“No. I knocked and waited, expecting Mr. Parrish to answer. Instead of him answering, there came this shot ...”
“I see. And after the shot was fired there was a crash?”
“A sort of thud—like something heavy falling down.”
“And you heard no groan or cry?”
The girl knit her brows for a moment.
“I ... I ... was frightened by the shot. I ... I ... don’t seem able to remember what happened afterwards. Let me think ... let me think ...”
“There, there,” said the Inspector paternally, “don’t upset yourself like this. Just try and think what happened after you heard the shot fired ...”
Mary Trevert shuddered, one slim white hand pressed against her cheek.
“I do remember now,” she said, “there was a cry. It was more like a sharp exclamation ...”
“And then you heard this crash?”