Rebecca said, “Arthur did that. That’s Florence’s husband, Mr. Gentrie, you know.”
“Was he here when you found it?”
“No. He was looking around for a tin to mix some paint in last night. He found this tin down in the box.”
“It was empty?” Mason asked.
“That’s what he said.”
Delman Steele said, “I saw the can, Mr. Mason. I went down in the basement last night to ask Mr. Gentrie a question. He was painting around the woodwork of the windows, and the door which leads to the garage. I asked him if he’d seen the tin...”
Rebecca interrupted, “ I’m the one that asked Mr. Steele to go down and dig that tin up. I just couldn’t get it off my mind.”
Steele laughed and said, “And thereby almost got me in bad with this lieutenant who’s investigating the shooting next door.”
“How did that happen?” Mason inquired.
“He was checking up on all of the persons who had been down in the basement last night,” Steele said. “I sometimes go down to chat with Arthur Gentrie or look in on Miss Gentrie when she’s in her darkroom. But I don’t think I’d have gone down last night if it hadn’t been for Miss Gentrie asking me about the can.”