Dick Martin is leaving Scotland Yard. His final job, investigating a stolen book, takes him via a conversation with the librarian Sybil Lansdown to Gallows Cottage and a meeting with Doctor Stalletti. Tommy Crawler, Bertram Cody's chauffeur is also there. Arriving home, Martin finds Lew Pheeney being followed by a man for whom he recently worked. 'Doing what?' demands Martin. Lew finally confesses. 'I was trying to open a dead man's tomb!' The telephone rings. It is Mr Havelock.