“No action or word of any of your guests wakened your suspicions?”
“None whatever.”
“You suspect no one?”
“No one. I am absolutely in the dark.”
“Remember, as the occupant of the house, you are in a better position to give us a right steer than any one else. I want you to think hard. You observed, at no time, any suspicious circumstances?”
“None whatever.” Nealman’s voice was firm.
“What weapon, would you say, inflicted the wound?”
“I don’t know. It wasn’t a pistol, of course. We didn’t hear a shot. We didn’t examine the wound carefully, but I would say it was some metal instrument, not overly sharp. It might have been a dull knife.”
“Would a knife likely have torn the shirt and vest as you describe?”