Rex Stout by The Sound of Murder Read Free Book Online Page B

that to her. Didn’t they?”
    “Yeah, somebody killed her.”
    “George didn’t do it.” Her eyes opened. “It wasn’t George. He said he didn’t. And he had only just got there—Mrs. Powell told him she thought she was on the terrace and he found her there—”
    “You say he had just got there?”
    “Yes, he came in his car.”
    “Even so.” Hicks shook his head. “Do you want to make a deal? I’ll make a deal with you. Dundee has decided he made a show of himself there in the office, when he came in and saw me. In case you’re asked about that, you can forget about him ordering me off the place. Just say he wanted to speak privately with Brager and I went outside to wait. It’s a small detail, but if you’ll do that I’ll forget you were crying when I first saw you, and also I’ll forget what you said there on the bridge. Isn’t that what you wanted to retain me to do?”
    Heather was staring at him. “How did you know?”
    “That was pretty obvious. Was there anything else?”
    “No.”
    “There ought to be.” Hicks stared back at her, not with approval. “Naturally you’re all shot to pieces, but that only makes it worse if you’re going to try to conceal the tangle George’s emotions had got into. For instance, there on the bridge you started to tell me something he did Monday evening, and then stopped. What did he do, phone you?”
    “No.” She tried to swallow. “He came out here and talked with me.”
    “Did anyone else see him?”
    “Yes. Mrs. Powell and Ross Dundee—and I guess Mr. Brager too. I don’t know.”
    “Then you can’t conceal the fact that he was here. Have you already lied about it?”
    She shook her head. “They didn’t ask me anything like that. They didn’t ask me hardly anything.”
    “They will before they’re through. Have you had a talk with George and agreed on what you’re going to say about his visit Monday evening?”
    “Of course not, how could I? At first—you saw how he was—and then they came, the doctor and the police—”
    “Then don’t be silly. This isn’t for matches. Don’t you realize your sister was murdered?”
    “Yes. I shouldn’t—” Suddenly she stood up and held her head up. “I’m sorry,” she said, “I shouldn’t—” She started off.
    In two steps Hicks had her arm and headed her back. “You sit there and decide what you’re going to do,” he said gruffly. “Or decide who to get to decide for you. Do you know a lawyer?”
    “No.”
    “Where’s your father and mother?”
    “They’re dead.”
    “Brother?”
    “No.”
    “Fiancé?”
    “No.”
    “Have you got any money?”
    “I’ve got three hundred and twelve dollars in Postal Savings.”
    “My God.” Hicks was glaring at her. “What did you do there at the house, skip out and dive for the woods?”
    “I didn’t skip out.” Heather’s voice was no longer from a constricted throat. “They wouldn’t let me stay there on the terrace and I went inside. One of them was talking to George and another one to Mrs. Powell and Ross Dundee. Then Mr. Brager came and wanted to ask me things, but I couldn’t talk, and I went up to my room, but after a while I decided to see you and I came down and went out the back door—”
    She stopped and turned her head to listen. The sound of a car engine came from the direction of the laboratory. It grew faint, then was louder again, loudest when they could also hear the noise of the wheels on gravel as they passed on the near-by road through the woods, and they caught one glimpse of the car.
    “That guy may have come for Dundee and me,” Hicks observed, “but if he was after you they’ll be starting to yell in a minute. Of course you can stall them for today at least by being overcome by shock, but sooner or later you’ll have to talk.”
    Heather wet her lips with her tongue, and the tongue stayed there, visible, its red tip quivering. It disappeared and she said, “She was