The Second Confesion

“I don't think so. Did she, Archie?” “No, sir. She's just surprised that we're not surprised.” “I see. Won't you sit down?” For a second I thought she was going to turn and march out, as she had that afternoon in the library, but if the motion had been made she voted it down. Her eyes left Wolfe for a look at me, and I saw them stop at my scratched cheek, but she wasn't enough interested to ask who did it. She dropped her fur neckpiece on to a yellow chair, went to the red leather one and sat, and spoke.

“I came because I couldn't persuade myself not to. I want to confess something.”

My God, I thought, I hope she hasn't already signed a statement. She looked harassed but not haggard, and her freckles showed hardly at all in that light “Confessions often help,” Wolfe said, “but it's important to make them to the right person. Am I the one?” “You're just being nice because I called you a worm!” That would be a strange reason for being nice. Anyhow, I'm not. I'm only trying to help you get started.” “You don't need to.” Gwenn's hands were clasped tight. Tve decided. I'm a conceited nosy little fool!” “You use too many adjectives,” Wolfe said dryly. “For me it was cheap filthy little worm. Now, for you, it is conceited nosy little fooL Let's just say fool.

Why? What about?” “About everything. About Louis Rony. I knew darned well I wasn't really in love with him, but I thought I'd teach my father something. If he hadn't had him there he wouldn't have thought he could pique me by playing with Connie Emerson, and she wouldn't have played with him, and he wouldn't have got killed. Even if everything you said about him is true, it's my fault he got killed, and what am I going to do?” Wolfe grunted. “I'm afraid I don't follow you. How was it your fault that Mr Kane went to mail some letters and accidentally ran over Mr Rony?” She stared. “But you know that's not true!” “Yes, but you don't-or do you?” “Of course I do!” Her hands came unclasped. “I may be a fool, I guess I can't go back on that, but I've known Webster a long time and I know he couldn't possibly do such a thing!” “Anyone can have an accident' “I know they can; I don't mean that. But if he had run a car over Louis and saw he was dead, he would have gone back to the house, straight to a phone, and called a doctor and the police. You've met him. Couldn't you see he was like that?” This was a new development, a Sperling trying to persuade Wolfe that Kane's statement was a phony.