It had to be You

boyfriends,“ Howard groused. “She’s probably unaware, or doesn’t care, that it’s confidential until the writer of the will is dead.
    “And I certainly don’t believe much of what Mrs. Connor said. After she went after Miss Twibell and Betty about witnessing the will, and was finally convinced they truly didn’t know it was a will, she fell apart and confessed all sorts of sappy personal information to them. But she added a practical note about needing to get the crops in when I questioned her.“
    “Even I would think about that first,“ Robert said.
    Lily thought for a moment, then said, “Mrs. Connor doesn’t like men. She didn’t like her husband, her son, or either of her grandsons. But she poured out her story to two women. Maybe you could come up with some excuse for me to visit her on a purely social level. Though I can’t imagine how I could butt in without making her angry. I wouldn’t like to do it, but I would if it could provide you with more information.”
    Howard considered this. “You might be right about her attitude toward men. I’ll try to think of some reason for your visiting her. Have all her husband’s clothes and belongings been returned to her?“
    “I have no idea,“ Lily said.
    “I’ll ask Miss Twibell about this, too. It might provide another thing to ask when I call on her. Inquire if anything was left behind. Though I doubt it. Although... if I explained why I need it, she might go along with ‘finding’ something that she mistakenly thought belonged to him and send you to deliver it.”
    Robert was still looking through some of the paperwork. “It’s interesting what the hiker said about the man he saw going up the hill after the boy fell in the lake. Did you believe him?”
    Howard thought for a moment. “I think he’s the only person even remotely involved in Chief Simpson’s case who really told the truth. But it’s not my case, so it doesn’t matter what I think.”
    As he was saying this, the phone rang. It was Chief Simpson. “Howard, I’ve checked. There isn’t and hasn’t ever been such a hospital.”
    Howard said, “Don’t say anything else. Your telephone girl or mine might be listening. Wait just a minute.”
    He thought of an innocuous wording and said, “Go back to the people with the letter and bring a fresh envelope. Take the letter by the corner, put it in the envelope, and send your deputy with it to the fingerprint expert in Newburgh. Then you get a warrant for a typewriter, and anyother objects that might be relevant to a murder case, and meet me at your office. I’ll have two other people with me.”
    Simpson replied, “I think I know what you’re getting at. I’ll meet you in an hour.”

Chapter 23

    I need you two to go along with me,“ Howard said.
    “What is all this about?“
    “I’ll tell you on the way to Beacon. First we have to go to the nursing home.”
    Howard left them in the police car while he consulted with Miss Twibell. “I need something you can claim you just found that you think someone gave Mr. Connor early in his stay.“
    “What sort of thing?“
    “I don’t know. Maybe a book or a magazine?“
    “He wasn’t a reader. If that’s what you need, though, someone gave me a book not long ago about learning how to play bridge. Would that do?“
    “Perfect. They didn’t inscribe it to you, did they?”
    She went to fetch it and they checked. It wasn’t inscribed to anyone.
    Back in the police car, he started toward Beacon and explained to the Brewsters what he thought and what roles they were to play.
    Howard said, “Lily was right about something important.”
    When they reached Beacon, Chief Simpson had several warrants in hand, and Deputy Parker was back from Newburgh. Introductions were made, then Howard laid out the plan, concluding by saying to Simpson, “Follow me in your car, and bring Parker along. He needs the experience. We’ll want to park out of sight and send Miss Brewster to the door with the book.”
    When they arrived at their destination, automobiles were parked down the lane leading to the house they were seeking. They all got out of the vehicles to confer, and Chief Simpson said, “What’s going on here? Is it a St. Patrick’s Day party or something?“
    “God only knows,“ Howard said. “But we need to proceed. Lily, do you have the book? Remember to be the Queen of Sympathy no matter what that woman says.“
    “I’ll do my best,“ she said, hurrying to the