Would you be good enough to ask Mr. Retwig to step in?â
Myron Retwig came quietly into the room and lowered himself into the chair.
âWhere do you live, Mr. Retwig?â asked Collins.
âIn the country west of San Jose. The address is 6901 Monterey Road.â
âYouâre married?â
âYes, indeed.â
âChildren?â
âTwo sons.â
âIâve asked the others this question and got no very definite answer: Who would want to kill Earl Genneman?â
âI canât think of anyone,â said Myron Retwig promptly.
âDid he have any enemies?â
âA number of people had no particular liking for him. Enemies? I donât think so.â
âDid he play around with women?â
âIf he did, he was extremely discreet.â
âMeaning yes?â
Retwig shook his head. âIt means that I donât know. I suppose itâs not impossible. He was a virile man.â
âYou worked for him at one time?â
âYes. I was offered an opportunity at Pacific Chemicals and accepted. As of now, however, Iâm once more working for Genneman Pharmaceuticals.â
âEh? Whatâs this?â
âI telephoned Mrs. Genneman an hour or so ago. She asked me to take charge of the business. I agreed to do so.â He smiled dryly. âI suppose you could consider that a motive for murder.â
Collins shook his head. âMy thinking doesnât leap around quite like that,â he said in a wry tone. âTo tell you the truth, I donât know what to think. Whatâs your opinion, Mr. Retwig?â
âIt seems a cliché to postulate a madman, but for the life of me I canât make a more reasonable suggestion ⦠Well, yes, I can, too. Is it possible that the killer shot the wrong man? Suppose he expected another party to come by his ambush, with another man in the lead?â
âConceivably,â said Collins, âbut unlikely. We canât let ourselves be hypnotised by the man who came up the trail behind you, but heâs certainly our basic suspect. And such being the case heâd hardly make the kind of mistake you suggest.â
âUnless he were hired to kill and made contact with the wrong party. If I were you Iâd check to see if another party of five set out on Copper Creek Trail.â
âI canât dismiss your theory out of hand,â said Collins, âbecause I donât have a theory any more convincing to put in its place ⦠Youâve known Earl Genneman a long time?â
âFifteen years.â
âHe had a harmonious family life?â
âI would say so. Thereâs recently been a certain amount of friction with his son.â
âWhat of his stepdaughter?â
âThey got along very well. Jean wanted to come on this particular trip, but Earl wouldnât allow it. Possibly because Buck would be along.â
âWhy would that interfere with her coming?â
Myron Retwig raised his gray eyebrows. âItâs a delicate matter. But you might as well know. The two were engaged to be married. The arrangement, so I am given to understand, was terminatedâon his initiative, not hers. I suspect that Earl didnât want to expose her to a possibly humiliating situation. Jean, who has no guile and no self-consciousness, wouldnât consider such a possibility.â
âIt might be uncomfortable for James as well,â suggested Collins.
âTrue enough. Earl did the right thing.â
âAnd how does Mr. Kershaw fit into the situation?â
Retwig smiled thinly. âHe comes and goes. The children like him. Opal does what she can for him. I was surprised to learn that he was joining the pack-trip.â
âHe doesnât seem the type,â Collins agreed, and rose. âYou people are free to return to your homes. All of you brought your own cars?â
âAll except Red Kershaw. He rode up with Earl.