“Is it generally known you have a key to the Drukkers’?”
“Why—I suppose so.” She was obviously perplexed. “I’ve never made a secret of it. The family certainly know about it.”
“And you may perhaps have mentioned or revealed the fact when there were outsiders present?”
“Yes—though I can’t recall any specific instance.”
“Are you sure you have the key now?”
She gave Vance a startled look, and without a word picked up a small lizard-skin hand-bag which lay on the wicker table. Opening it she felt swiftly in one of its inner compartments.
“Yes!” she announced, with relief. “It’s where I always keep it. . . . Why do you ask me about it?”
“It’s important that we know who had access to the Drukker house,” Vance told her. Then, before she could question him further, he asked: “Could the key possibly have left your possession last night?—that is, could it have been extracted from your bag without your knowledge?”
A look of fright came into her face.
“Oh, what has happened——?” she began; but Vance interrupted her.