Murder at the Mansion by Janet Finsilver Page A

sandwiches and coffee. Please let your people know they’re available.”
    â€œAppreciate it,” the deputy said. “I’ve called San Martin police headquarters for assistance. They’re sending two detectives. They’ll have questions of their own. Now, who found the body?”
    â€œI did,” I replied.
    â€œHas anyone else been in the room since the body was found?” Deputy Stanton asked.
    â€œI believe I’m the only one,” Hensley said. “Kelly unlocked the door for me but didn’t go in again.”
    â€œWho has keys to the room?” Deputy Stanton asked.
    Hensley went to the cabinet behind her. “There are three keys for every room. The guest has one, one’s on the master board, and a third one on the key ring.” She pulled out the round wire holding the room keys and located the one to Sylvia’s room.
    I chimed in. “Deputy Stanton, I gave you the one I used. It’s the master board key. I saw Sylvia’s key on her bed.”
    He pulled the metal skeleton key from his pocket. “A duplicate could be made, but it wouldn’t be easy, and it’d take time.” He looked at the manager. “How long had Mrs. Porter been here?”
    â€œTwo days,” she replied.
    â€œDid she request a specific room before she arrived?”
    Hensley pulled Sylvia’s file toward her. “Not to my knowledge. I’ll check her records and ask the registration staff.”
    He turned to me and opened his notepad. “What time did you discover the body?”
    â€œShortly before one o’clock.”
    â€œWhen did you last see Mrs. Porter alive?”
    â€œA little before eleven thirty when she left with her tea.”
    â€œTell me what you saw when you entered the room.”
    I told him about going there at Sylvia’s request, having to get a key when she didn’t respond, and what I saw as I entered the room.
    â€œI thought she’d fallen asleep. I went to wake her, and that’s when I noticed what I thought was a brooch on her shoulder.”
    â€œWhy would you think that?”
    â€œThe room was dim because she’d lowered the shades. I saw what I thought was a dark red flower with a pearl in the center.”
    He frowned at me. “Describe the pearl.”
    â€œIt was egg-shaped and was in the center of... what I now know is blood.”
    He snapped his book closed. “Come with me.” The deputy inclined his head in the direction of the hallway.
    No, not again. I didn’t want more images of her lifeless body. Once again, I took the long walk to Sylvia’s room.
    When we got there, Stanton opened the door and gestured me in. My feet felt like they were blocks of lead. Sylvia’s body seemed to have slouched more into the chair.
    â€œYou said you saw a pearl. Where?”
    I looked at the image in the mirror. There was no pearl. I stepped closer and peered at Sylvia’s shoulder. There was the red burst of blood but nothing else.
    â€œIt was there, a large, egg-shaped pearl . . .” I talked faster. “I’m positive. I saw it. I thought it was a piece of jewelry.”
    â€œSlow down, Ms. Jackson,” Stanton said. “Tell me about what happened after you left the room.”
    â€œI locked the door, called nine-one-one, and went to Mrs. Hensley. We came back because she wanted to see the situation for herself. When she came out, I locked the room again, and as we went downstairs, we heard you arrive. You were the next person in the room.”
    â€œLet’s talk with Mrs. Hensley.”
    The deputy and I didn’t speak as we returned to the office.
    Deputy Sheriff Stanton stood in front of the manager’s desk. “Mrs. Hensley, I’d like you to describe what you saw on Mrs. Porter’s shoulder where the injury is.”
    â€œA bloodstained area appearing to be about five inches in diameter,” she replied. “I have no idea