I told him. He said Mrs Irwin was expecting me, and led me into a smaller room where a woman was sitting at a desk. As I entered she spoke, with a snap. I hope to goodness you didnt run over my girls.
Absolutely not, I assured her. I stopped to let them by.
Thank you. She motioned to a chair. Sit down. The snow has tried to smother us, but they have to get air and exercise. Are you a newspaperman?
I told her no and was going to elaborate, but she had the floor. Mr Byne said your name is Archie Goodwin and youre a friend of his. According to the newspaper there was an Archie Goodwin at that party at Mrs Robilottis. Was that you?
I was at a disadvantage. With her smooth hair, partly grey, her compact little figure, and her quick brown eyes wide apart, she reminded me of Miss Clark, my high-school geometry teacher out in Ohio , and Miss Clark had always had my number. I had waited until I saw her to decide just what line to take. First I had to decide whether to say it was me or it was I.
Yes, I said, that was me. It also said in the paper that I work for a private detective named Nero Wolfe.
I know it did. Are you here as a detective?
She certainly liked to come to the point. So had Miss Clark. But I hoped I was man enough not to be afraid of a woman. The best way to answer that, I told her, is to explain why I came. You know what happened at that party and you know I was there. The idea seems to be that Faith Usher committed suicide. I have got the impression that the police may settle for that. But on account of what I saw, and what I didnt see, I doubt it. My personal opinion is that she was murdered, and if she was, I would hate to see whoever did it get away witty it. But before I start howling about it in public I want to do a little checking, and I thought the best place to check on Faith Usher herself was here with you.
I see. She sat straight and her eyes were straight. Then youre a knight with a plume?
Not at all. Id feel silly with a plume. My pride is hurt. Im a professional detective and I try to be a good one, and I believe that someone committed murder right before my eyes, and how do you think I like that?
Why do you believe it was murder?
As I said, on account of what I saw and what I didnt see. A question of observation. I would prefer to let it go at that if you dont mind.
She nodded. The professional with his secrets. I have them too; I have a medical degree. Did Mrs Robilotti send you here?
That decision wasnt hard to make. Grantham House wasnt dependent on Mrs Robilotti, since it had been provided for by Albert Granthams will, and it was ten to one that I knew what Mrs Irwin thought of Mrs Robilotti. So I didnt hesitate.
Good heavens, no. To have a suicide in her drawing-room was bad enough. If she knew I was here looking for support for my belief that it was murder shed have a fit.
Mrs Robilotti doesnt have fits, Mr Goodwin.
Well, you know her better than I do. If she ever did have a fit this would call for one. Of course, I may be sticking my neck out. If you prefer suicide to murder as much as she does Ive wasted a lot of gas driving up here.
She looked at me, sizing me up. I dont, she said bluntly.
Good for you, I said.
She lifted her chin. I see no reason why I shouldnt tell you what I have told the police. Of course, its possible that Faith did kill herself, but I doubt it. I get to know my girls pretty well, and she was here nearly five months, and I doubt it. I knew about the bottle of poison she hadshe didnt tell me, but one of the other girls didand that was a problem, whether to get it away from her. I decided not to, because it would have been dangerous. As long as she had it and went on showing it and talking about using it, that was her outlet for her nerves, and if I took it away she would have to get some other outlet, and there was no telling what it might be. One reason I doubt if she killed herself is that she still had that bottle of poison.
I smiled. The police would love that.
They didnt, naturally. Another reason is that if she had finally decided to use the poison she wouldnt have done it there at that party, with all those people. She would have done it somewhere alone, in the dark, and she would have left a note for me. She knew how I felt about my girls, and she would have known it would hurt me, and she would have left a note. Still another reason is the fact that she was actually pretty tough. That bottle of poison was merely the enemy that she intended to defeat somehowit was death, and she was going to conquer it. The spirit she had, down deep, showed sometimes in a flash in her eyes. You should have seen that flash.
I did, Tuesday evening when I was dancing with her.
Then she still had it, and she didnt kill herself. But how are you going to prove it?
I cant. I cant prove a negative. I would have to prove an affirmative, or at least open one up. If she didnt poison her champagne someone else did. Who? Thats the target.
Oh. Her eyes widened. Good heavens! Thats obvious, certainly, but if youll believe me, Mr Goodwin, it hadnt occurred to me. My only thought was that Faith had not killed herself. My mind had stopped there. Her lips tightened. She shook her head. I cant help it, she said emphatically. I wish you success, anyhow. I would help you if I could.
You already have, I assured her, and maybe you can more. If you dont mind a few questions. Since youve read the paper, you know who was there Tuesday evening. About the three girlsHelen Yarmis, Ethel Varr, and Rose Tutdethey were all here at the time Faith Usher was, werent they?
Yes. That is, the times overlapped. Helen and Ethel left a month before Faith did. Rose came six weeks before Faith left.
Had any of them known her before?
No. I didnt ask themI ask the girls as few questions as possible about their pastbut there was no indication that they had, and there isnt much going on here that I dont know about.
Did any trouble develop between any of them and her?
She smiled. Now, Mr Goodwin. I said I would help you if I could, but this is ridiculous. My girls have their squabbles and their peeves, naturally, but I assure you that nothing that happened here put murder into the heart of Helen or Ethel or Rose. If it had I would have known it, and I would have dealt with it.
Okay. If it wasnt one of them Ill have to look elsewhere. Take the three male guestsEdwin Laidlaw, Paul Schuster, and Beverly Kent. Do you know any of them?
No. I had never heard their names before.
You know nothing about them?
Nothing whatever.
What about Cecil Grantham?
I havent seen him for several years. His father brought him twiceno, three timesto our summer picnic, when Cecil was in his middle teens. After his father died he was on our Board of Directors for a year, but he resigned.
You know of no possible connection between him and Faith Usher?
No.
What about Robert Robilotti?
I have seen him only once, more than two years ago, when he came to our Thanksgiving dinner with Mrs Robilotti. He played the piano for the girls and had them singing songs, and when Mrs Robilotti was ready to leave, the girls didnt want him to go. My feelings were mixed.
Ill bet they were. Faith Usher wasnt here then?
No.
Well, were all out of men. Celia Grantham?
I knew Celia fairly well at one time. For a year or so after she finished college she came here frequently, three or four times a month, to teach the girls things and talk with them; then suddenly she quit. She was a real help and the girls liked her. She has fine qualities, or had, but she is headstrong. I havent seen her for four years. I am tempted to add something.