When the police are questioning people, some startling information emerges which widens the pool of suspects. Mrs Ruddle, who is a rather spiteful stupid woman, tells Inspector Kirk that Joe Sellon, the local bobby was at the house the night of Noakes' death, and that he was shouting aggressively through the window at the old man. It comes out that Joe had found some money in a wallet, which Noakes had dropped and had given way to the impulse to steal it. Noakes found out and started to blackmail him.. and Sellon who has a young wife and a baby - which was why he stole the money - was still paying him and getting desperate. He tells Kirk that he was at the house at a certain time, but Peter tells Kirk that he would like to believe that Joe is telling the truth, but that if he was at the window, he could not have seen Noakes' clock, as there is a large cactus plant in a hanging basket, in the way. Therefore, it seems more likely that Joe managed to get inside the house and attacked Noakes. Peter points out that it seems unlikely that Noakes would have let Joe in, as he was a timid man and Joe was angry with him.. but that it might be that Joe had agreed to pay him more money and he let him in to do so.
Peter feels sorry for Joe, who is poor and desperate - but it seems that all the suspects are more likable than Noakes himself. Miss Twitterton might have done it, as she had keys to the house and was someone that Noakes trusted, so he might well turn his back on her and she could have then struck him with a poker. It seems unlikely, as she is a fussy little woman, but its possible that she felt angry and worried enough about the loss of her money to attack her uncle, knowing that she would inherit whatever he had.
Frank Crutchely has a grievance also but he never had keys or access to the house and has an alibi for the night when Noakes was killed.
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