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Continued...
In the station Foyle discusses the case with Milner and Sam. They are uncertain as to the intended victim of the shooting, but of the two bullets that did not hit Margaret, one hit the wall behind her and the other her chair, suggesting she was the target. Milner reports that a check on Rosemary Harwood has revealed that she is in a very senior position with the Foreign Office, reporting directly to
Lord Halifax. He apologises for not having mentioned something before - the fact that he had met Spencer when he was in London. He admits to having "wandered" into one of Spencer's meetings. "He's got some very original ideas." Foyle makes no response, but looks wary.After a short uncomfortable silence Milner reports that the London address Woolton gave doesn't exist, but he is looking into telephone calls he made from the hotel. As David Lane fits Fleming's description of the prowler, Foyle decides to question him. In the meantime he wants the hotel searched to see if the gun can be found.
Spencer and Rosemary Harwood watch from a window as the hotel grounds are searched. Spencer complains that it is irritating being pushed around by a provincial policeman with ideas above his station. Rosemary asks if the police are looking for the letter, but Spencer assures her that they know nothing about it.
A police constable finds a gun lying in the shrubbery.Foyle and Milner interview David Lane near his father's boat on the beach. Lane will not admit to being at the house and says he would never have hurt Mrs Ellis. When told he will have to go with them he runs away. Foyle and Sam make chase in the Wolseley but lose him at the top of a flight of steps.
***
The next morning Foyle sits down to read his post and opens a letter from his son. The letter closes with: "Strange to think of you so far away and on your own, but hopefully I'll get a bit of leave before my wings exam and we can go out and catch a trout or two. Look after yourself, Dad. As always, Andrew." Foyle sighs.In the kitchen of their home Milner tries to assure his wife that things are going to be how they were, but she is unconvinced.
Sam pulls the Wolseley to a stop across the road from a shop called Wolf's Electricals. Foyle opens his door and Sam starts to ask if she can go with him, but is given short shrift. "I just thought I'd ask." As Sam picks up a newspaper and Foyle heads for the shop neither is aware that they are being watched from another car.The owner of the shop is Woolton, but his real surname is Wolf. Foyle explains that he was traced through his phone calls. Wolf admits intending to kill Guy Spencer, but says he couldn't do it. He was in his room when the shots were fired and when the lights came back on he realised that his gun had gone. As to why he himself had thought of murder, he explains by taking Foyle upstairs to meet his nephew Isaac, who has been left badly injured after being given a severe beating by Spencer's henchmen. He says that Isaac's family is in a concentration camp in Germany. If he had shot Spencer, he wouldn't have done it in the dark because he would have wanted to see the man's eyes.
While Milner interviews Spencer he is asked about the booklet he was given. Milner says he does not know what to think of it. Spencer lends him a hard-backed book about "the Jewish conspiracy", saying that he can return it personally or through the post. He tells Milner that when the war is over it will be very important to have the right friends.
As Foyle emerges from Wolf's Electricals a car pulls up and a man politely asks him to accompany him. Sam is nowhere to be seen. Foyle is taken to a man called Lawson, who tells him that his murder investigation has got tangled up with a Military Intelligence operation involving the Friday Club.
An undercover agent has told them about Foyle. The DCS assumes the agent is Alan Fleming because he was "a little too helpful". Lawson says he does not want Fleming's cover blown and he needs Foyle's help with something. A letter written by a senior member of Lord Halifax's staff to the Italian Ambassador in London has disappeared from the Foreign Office. It suggests the Italian Government mediate between Britain and Hitler. As the British Government is intent on fighting on, the contents of the letter would have a seriously demoralising effect. It is believed that Rosemary Harwood took the letter and gave it to Spencer to pass to the German authorities. The letter is also evidence and Harwood can not be arrested without it. If MI searched the hotel it would compromise Fleming, but Foyle's men could do it. He is sure that Foyle can find a reason to conduct another search.* * *
Foyle's men return to the White Feather. Sam walks with Foyle from the car to the door, firing a stream of questions. When she asks if the Italian Ambassador is a suspect, Foyle gives her a pained look and walks on. Sam mutters to herself.During the second search Foyle asks Rosemary Harwood about leaving the room before the shots were fired and she explains that she becomes claustrophobic in the dark, so when the lights went out she had to get back to her room. He queries, "In the dark?" She replies that she wasn't thinking, she just had to get out.
When he returns to the lobby Foyle is accosted by Spencer and Fleming, who complain about the search. Fleming loses his temper, saying he has had enough and will not be pushed around. "I want to leave!" Foyle brushes past him saying that it is not possible. Fleming grabs him by the lapels and handles him roughly, whereupon Foyle has him arrested.
In the police station Fleming thanks Foyle for bringing him away so that he can talk. Foyle tells him the search yielded nothing. About the murder, Fleming comments that the only people he thinks would have had motive would be Ellis and his son, but he does not think the father has it in him and the son would not have been able to see to take aim. He then tells Foyle that Margaret Ellis changed her will hours before she died, leaving a lot of money and half the hotel to the Friday Club. She was probably persuaded by Spencer as he has done it before and was arrested five years ago for intimidation and embezzlement. "He's got his hooks into your sergeant, too, for that matter. I'd watch out if I were you." Foyle says he knows Milner met Spencer in London, but Fleming tells him they also had dinner together after the meeting. "Spencer's taken him very much under his wing." Foyle is not happy with the information.***
Foyle goes to the beach to speak with Ian Lane, who complains that his son is now being held by the police. Foyle says that David will have to stay where he is for the time being, but Lane tells him that he is needed. A flotilla of small craft of all kinds is being put together to rescue thousands of British soldiers who are trapped and under constant fire on the beach at Dunkirk. Every boat is needed and Lane is taking his trawler, The Lady Rose, but he can't handle her on his own. He promises faithfully to bring his son back and not let him run away.A while later, as the Lady Rose puts to sea, Foyle, Milner and Sam look on. Sam salutes the little trawler as she starts off on her heroic mission with David on board.
In the White Feather Spencer tells Ellis that they need to talk about his late wife's affairs, saying that the Germans will be able to use the hotel when they arrive. Stanley Ellis snaps that if the Germans were going to invade they would have been here days ago. Spencer points out that Belgium has capitulated, but Stanley says that Britain will fight on as Mr Churchill says and his father must be insane to believe otherwise.In his office Foyle looks over Milner's case notes and compliments his sergeant on his thoroughness. He puzzles as to why the murderer should act when others were around and not wait until Spencer was away from the hotel, or asleep in his room. And how would he or she know where to aim in the dark? He does not believe Woolton is responsible, as he would have taken the gun away with him. If David Lane had taken the gun and gone to the door just before the lights went out Stanley Ellis would have seen him. As for Stanley, he was not fond of his mother, but Foyle doubts it was matricide.
He looks back at Milner's notes on Spencer and queries no mention of criminal convictions. Milner says he found none. Foyle asks what he makes of the man and Milner replies that he has to be brave to hold the opinions he does. Foyle asks if he has read the medical report on Isaac Wolf. Milner says Spencer told him he knew nothing about the beating and he believed him. Foyle asks about Spencer's possible involvement in the change made to Margaret Ellis' will, saying that he had the most to gain from it. Milner replies that he still thinks Spencer was the likely target. While saying this, he closes the file on his desk and in doing so, uncovers the book Spencer has lent him. Foyle notes the title and gives his sergeant a pointed look, but says only "Right" before leaving the room.Continue on...