Mary Jones, who had set a trap for Jim Ellis, is found stabbed to death near Benchley Wood. She had posed to the Secret Service as a contact from Hong Kong. In reality, however, she was the secretary of the real estate agent Clifford, who has his office in the same village where Mildred Beaty was last seen. The murder weapon leads Inspector Bird to the Ivanhoe, because it is the oriental knife belonging to Philip Cooper. On that rainy evening, he is indeed not at home and only returns late from what he claims is a visit to the theater. To the astonishment of everyone present, namely Mrs. Corby, Dr. Hall, Jim Ellis, and the inspector, his knife is hanging on the wall of his room. Meanwhile, a strange journalist named Julie Andrew has also become involved in the investigation...