Over My Dead Body

"Shut up, please!-Do you still say no?"

"Yes."

"Did you take this steel thing off of the end of the йpйe after it had gone through Ludlow's chest?"

"No."

"Did you take it off the йpйe with this glove on your hand and then discover there was blood on the glove, and you would have to get rid of both of them?"

"No. I never-"

"When did you take this thing out of the cabinet in Miltan's office?"

"I didn't take it out."

"You put these two things in Goodwin's pocket, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"You had them then, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Where did you get them?"

"I found them in the pocket of my robe-the green robe I put on over my fencing costume."

"What do you mean, you found them?"

"I just mean that. Isn't that a good word-found?"

"Sure, it's a swell word. It's a beaut. How and when and why did you find them?"

"Just a moment, Mr Cramer." It was Wolfe, in a tone that meant business. "Miss Tormic is a stranger in this country. Either I advise her to say nothing whatever and I get a lawyer for her, or I will tell her one or two things myself-at this point."

"What do you want to tell her?"

"You will hear it." Wolfe wiggled a finger. "Miss Tormic. It is unlikely that you will be charged with murder as long as the alibi furnished by Mr Faber is unimpeached. That is, remains good. You can, however, be put under arrest as a material witness-a device to prevent you from running away-and then be released under a bond to appear when needed. You have been asked to give a circumstantial account of your connexion with the instrument of murder, which you have admitted was in your possession shortly after the crime was committed. Your words are being taken down by a stenographer. If you give that account, you will be committed to it as the truth, so it had better be the truth. If you refuse to give it, you will probably be arrested as a material witness. You must decide for yourself. Have I made it clear?"