She shook her head. “No, sir. I only mentioned that because you asked if that door was kept locked.”

“Have you any idea how this thing happened?”

“Why—” Her eyes flickered. “I thought — I understand it was a grenade Colonel Ryder had in his desk.”

Fife shot at her, “How do you know it was a grenade?”

Her head pivoted to him. “Because, sir, everyone is saying that it was. If it was a secret — it isn’t now.”

“Of course it isn’t,” Wolfe said peevishly. “If you please, General. Have you any idea, Miss Bruce, how the grenade got exploded?”

“Certainly not! I mean — no, sir.”

“It is permissible to mean certainly not,” Wolfe murmured at her. “You know nothing whatever about it?”

“No, sir.”

“What were the instructions Colonel Ryder gave you at a quarter to four when he called you in?”