“Please consider the foundation as having been completely laid. I think it’s quite time to go ahead with the superstructure.”
Bertha said, “All right, the will’s ironclad. I don’t know how they did it. You don’t know how they did it. Personally, I don’t believe your cousin ever made any such will of his own volition. It looks very much as though he’d been cornered and forced to write the second page the way some other person, or persons, wanted it. Probably they had some blackmail stranglehold on him.”
“That hardly agrees with the testimony of Miss Dell and with that of Paul Hanberry.”
“It depends on the argument that was used,” Bertha said. “The right sort of blackmail might have accomplished wonders. This Myrna Jackson who rooms with Josephine Dell was virtually forced upon Miss Dell by your cousin. She also knows the housekeeper. The whole thing looks fishy to me. She’s apparently an attractive girl, and she’s mixed up in this whole business some way. As far as Paul is concerned, I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could throw an election promise by the tail.”
“Yes, I’m inclined to agree with you there, but please get to the point, Mrs. Cool. You said you were going to be straightforward and not indulge in any beating around the bush.”
Bertha said, “Your cousin was murdered.”
Milbers’s face showed his astonishment. It was a moment before he could regain his composure. “Mrs. Cool, that’s a very strong statement.”
“I know it’s a strong statement, but your cousin was poisoned. He was given poison in his breakfast on the day he died, and he had all the symptoms of arsenic poisoning.”
“It seems incredible. You’re certain?”
“Practically.”