“God’s truth—my dear man—”
“Oh, be sensible, Doctor, of course you didn’t. And who had the room across the hall from you, which also is above the balcony? Mrs. Siddons, the housekeeper. If you saw her, you’d scarcely picture her as hurrying up and down a rope ladder. No, Doctor, whoever was on that balcony came from Mrs. Endicott’s room. We’re back to the same three people: Mrs. Endicott, her maid, and her nurse.”
“But Mrs. Endicott is out of the question, Lieutenant. She is still under the influence of the narcotic I gave her.”
“How about the nurse, Doctor? Have you known her long?”
“Known her? Only for the several cases she has worked on with me. But she comes from the most reputable agency in the city. How about the maid?”
“I don’t know.”
“She is just as good a candidate for suspicion as Miss Vickers, isn’t she? Why under the sun should Miss Vickers want to shoot Endicott?”
“I’m not seriously considering Miss Vickers at all. It’s perfectly obvious that whoever did shoot Endicott was either directly responsible for the earlier attack during the evening or else involved in it as an accomplice.”
“That might still include the maid.”
“It certainly might. I wonder if you’d mind asking Miss Vickers to come in here. I’d like to question her first.”
Dr. Worth nodded toward Endicott’s body, covered with a sheet on the bed. “Miss Vickers, Lieutenant, being a nurse is naturally accustomed to seeing the dead, but it will be rather gruesome for the maid if you question her in here, too.”