“That’s not answering my question. Did she tell you something?”

“I’m certain I couldn’t remember. We talked about a lot of things. You know how it is, Chief, when you’re with a girl for several days.”

“And nights,” he said.

I didn’t say anything.

He pinched his lower lip between his thumb and forefinger, pulled it way out, then released it, and let it slide back. After a while, he said, “You’re a queer one.”

“What’s the matter now?”

He said, “After Bill told me about that theory of yours, I went out and went over the premises inch by inch. We covered the stairs, taking each stair at a time. We found half a dozen drops of blood.”

“Did you indeed?”

He said, “That knocks Endicott’s alibi into a cocked hat.”

“Have you asked him about it?”