夜雨聆风Yes. I went out through it to shut up the ducks not long before thepeople arrived.”
“Was it locked when you went out?”
Miss Blacklock frowned.
“I can’t remember … I think so. I certainly locked it when I came in.”
“That would be about quarter past six?”
“Somewhere about then.”
“And the front door?”
“That’s not usually locked until later.”
“Then Scherz could have walked in quite easily that way. Or he couldhave slipped in whilst you were out shutting up the ducks. He’d alreadyspied out the lie of the land and had probably noted various places of con-cealment-cupboards, etc. Yes, that all seems quite clear.”
“I beg your pardon, it isn’t at all clear,” said Miss Blacklock. “Why onearth should anyone take all that elaborate trouble to come and burglethis house and stage that silly sort of hold-up?”
“Do you keep much money in the house, Miss Blacklock?”
“About five pounds in that desk there, and perhaps a pound or two inmy purse.”
“Jewellery?”
“A couple of rings and brooches, and the cameos I’m wearing. You mustagree with me, Inspector, that the whole thing’s absurd.”
“It wasn’t burglary at all,” cried Miss Bunner. “I’ve told you so, Letty, allalong. It was revenge! Because you wouldn’t give him that money! He de-liberately shot at you-twice.”
“Ah,” said Craddock. “We’ll come now to last night. What happened ex-actly, Miss Blacklock? Tell me in your own words as nearly as you can re-member.”