“I took him to Mercy Hospital in my employer’s car,” she repeated to Detective Fuller. “That’s the last I saw of him.”
“In what condition was Mr. Parker when you left him?” questioned the detective.
“He seemed all right. Perhaps he was a bit dazed.”
“Why didn’t you report to the police?”
“Because I didn’t see the newspapers for a day,” Mrs. Botts replied sullenly. “Later I read Miss Parker’s offer of a reward.”
“Then you did write, requesting me to run the ad in the Star!” Penny cried triumphantly.
“No, of course not,” Mrs. Botts retorted, “I merely read the item.”
Penny knew Mrs. Botts was not telling the entire truth, but to prove it seemed an impossible matter. Neither could she establish that a man who claimed to be Lester Jones had been living in the house. True, Louise and the taxi driver would support her story, but it would only be their word against Mrs. Botts’. The situation had become hopelessly confusing.
Detective Fuller was not entirely satisfied with the housekeeper’s story. “Guess we’ll have to take you along to the station for questioning,” he concluded.
Only then did Mrs. Botts lose her composure.