In the Still of the Night

great-grandmother, were flirting with him. Much as she hated to ruin their fun, she drew Robert away.
    “She was writing a personal note to Raymond?“ he exclaimed as they strolled toward the woods. “I told you he was a bad ’un. This proves it. Don’t ever let yourself be alone with him, Lily.“
    “I don’t really need to be told that, Robert,“ she said huffily. “But...“
    “But what?“
    “Maybe Raymond didn’t really know her before he came here. Maybe she was just pretending they were old... ‘friends.’ She lied about other things, why not that, too? Maybe Raymond is the one telling the truth.“ But the words rang hollow.
    “Then she wouldn’t have addressed him as ‘Raymond, dear.’ ‘Dear Raymond’ might make sense. ‘Raymond, dear’ is much different. They couldn’t have gotten on that sort of terms so quickly.“
    “How would you know that?“
    “She was a hot old number,“ Robert said. “You said she’d told Addie that she and West were lovers and he didn’t seem to remember her any more than Raymond did. Whatever else you could say about Mrs. Ethridge, she wasn’t an unforgettable woman.“
    “We’ll never forget her, for certain,“ Lily said curtly. After a moment’s thought, she asked, “Is there any innocent reason West’s tie tack would have been in her room?”
    Robert rolled his eyes. “I thought you were too sophisticated to ask a question like that.“
    “I’m serious. I don’t want to think our guest of honor is a killer. I thought maybe he lost it and she found it and possibly set it on the night table to give back in the morning and it got knocked to the floor by the person who strangled her.”
    Robert curled his lip. “He just forgot to put it back on when he was getting redressed in her room, Lily.”
    Lily ignored this. “I know! She could have stolen it from his room. Remember when that girl—what was her name? Bitsy? Betsy? She had a crush on you and stole little mementoes? She took your gold cigarette lighter and a table napkin you’d written something on? And gave them back to you in a huff when she saw you out with someone else? Remember?“
    “She was seventeen years old, Lily, and an idiot. Lorna Ethridge was neither. She was, it appears, a full-fledged seducer.“
    “So why didn’t she go after you?“ Lily asked. “She did.“
    “No!“
    “It didn’t work,“ Robert said with a grin. “And I’m not going to share the details. It wasn’t a pretty scene.“
    “That horrible woman! Robert, I’m simply outraged!“
    “So was someone else,“ he said. “And it was probably Julian West.“
    “Look, Robert, he’s not a likable person, but that doesn’t mean he’s a murderer.“
    “He was in the war. He writes war novels. He’s seen and experienced and written about a lot of horrible deaths. That sort of life is bound to makea person callous about life and death.“
    “But he wasn’t killing people in the war. He was an observer and helping take the dead and injured back. And even if he had, it doesn’t mean anything. Lots of men came back from the war and are living perfectly normal lives with no urge to bump people off.“
    “But they were nice people to begin with. Julian West was at the front lines. He saw his own cousin die. And many, many others as well. And he’s a nasty, surly man besides. Probably always was. He could kill someone without turning a hair,“ Robert said.

Chapter 16

    “You’re sure I haven’t received a telephone call?“ Cecil asked Lily.
    “I’m sorry, but no. Chief Walker’s had the telephone tied up though.“
    “I’m going to have to call my secretary then. I was expecting to hear from her today and it’s almost four now. I’ll give you the money for the call.”
    Lily would have liked to be gracious and decline the offer of money, but she couldn’t afford to. Making a long distance call to New York City was an expensive proposition and would cut into their meager profit.
    Cecil called his office from the hall phone, which was fortunately disengaged for the moment, but no one answered. He hung up, grumbling, “Where has she gone?“
    “I’ll let Chief Walker know that you’d like to keep the line open,“ Lily offered. “But you understand that investigating Mrs. Ethridge’s murder is more important right now.“
    “Of course, of course. But my work is important to me,“ Cecil said. “Besides, the letter I’m expecting is from a good source, and I have to get my