CHAPTER THIRTY-ONEAs Minnie Mercer seated herself in the chair recently occupied by Gladys Marsh it is probable that each of the other three people present was visited by a sense of contrast. Miss Mercer not only looked ill and strained, but she had an appearance of fragility which rather alarmed the Chief Inspector. Her eyes had a haunting look of distress. She folded her hands in her lap and leaned against the high back of the chair.
Lamb was leaning back too, his pose easy, his manner quiet. He had obviously no desire to alarm Miss Mercer. ‘Just a few questions’, was what he had said as she came into the room. He waited now until she was settled, and then said,
‘You’ve been a long time at Latter End?’
There was an almost inaudible ‘Yes’.
‘Twenty-five years?’
‘Yes.’
‘Never thought
