Before she could answer, Sally cut in. "In common with the butcher, the baker, the milkman, all the servants, the postman, and the paper-boy."
He looked at her appraisingly, but did not answer, merely inclining his head slightly.
"News gets round so frightfully quickly in the suburbs," Helen said, again with her uneasy, artificial laugh.
"Yes," he agreed. "I expect it does. When did you last see Mr. Fletcher, Mrs. North?"
"What's your reason for asking that question?" demanded Sally.
"I am investigating a murder, Miss -'
"I'm Sally Drew. You can hardly think that my sister knows anything about a murder."
"I'm quite ready to believe that she doesn't," he replied, with a good-humoured inflexion in his voice which surprised her. "But I have a reason for asking Mrs. North certain questions, and a right to do so."
"Oh, of course!" Helen said quickly. "Only it's rather difficult to say when I saw Ernie Fletcher last. Let me see now… it was probably in town. Oh yes, we were both at a party last week!"
"Are you quite sure that you haven't seen him since then?"