In his formal wearied tone she was quick to catch something⁠—it might have been imagination, or again it might have been intuition⁠—the slightest inflection of menace. “I got back by car this morning⁠—yes. There were certain shopping errands that Mrs. Gertstein wished me to do.”

“Huh. So it is not likely that you can help us much with this?”

The girl spread her hands in an eloquent gesture of dissent. He noticed that she wore no rings. “It is an absolute mystery to me⁠—a mystery and a very great shock.”

“Yes, of course. It would be a shock,” he returned as one engaging in polite conversation only to pass the time. “How long have you been with Mrs. Gertstein?”

“About six or seven months.”