"No, the sticky hot weather, it was chafing my wrist—I'd taken it off at my apartment. Well, when it was over I got back to my car, made the turn in my mother's driveway—" Sorry, Herb, manner of speaking: she's a very important lady, you know how 'tis—"and I guess that was the way Miss Welsh described it."
"Do you recall seeing Dr. Chalmers on the porch, turning on the light?"
"I think so. I was clumsy with the gears, backing and turning. Then I held up all right till I got home."
"And then?"
"I found I'd left the apartment door open. I remember closing it and leaning back against it. Then I was on my knees—I don't mean I fainted, I don't think I did. I think—does this sound possible?—I think I just fell asleep. Remember being on my knees, dropping forward on my hands, thinking how soft the rug would be if I could hitch over to it, and I must have done so, because when I came out of—it seemed like a sleep—I was there on the rug with my handbag for a pillow. After I got up I couldn't stop shaking for a long while. I wanted a shower, but couldn't make my fingers take hold of my clothes. The shoes were the worst. Did finally, had the shower too I think, and dozed off again. I didn't see the sun come up—it was in my eyes when I woke. By ten o'clock I'd pulled myself together somehow, got dressed. I called Edith. I knew I'd have to call the police."
"You hadn't done anything with the brandy bottle after you first saw it had been moved?"
"No, I hadn't, and I did nothing with it that morning—just left everything as it was. I supposed that was the right thing to do. But I didn't get up my courage to call the police until after my stepfather had telephoned me, and told me about finding Ann's body. I think it was about eleven o'clock that he called."
"And when you did call the police, what you got was Sergeant Rankin."
"Yes." When we get this one over with we're done, aren't we, Cecil? Except for—except for—"He turned up about twelve o'clock."
"You recall his testimony on the stand?"