Armstrong shook his head. “No. I left there a little before midnight.”
“Without notifying Mrs. Marshall Meredith or any other inmate of the house?”
“Mrs. Meredith had retired for the night,” replied Armstrong. “Herman and Damason, the Filipino chauffeur, were aware that I left.”
“And why did you not tell Mr. Hollister of your intended departure?”
Armstrong frowned at the Inspector’s persistency. “It was after we had parted that I decided on impulse to return home that night. There was no occasion for disturbing Hollister,” he stated coldly.
Mitchell consulted his notebook in which he had made occasional entries as their conversation progressed.
“Are you well acquainted with Mr. Hollister?” he asked.
“We are friends, yes,” and Mitchell’s eyebrows lifted at the brief reply.
“You have just stated, Mr. Armstrong, that only Herman and Damason knew of your intended departure,” he began. “In her testimony at the inquest Miss Anne Meredith told of meeting you on your way out.”
“Yes, yes, I forgot; I did meet her,” broke in Armstrong with marked haste.