“Dr. Hajek helped him some,” I blurted. “And Dr. Balman was in to see him once or twice. And there were the nurses——”
“Then it appears to lie between Dr. Hajek and Dr. Balman and you and Miss Day,” said O’Leary all too coolly. I gasped and he went on: “And the unknown element which is always to be considered. We can’t tell which died first—Dr. Letheny or his patient. We do not even know for certain whether Dr. Letheny met his death inside the walls of the hospital or not, but I have reason to believe that it was in Room 18. Otherwise it would have been difficult and purposeless, so far as I can see, to convey his body into the room and into that closet. Almost impossible for a woman,” he added as if in afterthought, and his eyes on that aggravating pencil. “I am inclined to think that the sound you heard and believed to be a window dropping to the sill was actually the blow that meant death for Dr. Letheny.”
“Oh——!”
“Yes.” His eyes were meeting mine, searching my face so intently that I felt as if my very thoughts were visible to them. “Now, Miss Keate, please tell me something of this Corole Letheny. I understand that she and her cousin were not on the best of terms.”
“That is true,” I acknowledged hesitantly.
“Don’t be afraid of incriminating anyone,” said O’Leary impatiently. “Clues are funny things. When they seem to point one way they are very apt, on close investigation, to point another way entirely. So please don’t hesitate to answer my questions.”
This reassured me somewhat; not that I have ever cared for Corole Letheny, but one does pause to consider one’s speech in such a serious matter.
“Corole and Dr. Letheny never did get along well together. But I don’t think she can be involved in this.” Thinking of the oddly mud-stained slippers, I paused again. That incident could have had nothing to do with the murders, of course, but still it was singular.
“What is it, Miss Keate?”
Before I knew it I had told him of the muddied bronze kid pumps.