Murder on Wheels by Stuart Palmer Read Free Book Online

The Inspector’s voice was dry and quizzical, although Miss Withers looked up from her notebook with a start, and Sergeant Taylor choked a guffaw.
    Gretchen never batted an eye. “You mean this afternoon? Well, a girl has to get ahead, Mister Policeman. I wouldn’t expect you to understand. You’ve never been an upstairs maid.”
    “Never,” admitted the Inspector. “Would you mind telling us just what your movements were this afternoon?”
    Gretchen batted both eyes this time. “Huh?”
    “The Inspector means, what did you do this afternoon?” Miss Withers helped out.
    “Oh. Well, I helped Mrs. Hoff with the luncheon dishes because it was her afternoon off and she was anxious to get away. Then I got the linen ready for the laundry, which we do every Friday. It takes about an hour or so, I guess. About three o’clock Mr. Lew came home, and half an hour later Mr. Laurie and Mr. Hubert. Mr. Lew leaves his office early quite often, because business is so slow, he says.”
    “And then?”
    “Then I took Mrs. Stait her tea as usual, and shortly after that Mr. Lew rang from the living room and said that he didn’t want to go out for dinner because of the snow and would I get him a cold snack in the kitchen, which I did. I brought him some sandwiches in this room here, in front of the fireplace.”
    “And the time?”
    “It must have been about six o’clock, or a little before.”
    “And you are able to swear that Mr. Lew wasn’t out of the house between three, when he came home from the office, and six when you took him some sandwiches?”
    “Why—” she hesitated. “Why, yes, sir. I mean, I don’t think he went out. I didn’t see him go.”
    “Very good. When did you see Mr. Laurie last?”
    “Why, this afternoon, about four-thirty. He and Mr. Lew and Mr. Hubert were in the living room here having a drink. Mr. Hubert told me in the hall that he wouldn’t be home to dinner because he was riding with Mr. Laurie to the movie. Mr. Lew stayed in the living room, reading.”
    Inspector Piper nodded slowly. “Tell me, Gretchen. Were there any telephone calls here today?”
    “Oh, yes sir, lots. The florist called about his bill, and a lady called about some contribution to the Hundred Neediest Cases, and—”
    “No, never mind that. I mean, any telephone calls that were out of the ordinary!”
    Gretchen was thoughtful. “No, sir. I don’t think so.”
    “Nothing at all? No calls from anyone you didn’t know?”
    “Oh, yes. That man called again.”
    Miss Withers sat up straight in her chair, and the Inspector’s voice bore an edge. “What man?”
    “Why, the man who’s always calling Mr. Laurie. The man who’s called every day this week. You said out of the ordinary, but that’s got to be the ordinary thing in this house. It’s a man with a sort of southern accent.”
    “What did he say? Come on, tell us.”
    “Why, he asked for Mr. Laurie. You see, Mr. Laurie gave instructions last Monday that he was always out no matter who phoned or called. So I gave the message.”
    “What did the man say?”
    “He said—” She was thoughtful. “He said: ‘Tell that so-and-so of a tenderfoot that I’m going to have a talk with him right soon, OR ELSE!’ He yelled the last two words, and then hung up like to deafen me the way he banged the receiver.”
    “Ah ha! Now we’re getting some place!” The Inspector looked at Miss Withers triumphantly.
    “You don’t know this man’s name?” Gretchen admitted that she didn’t. She also admitted that she only answered the phone if she happened to be near it.
    “Very good. Now, Gretchen, I want you to give me some information about this house. This is official, you understand, and you’ll find it to your best interests to be frank with us.”
    Gretchen was nervous and willing. “Yes, sir.”
    “Tell me, frankly. Were any of the members of this household enemies? I mean, was there ever any strife, any unpleasantness?”
    Gretchen’s eyes widened