The Benson Murder Case / Дело Бенсона. Книга для чтения на английском языке

“Well, sir,” she replied reluctantly, “I was only working for him, and I haven’t got any complaint about the way he treated me.”

Despite her words, she gave the impression that she either disliked Benson extremely or greatly disapproved of him. Markham, however, did not push the point.

“And by the way, Mrs. Platz,” he said next, “did Mr. Benson keep any fire-arms about the house? For instance, do you know if he owned a revolver?”

For the first time during the interview, the woman appeared agitated, even frightened.

“Yes, sir, I—think he did,” she admitted, in an unsteady voice.

“Where did he keep it?”

The woman glanced up apprehensively, and rolled her eyes slightly as if weighing the advisability of speaking frankly. Then she replied in a low voice:

“In that hidden drawer there in the center-table. You—you use that little brass button to open it with.”

Heath jumped up, and pressed the button she had indicated. A tiny, shallow drawer shot out; and in it lay a Smith and Wesson thirty-eight revolver with an inlaid pearl handle.

“Full,” he announced laconically.

An expression of tremendous relief spread over the woman’s features, and she sighed audibly.

Markham had risen and was looking at the revolver over Heath’s shoulder.

“You’d better take charge of it, Sergeant,” he said; “though I don’t see exactly how it fits in with the case.”

He resumed his seat, and glancing at the notation Vance had given him, turned again to the housekeeper.

“One more question, Mrs. Platz. You said Mr. Benson came home early and spent his time before dinner in this room. Did he have any callers during that time?”

I was watching the woman closely, and it seemed to me that she quickly compressed her lips. At any rate, she sat up a little straighter in her chair before answering.

“There wasn’t no one, as far as I know.”

“But surely you would have known if the bell rang,” insisted Markham.

“There wasn’t no one,” she repeated, with a trace of sullenness.

“And last night: did the door-bell ring at all after you had retired?”

“No, sir.”

“You would have heard it, even if you’d been asleep?”

“Yes, sir. There’s a bell just outside my door, the same as in the kitchen. It rings in both places. Mr. Benson had it fixed that way.”

Markham thanked her and dismissed her.