“Then,” Mason said, “quite obviously, the lock must have been changed, either by someone who had a key, unlocked it from the outside and threw the catch into position, or by someone who entered the garage through the cellar of your home, Mrs. Gentrie. Now, of the people who live in the other house, Mr. Hocksley has either been killed, or has disappeared. His housekeeper has been murdered. Opal Sunley, who acted as stenographer, is the only one who remains. Was she there today, do you know?”
Mrs. Gentrie said, “I saw her going to the flat this morning — and I don’t know why, for the life of me. There certainly couldn’t have been any work for her to do.”
“Well, of the people in your house, who could have been down here? Mr. Steele?”
“Well, he might have been. He does have the run of the house like a member of the family. When Mr. Gentrie is down here, Steele will come down to talk with him for a While; but it’s in the same way he helps Rebecca with her crossword puzzles, just something to furnish an excuse for a visit.”
“The children were here after school?”
“Yes, the younger children.”
“Junior didn’t get home until quite late, as you’ve mentioned?”
“Yes.”
“Rebecca was here?”
Mrs. Gentrie shook her head. “No. Rebecca had that crossword-club meeting this afternoon, and then went to the opera from there.”