Hastings’s theory spins out of control in this moment, as he tries desperately to make sense of his own suggestion. And yet, it’s worth noting that his thought process becomes a bit more detailed and in-depth, as he finally tries to make sense of the conversation he overheard between Mary and Emily—a conversation he previously couldn’t be bothered to even consider important. He thus goes from spouting off half-baked ideas to engaging in a more rigorous kind of mental investigation, suggesting that all detectives have to start
somewhere, even when that means entertaining some unlikely ideas.