Part 1, Wednesday, Section 2, p. 20 - 42 Summary

Martyn's sudden comment about killing his father leads to a reference to how nothing ever happens in isolation, which leads to a discussion of the chain of events (including being a fan of literary detective Sherlock Holmes) that led to Dad's death. Martyn then describes how his attempts to read another of his beloved murder mysteries was interrupted by thoughts of Alex - of her regular friendly evening visits, of her mum (a former "semi-famous" television star), and his experiences of Alex's own, considerable acting ability. This, in turn, leads to a discussion of their respective ambitions - Alex's to become an actress, Martyn's to become a mystery writer. Eventually, Martyn comes out of his reverie and goes downstairs, discovers that his father is again drunk, and attempts to watch his favorite television series, a...