Mrs. Potter hesitated.
“Well, I didn’t actually see the jewels. I went with Jane to the bank, but I remained in an outside room while she entered the vault.”
“I see. Have you any reason to believe that Mrs. Willoughby might not have taken the jewels from the vault?”
“Certainly not.”
“I have been told that Mrs. Willoughby is in rather straitened circumstance,” Nancy said, hoping to draw Mrs. Potter out.
“Yes, Jane has been having trouble with her finances,” the other admitted. “A few weeks ago I offered to lend her five hundred dollars.”
“She accepted?”
“Yes. But a few days later she came to me and said that she did not require the money.”
Nancy felt that this information was valuable, and quickly asked another question.
“Do you know where she secured the money which she evidently needed?”
“I didn’t feel that it was my concern.” Mrs. Potter looked troubled. “I hope you don’t think that poor Jane planned that robbery herself.”
“I am merely tracing down a number of clues,” Nancy replied simply. “I understand that you were the first to discover that the handbag was missing.”
“Yes,” Mrs. Potter agreed noncommittally, her expression hardening.
“Have you any theory as to what became of it?”