Detective and mystery stories; Stone, Fleming (Fictitious character) -- Fiction
The net of the detectives was closing in around Eunice, and though both
Elliott and Hendricks--as Fifi had truly surmised--were doing all in
their power, the dénouement was not far off--Eunice was in imminent
danger of arrest at any moment.
“We’ve been talking about the will--Sanford’s will,” Elliott
said, in a dreary tone, after the callers were seated, “and, Eunice,
Mr. Driscoll chooses to think that the fact that San left practically
everything to you, without any restraint in the way of trustees, or
restriction of any sort, is another count against you.”
Eunice smiled bravely. “But that isn’t news,” she said; “we all
knew that my husband made me his sole--or rather principal--beneficiary.
I know the consensus of opinion is that I murdered my husband that I
might have his money--and full control of it. This is no new element.”
“No;” said Driscoll, moved by the sight of the now patient, gentle
face; “no; but we’ve added a few more facts--and look here, Mrs.
Embury, it’s this way. I’ve doped it out that there are five
persons who could possibly have committed this--this crime. I’ll speak
plainly, for you have continually permitted me--even urged me to do so.
Well, let us say Sanford Embury could have been killed by anyone of a
certain five. And they size up like this: Mr. Elliott, here, and Mr.
Alvord Hendricks may be said to have had motive but no opportunity.”
“Motive?” said Eunice, in a tone of deepest possible scorn.
“Yes, ma’am. Mr. Elliott, now, is an admirer of yours--don’t
look offended, please; I’m speaking very seriously. It is among the
possibilities that he wanted your husband out of his way.”
Mason Elliott listened to this without any expression of annoyance.
Indeed, he had heard this argument of Driscoll’s before, and it
affected him not at all.
“But, Mrs. Embury, Mr. Elliott had no opportunity. We have learned
beyond all doubt that he was at his club or at his home all that night.
Next, Mr. Hendricks had a motive. The rival candidates were both eager
for election, and we must call that a motive for Mr. Hendricks to
be willing to remove his opponent. But again, Mr. Hendricks had no
opportunity. He was in Boston from the afternoon of the day before
Mr. Embury’s death until noon of the next day. That lets him out
positively. Therefore, there are two with motives but no opportunity.
Next, we must admit there were two who had opportunity, but no motive.
I refer to Ferdinand, your butler, and Miss Ames, your aunt. These two
could have managed to commit the deed, had they chosen, but we can find
no motive to attribute to either of them. It has been suggested that
Miss Ames might have had such a desire to rid you, Mrs. Embury, of a
tyrannical husband, that she was guilty. But it is so highly improbable
as to be almost unbelievable.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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