‘I loved him!’ she went on wildly. ‘I won’t have that woman go near him!’

I went to the casement door.

‘Come in,’ I said to Mary Jerome. ‘I want you to go upstairs and look at Dedrick. Don’t pay any attention to her. I’ll see she doesn’t…’

I stopped short.

Serena had moved swiftly to a drawer in the writing desk at the other end of the room, pulled it open and swung around. She had a small automatic in her hand.

‘She stays where she is!’

Mary stood quietly in the doorway, looking at Serene. Her eyes were cold and contemptuous.

‘What are you afraid of?’ I asked, moving slowly towards.

‘Stay where you are!’

I saw her knuckle tighten on the trigger and I stopped.