Anything Goes

town to look for something to eat.
    Finally he played his trump card. He pulled the bloody scarf out of an envelope like a rabbit out of a hat and waved it in her face. “Is this yours?“
    “It is. Or it was. I don’t want it back,“ Lily said, shocked and feeling faint at the sight of her favorite scarf, now stiff with blood.
    “What was it doing around the dead man’s neck?”
    “I had no idea it was. I didn’t study him carefully. I lost the scarf several days ago.“
    “Lost it where?“
    “If I knew that, it wouldn’t have been lost,“ Lily said.
    Henderson finally asked, “Who do you think committed this crime with your scarf and your butcher knife?“
    “I’m a newcomer to this community. I wouldn’t have the slightest idea,“ Lily said, fighting back the urge to either slap the man or run away. She’d never been spoken to in this accusing tone in her life. “Who do you think it was?“
    “You’re not here to ask me questions!“ he snapped. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it was you and your brother.”
    Lily had to bite her teeth shut to keep from responding. She stared back at him boldly, but didn’t speak.
    Dr. Polhemus spoke up. “Now, Harold, that’s no way to talk to a young woman. Miss Brewster, you can be honest with us. We’ve been told you threatened Billy Smith.“
    “I threatened him?“
    “One of the workmen heard you saying you were going to call the police if he came on your property again.“
    “Which is precisely what happened,“ Mr. Prinney put in. “And he was dead by then. Miss Brewster has answered your questions to the best of her ability and I believe it would be in everyone’s interest for you to move on.“
    “Look here, Prinney. You people had a man murdered in this house,“ Henderson said.
    “There probably isn’t a single person in Voorburg who will regret Billy Smith’s death,“ Mr. Prinney said. “He was a violent, lawless man, which you well know. He came here several times to abuse his wife, who is Miss Brewster’s employee. She warned him not to come back. That was not a threat.“
    “Still, he died in this house,“ Henderson said. “Miss Brewster is the mistress of the house.“
    “And she was at the Winslows’ when Billy Smith was murdered. That’s easily checked,“ Mr. Prinney said calmly.
    “You bet I’ll be talking to them.“
    “Then you had better get on with it,“ Mr. Prinney said in his most staid voice. “Meanwhile, Miss Brewster has her household duties to attend to and I have work to do as well.“ He rose and signaled to Lily to leave the room with him. They went back to the little den off the main hall that he used as an office and watched out the front window as Henderson, Dr. Polhemus and the young man, whom Lily later learned was Jack Summer’s cousin Ralph, departed.
    “Thank you again, Mr. Prinney,“ Lily said, severely shaken by the experience. “I now understand better why my uncle’s death was never solved. That’s a horrible man.“
    “Not as bad as the former police chief,“ Mr. Prinney said sadly. “Nor quite as stupid.“
    “Who do you think killed Billy?“ Lily asked bluntly.
    Mr. Prinney was no more eager to answer this than Lily had been. “I can think of half a dozen people who had good reason to. He’s made a lot of lives hereabouts a misery. You mustn’t worry about Henderson.“
    “How can I not? He all but accused Robert and me of killing Billy.“
    “That’s his method of solving anything. He’s too stupid to figure things out, so he makes wild accusations in the hope that someone will admit to them. He’ll do the same with everyone he talks to.“
    “Why does the town tolerate him?“
    “He was the only person to apply for the job when our last chief suddenly took off for California. Henderson won’t be around much longer. This is confidential, but the town council is already quietly interviewing applicants from neighboring towns.“ Lily sighed. “I’m glad of that.”
    Mr. Prinney shuffled some papers on his desk and said, “When this is sorted out, you and I need to have a good long talk. I assumed your brother would be taking an interest in the estate’s holdings. As I told you earlier, you will both eventually have to handle these matters if you fulfill your...“
    “Sentence?”
    Mr. Prinney smiled thinly. “If you wish to think of it that way. Your brother didn’t seem interested and suggested that you yourself were the more appropriate person.“
    “I