“And you are your uncle’s heiress?”
Judge Hoyt looked a little annoyed at the baldness of this question, but Avice replied, serenely, “To the extent of part of his fortune.”
“Can you tell me any details of the last day of your uncle’s life?”
“Very few. He left home in the morning to go to his business office quite as usual. He generally returns about five o’clock. When he did not arrive at that time, I felt anxious, and later, called Judge Hoyt on the telephone to ask if he had seen or heard of my uncle.”
“Why did you call Judge Hoyt?”
“He was not only my uncle’s lawyer, but his personal friend. They had business to transact at times, and I thought my uncle might possibly have gone to see him. When I learned that Judge Hoyt knew nothing of my uncle’s whereabouts, I asked him to come here, as I felt decidedly uneasy and wanted some one to confer with in whom I felt confidence.”
“Had Mr. Trowbridge manifested any unusual tendencies or habits of late?”
“None whatever. He has been well, happy and quite as usual in every way.”
“Can you form any opinion or have you any suspicion as to who might have committed this crime?”
“Absolutely none. But I have an unflinching determination to find out, at any expense of time, labor or money!”