“Yes, and that tube of ointment.”
“It isn't ointment,” said the Sergeant. “It's toothpaste. There's another one here too, but that's empty.”
“Take it, anyway. I'm not leaving anything to chance this time.”
Just as you say, Super,” said the Sergeant. “But if you ask me the likeliest place for poison was in the tea, or in that medicine you say Mrs Matthews gave the old girl.”
“Yes,” agreed Hannasyde, “but we've got to try everything. The tea-things were washed up hours ago, and so was the medicine-glass.” He stopped, and then said suddenly: “Aren't tea-leaves kept sometimes to lay the dust when the floors are swept?”
“That's right,” said the Sergeant, and put down the tin of cough-lozenges he had picked up. “I'll see if I can get hold of today's little lot.”
But he came back presently, and shook his head. “They don't hold with it,” he said shortly. “Mostly use an Electrolux. You know, you can begin to understand why people talk about the curse of the machine-age, can't you? Tea-leaves burned with all the other rubbish.” He began to pack into his attaché-case all the pots and the bottles which Hannasyde had collected. “Lot of talk going on in the servants' quarters,” he said. “They don't like Mrs Matthews. Seems to have been a fair amount of what you might call friction going on ever since the old man died. They say Miss Stella's clearing out because she wouldn't live with her aunt. The cook can't stand Mrs M., but at the same time she says that Harriet M. has been carrying on like a lunatic this last week. Gone potty on economy. I think there's a case against Mrs M. all right.”
On their way downstairs again they met Edward Rumbold, who was awaiting them in the hall. He said: “You're leaving now, Superintendent? Mrs Matthews would rather like to know when you expect to hear the result of the post-mortem.”
“I'm afraid I can't tell you that,” replied Hannasyde. “Not very long, I think.” He looked Rumbold over, and asked: “Are you a close friend of the family, Mr Rumbold?”
“I live next door,” Rumbold answered. “I think I may say that I am a fairly close friend.”