A Blunt Instrument by Georgette Heyer Page A

mind, professional interest, or family feeling?" She ignored the implication of this last alternative.
    "Professional interest."
    They had rounded the corner of the house, and come in sight of the path leading to a gate set in the fence separating the garden from Maple Grove. A thick bed of shrubs concealed the fence from view, and was being subjected to a rigorous search by two hot and rather dishevelled policemen. Sally cast them a cursory glance, and transferred her attention to the house. "Which is Helen's bush?"
    He pointed it out to her, and she went to it, inspected the footprints, and would have concealed herself behind it had it not been for the prompt action of PC Glass, who, having observed her arrival with some disapproval, now abandoned his search in the shrubbery to admonish her.
    "It's all right," said Sally. "I'm not going to obliterate the prints, or anything like that. I only want to get an idea of what anyone hidden here, in the dark, could actually see. I'm interested in crime."
    "Remove thy foot from evil," recommended Glass severely. "These things are in the hands of the police."
    "Don't you bother your head about me: I've made a study of murder. I may be able to help," said Sally.
    "Like me," murmured Neville. "I tried to help, but no one was grateful."
    A cold eye was bent upon him. "Bread of deceit is sweet to a man," said Glass. "But afterwards," he added forebodingly, "his mouth shall be filled with gravel."
    Sally, having by this time satisfied herself that very little could be seen from behind the currant bush, emerged. "Is that out of the Bible?" she inquired. "Nearly all the best things are, except those that come out of Shakespeare. Can I go into the study, Neville?"
    "Do!" he said cordially.
    "What is your business here?" demanded Glass. "Why do you desire to enter that room?"
    "I'm a novelist," explained Sally. "Crime stories."
    "You were better at home," he said sombrely, but made no further attempt to stop her.
    Followed by Neville, who had produced a Bible from his pocket, and was swiftly flicking the pages over, Sally entered the study, and stood just inside the window, looking round. Neville sat down on the edge of the desk, absorbed in his search through the Proverbs.
    "Where was he found?" Sally said abruptly.
    Neville jerked his head in the direction of the chair behind the desk.
    "Facing the window?"
    "Yes. Don't bother me!"
    "Actually seated in his chair?"
    "Mm. I've got a goodish bit here about the lips of the strange woman, but that's not the one I want."
    "And the murderer is supposed to have entered by way of the window, which Ernie was directly facing?"
    "Flattery is the tongue of the strange woman… no, that's not it."
    "Oh, do take your head out of that! Don't you see that if the murderer entered by way of the window Ernie must have been entirely unsuspicious? He apparently didn't even get up from his chair!"
    "Got it!" said Neville triumphantly. "She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house. That's you. I'm going to tell Glass." He slid off the edge of the table, and departed in search of the policeman.
    Left alone, Sally sat down in an armchair, dropped her chin in her cupped hands, and frowned upon her surroundings. Neville soon reappeared, saying: "He reproved me. Seemed to know the context."
    "What was that?" asked Sally absently.
    "Not polite. Only two kinds of women in the OT. This was the other kind. Solved the whole mystery?"
    "No, but as I see it one fact stands out a mile. It wasn't John."
    "All right; have it your own way."
    "Yes, but don't you see?" she insisted. "Ernie wasn't expecting to be murdered. If John had walked in, wouldn't he - No, I suppose it doesn't absolutely follow. One doesn't expect even jealous husbands to murder one."
    "Oh, is John jealous?" said Neville. "I thought he was quite complaisant."
    "That's what a great many people think, but -' She stopped. "Forget it!"
    "Crediting me with an earnest desire to incriminate Honest John?"