“We’ve talked with your sister,” Mason said. “In fact, we’ve made rather a complete investigation, Mrs. Eves.”
She started to say something, checked herself, bit her lip, looked at the floor and said, “I’d rather you’d wait until my husband comes before I tell you anything.”
“Oh, then, your husband is due to return?” Mason asked.
“Well... that is... I...”
She broke off and was silent. Drake and Mason exchanged glances. Mason said, “I think you understand why I’m asking you these questions, Mrs. Eves. I’m representing Mrs. Moar.
She nodded.
“Aside from the fact that I’m Mrs. Moar’s attorney, I have no interest in the matter whatsoever. I’m not concerned in the least in any of your private affairs. I’ll respect your confidence.”
She blinked her eyes thoughtfully, then suddenly reached a decision and said, “All right, Mr. Mason, I’ll tell you the truth. I was married once before. That marriage didn’t jell. It wasn’t a particularly pleasant experience. It left me rather suspicious of men. Since then I’ve known a few married men. What I’ve seen of them hasn’t made me care to play the role of wife who sits at home while her husband’s playing around. After I got over to Honolulu I kept thinking about the way Morgan had put me aboard the ship while he suddenly went back, and I thought perhaps... well, I thought perhaps there was another woman. I wanted to come back and find out, but I didn’t have the money, for one thing, and I didn’t have any legitimate excuse for another. Then, Mr. Cartman, who had been hurt in an automobile wreck, and who had to wear a steel brace for months, wanted to come home. I had been in touch with some of the nurses in the hospital. They knew how I felt. They told me this would be a fine chance for me to make a surprise trip to the Mainland. I could get enough out of it to pay my round trip passage, and, in addition to make a little pocket money. So I decided to go. But, naturally, I didn’t want Morgan to know I was coming, so I wrote letters to him and left them to be mailed on the Clipper after I’d sailed. And because I thought perhaps Morgan might get in touch with Marian, I did the same with her. Now then, that’s all there is to it.”
“And what did you do when you came here?” Mason asked.
“I got in touch with Morgan, naturally. I went right to his flat. I thought perhaps he’d have some other woman there. Well...”