"Me?" Anna said in disbelief.
"Indeed," Clayton assured her, seeming to find the situation quite humorous.
"Why do you think I killed him?"
"You and Robert were in an affair. He fell in love with you, and changed his father's will to favor you, not his wife. He then conspired with you to kill his wife, and to implicate Dallas."
She smiled calmly. "I'm afraid you're mistaken, Mr. Attwood. I had nothing to do with Robert's death. I told Dallas what he was going to do, because I wanted no part in it,"
"You didn't want to be blamed for the murder, more like."
Anna hesitated. "You don't have enough evidence to convict me. You said it yourself, and you sure won't be able to get me to confess,"
"Really? Dawes!" Andrew opened the door and strode into the room.
"Hello, Ms. Fulford. My name is Constable Andrew Dawes," He laid a file on the table and opened it.
"Hello Constable,"
"Do you know what fingermarks are?"
"No,"
"Are you sure? Because the weapon that you used to murder Robert Chase had been wiped of them. All but one. One partial fingermark on the bullet casing, still inside the chamber."
"I have no idea what you're talking about,"
"One partial fingermark that matched the fingermarks that you gave us at the start of this investigation. It's your thumbmark, I believe."
Clayton smiled at her. "And that, Ms. Fulford, is certainly enough evidence to convict you,"
"You asked Robert to change the Will," Andrew continued, "You told him to kill Mary Chase, and you made sure to pass the blame onto Dallas by killing Robert."
Anna sat in silence, glaring at Andrew. "It would have worked, too. That bumbling fool, Dallas, wouldn't have known if I put the noose around his neck myself," She smiled, "It's a pity you caught me. For that I commend you, gentlemen." Anna stood, "Take me away constable,"
As they were leaving, she turned and faced Clayton. "Give my regards to Dallas,"
~*~
"It was the maid?" Pith asked in surprise as Clayton nodded. "I never would have guessed it."
"Yes. Just another show of how clever women are."
"What a mess, eh Attwood? The husband kills the wife, then the maid kills the husband and blames the brother! What a family. I bet old man Chase is turning in his grave," Inspector Pith grinned and poured himself a glass of brandy.
"Perhaps, sir. There is one thing that I don't understand,"
"What's that?"
"The handwriting. I compared it and it wasn't Ms. Fulford's,"
"Well, then who's was it?"
"Mary Chase's."
The inspector's eyes bulged a pit in shock. "Really? How?"
"Mrs. Chase didn't die until after the note was written. Perhaps she wrote it fearing that Anna would kill her."
"Giving Anna a place to be that night. Do you think she was trying to stop them?"
"Who knows? One thing's for sure, Mrs. Mary Chase was not ignorant of their plot. This is yet another show of how misplaced trust can lead to the death of a family,"
"True that,"