lunchtime, this remains a considerable obstacle to our case.”

Miss Marple looked puzzled for a minute, but then her face cleared. “What time did the witnesses say he was in Market Basing?” she asked.

“One said just after two o’clock, the other saw him at around half past two. So it would have been impossible to have been anywhere near Mrs White-Redfern’s house when it was claimed he had been seen.”

“That was on Tuesday, wasn’t it?”

“Yes!” Slack wondered if Miss Marple was confusing the days, like so many older people.

“Because on Tuesday, Wilkins’ lorry got stuck under the railway bridge at around quarter to two. In the end they had to get Bert Giles to send a tractor down to haul it out. So nothing could get up or down the road to Market Basing for at least an hour and a half, if not more. The most you could get past was a bicycle, and even if Rowlinson had cycled to Market Basing he would never have made it by the time his first witness said.”

“Well, we’ll have to check this out…”

“Oh, I’m sure that will be no problem. Harry Wilkins will certainly remember, as will the driver, one of the Bridger twins, although I’m not sure which one. Bert Giles won’t have forgotten either. Or you could try the bus company. The bus couldn’t get through, so they turned it round and it took over the route for the bus which was stuck our side.”

“Why didn’t Rowlinson know about this?”

“It was all cleared by about four o’clock, because there was no problem for the school children, their bus wasn’t held up at all.”

Inspector Slack grinned. “I think we’ll have another word with Rowlinson and his two witnesses. Thank you again, Miss Marple.”