What I wanted most was to get my hands on the necklace but when I drew close to her I could see that it was gone. I stood still, breathing hard, trying to collect my wits. Could the necklace have slipped off after death? I scanned the bed-clothes, the carpet beside the bed, the medicine table. No sign of it. I hadn't heard anyone enter the room but when I looked up, I found myself staring into the pale gray eyes of Lieutenant Onsett. His face wore an official mask of blankness but it was belied by the quirk of his lips. He knew something, I thought, or at least he was suspicious. I had to take a firm grip on myself not to make a break for it and try to rush past him to the freedom of the hall. Onsett motioned me back to the front room. Isabelle had quieted down although she was still sobbing. Sylvester and his wife were sitting on the divan holding hands and looking distraught. I went to Isabelle and slid my arms around her and waited to see what would come next. The questioning was all very polite, in perfect order. The details of the birthday dinner and the theatre party came out. We learned, in turn, that a friend of Maudie's who had a key to the apartment had dropped in to surprise her with a birthday gift and had discovered the body. There was some mention of the necklace but neither Onsett nor his partner pursued the matter. I was beginning to feel cocky again, sure that Maudie's death would be put down to accidental strangulation or a heart attack. In about an hour we were all told that we could leave but just as we got to the door, Onsett called me back and asked me to wait. Sylvester offered to take Isabelle home and I didn't dare to protest too much. I stood in the middle of the room, listening to their footsteps die away in the hall and then I turned to face Onsett. His partner had disappeared and the two of us were alone in the room. He sat down in an easy chair and crossed his legs. There wasn't anything for me to do but try to appear as much at ease as he. We sat there in silence for long minutes. Finally Onsett dug out a cigarette and offered me one. I took it and lit up. The smoke burned my throat but having something to do with my hands helped. I was scared but I reckoned that the best thing to do was put on a show of indignation. "What is this?" I blustered. "I've told you everything I know." He gave a thin smile. "I don't think so, Mr. Duff." "I don't care what you think, I've nothing more to say." He snuffed out his cigarette very carefully in one of Maudie's little mosaic ashtrays and slowly his hand dipped into his pocket. When it came out, the necklace dangled from his fingers. I could feel my heart lurch but I still tried to bluff it out, complaining about being separated from Isabelle. Onsett didn't say a word, just dangled the chain so that the light from the lamp rippled along its slender surface. In a few minutes I ran out of words. Onsett gave a deep sigh and rose from his chair.