The argument between Joe and Mrs. Shenton just prior to the shootings is like so much else, somewhat of a mystery. Patrick Pink overheard them arguing about a book, which he assumed was the rent book. Generally, the tenant keeps the rent book in a leased or sub-let arrangement such as this was, but the landlord has the right to withhold the book if there is rent owing. Joe had recently paid off a few months' back rent, and on February 3rd 1967, owed the Shentons nothing. Maybe they were being a little tardy with the return of the book because of the impending lease renewal - they were allegedly not sure that they were going to renew, which would probably have meant the Joe would have to move. However, that was not going to happen until at least June, in which case it understandable that Joe would want the book returned; one newspaper mentioned that the Shentons and Joe were in the middle of renegotiating his lease, but were having a little difficulty agreeing on a price. It has been suggested that they were withholding the book as a hint that they wanted him out because of the amount of noise from the studio, but as they had all been on good terms for seven years, one would think that they would choose their time carefully and be able to sit down and talk to him openly about it.

It also may be that the argument was the culmination of a series of minor complaints; some visitors to 304 remember being asked by the Shentons to keep the noise down, which generally annoyed Joe and made him turn the volume up even more. If this was really causing so much bad feeling, though, surely Joe and the Shentons - particularly Mrs. Shenton - would not have been so attached to each other, and Joe certainly wouldn't have lasted seven years at the flat. As recently as Christmas 1966, Joe had given the Shentons a brand new tape player and a collection of pre-recorded reels for a present, which doesn't seem like the action of a man who thoroughly dislikes his landlords.

Finally, maybe the argument wasn't about a book at all. Raised voices, commotion... maybe Pink misheard the whole thing. It has even been suggested that Pink misheard Joe because of his West Country accent, and the word was not actually 'book' but 'bug'. Hmm... My only comment is that I would have thought Pink would have had enough time to get used to Joe's accent by then to be able to understand him!

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