It had to be You

and their timing. Walker consulted his notes and read out what the witnesses had said. Judge Grayson then asked each of the witnesses if this was accurate to the best of their memories for the record. They all agreed.
    He asked Miss Twibell, Miss Betty Stockton, and Miss Lucy Mae Quincy to each testify to Mr. Connor’s condition when he entered the nursing home, his subsequent treatment, and his condition on the day he died.
    Only Miss Quincy had anything to add. “When I was there, I checked that he really was in a coma. You can do this by running your knuckles fairly hard against the sternum. If they react to the pain, they’re faking. He didn’t react.”
    Next, Judge Grayson questioned Mr. Waverly. “Did you discover any other evidence of smothering when the body arrived at your funeral home?“
    “His eyes had petechial hemorrhages,“ the man said.
    “Would you describe what this means?“
    “The whites of the eyes have spots of blood from the pressure on them.”
    Judge Grayson asked Dr. Polhemus, “Did you also notice this?“
    “I’m afraid I didn’t. I was just asked to pronounce him dead, which he obviously was. I had no reason to think it wasn’t inevitable considering how he’d been in seriously failing health for the last several days.”
    Judge Grayson stared at Polhemus for a moment, then went on, “I don’t think we need an inquest. Do you agree, Mr. Prinney?”
    Mr. Prinney nodded. “The evidence seems quite clear and so does the testimony we’ve heard.“
    “If even the people at the funeral home recognize the signs of what happened, we can go straight to the autopsy,“ the judge said. “I know a good man for this. Chief Walker, do you want me to contact him?“
    “If you would, please.“
    “Then my judgment is that Mr. Sean Connor was murdered by a person or persons unknown by means of smothering. This hearing is adjourned at 10:29 A.M. on the aforesaid day and further evidence will be sought by the chief of police of Voorburg-on-Hudson. The hearing is adjourned.”
    Everyone but Mr. Prinney and the judge left the room, but the two men stayed to have a long-delayed chat and catch up over cups of coffee and nutmeg-flavored cookies Mrs. Prinney had baked. * * * Lily and Robert were both relieved when Miss Twibell and Betty came back so quickly. Lily was eager to know how the hearing with the judge had gone, but didn’t even have a chance to ask. Miss Twibell immediately asked for lunch to be prepared and served at the usual time and made a good pretense of this being like any other day. She complimented Lily on how well she’d cleaned the pharmacy during her absence, and asked Robert if he’d taken down all the laundry.
    Lily realized Miss Twibell wasn’t going to even refer to the hearing’s having taken place. And Betty had probably been warned not to speak of it either.
    Miss Twibell went to her room to change her shoes for her slippers, then came back.
    “Are your feet feeling any better yet?“ Lily asked.
    “With all that’s gone on recently, I almost forgot about them. Now I need you and Betty to get on with turning that mattress. We have a new patient coming in soon.“
    “This quickly?“ Lily said with surprise.
    “Yes, it’s our own Mattie. Just as her mother thought Mattie was over the flu, the girl came down with pneumonia. Her mother’s been worn out with all of her children feeling poorly. We can take part of the load off her. Mattie’s mother has done a little nursing study herself and thinks it’s a mild case, but would rather have her under our care. Now let’s ready the room.”
    Betty led the way, bringing an extra chair along. “You sit down, Miss Twibell, and put your feet up and just supervise. Miss Brewster and I can handle this ourselves.”
    Under the sheets that had been taken away were two layers of white quiltlike padding that would have to go back to the laundry. The last layer over the mattress was some sort of heavy cloth that Lily thought must have been infused with paraffin to make it waterproof. It was very stiff, heavy, and hard to manage.
    As they were untucking it to be cleaned in cold water and strong soap, Lily asked, “Miss Twibell, I’m wondering how you came to turn this house into a nursing home. If it’s not too personal a question?“
    “Not at all personal.“ Miss Twibell sat back comfortably. “But Betty will be bored. She’s heard all this before.
    “I’m the third generation to live in this house. I