The French Powder Mystery

The doorbell rang, and Djuna ran to answer it. Marion French, dressed in a severe black suit and a pert little black hat, her chin set at a charmingly defiant angle, stood outside.

Ellery sprang to his feet, his fingers straying to his tie. The Inspector stepped forward quickly and opened wide the anteroom door.

“Come in, come in, Miss French!” He was all smiles and fatherliness. Marion smiled bewilderingly at Djuna and greeted the Inspector in a grave undertone as she walked into the living-room. She blushed at Ellery’s warm words of welcome. And sat down in the Inspector’s own armchair at his magnanimous command, perched on the edge of the leather seat, hands tightly clasped, chiseled lips firm.

Ellery stood by the window. The Inspector drew up a chair and sat close to the girl, facing her.

“Now, what is it you wanted to talk to me about, my dear?” he asked in a conversational tone.

Marion’s glance flew timidly to Ellery and returned. “I... It’s about—”

“About your visit to Mr. Zorn’s place Monday evening, Miss French?” inquired Ellery, smiling.

She gasped. “Why... why, you knew!” Ellery made a deprecatory gesture. “It is hardly knowledge. Some call it guessing.”

The Inspector’s eyes bored into hers. But his voice was gentle now. “Has Mr. Zorn a hold over you — or is it a matter more directly concerned with your father, my dear?”

She stared from one to the other as if she could not believe her ears. “To think—” She laughed a trifle hysterically. “And I thought all the while that it was a deep, dark secret...” A shadow that seemed to lift from her face fell at once. “I suppose you want a coherent story. You have heard, Westley tells me—” she bit her lip and crimsoned — “I shouldn’t have said that — he told me particularly not to say we’d discussed this...” Both the Inspector and Ellery laughed aloud at her naïveté. “At any rate,” she went on, smiling faintly, “I gather that you’ve heard about — about my stepmother and Mr. Zorn... Really, it was more gossip than anything else!” she cried. She calmed immediately. “But I wasn’t sure. And we all tried — so hard — to keep the nasty rumors from father. I’m afraid we weren’t entirely successful.” Fear suddenly flamed in her eyes. She stopped short and looked down at the floor.

Ellery and the Inspector exchanged glances. “Go on Miss French,” said the Inspector in the same soothing tone.

“Then” — she spoke more rapidly now — “I overhead, quite by accident, something that confirmed part of the rumors. Nothing — it hadn’t gone far, their affair, but it was getting dangerous. Even I could see that... That’s the way things were on Monday.”

“You told your father?” asked Queen.

She shivered. “Oh, no! But I had to save daddy’s health, his reputation, his — his peace of mind. I didn’t even take Westley into my confidence. He would have forbidden me to do — what I did. I called on Mr. Zorn — and his wife.”

“Go on.”

“I went to their apartment. I was frankly desperate. It was just after dinner and I knew they’d both be at home. And I wanted Mrs. Zorn to be there, because she knew — and she was jealous as a witch. She’d even threatened—”

“Threatened, Miss French?” demanded the Inspector.

“Oh, it was nothing, Inspector,” said Marion hurriedly, “but it told me that she knew what was going on. And it was as much her fault that Mr. Zorn fell in love with... with Winifred as anything. Mrs. Zorn is... oh, quite awful...” She smiled wanly. “You’ll think me a scandalous gossip... But before both of them I accused Mr. Zorn, and... and told it him it must stop. Mrs. Zorn flew into a terrible rage and began to swear. All her spite turned against Winifred. She threatened dire things. Mr. Zorn tried to argue with me, but... I suppose the weight of two women railing at him just sapped his strength. He left his apartment in a huff — left me with that awful woman. She looked almost insane...” Marion shuddered. “So I became a little frightened and — well, I suppose it was a good deal like running. I could hear her screaming even in the corridor... And — and that’s all, Inspector Queen, that’s all,” she faltered. “When I left the Zorns’ apartment it was a little after ten. I felt weak and sick. I really did walk in the Park, as I told you yesterday. I walked and walked until I thought I’d drop from exhaustion, and then I went home. It was just about midnight.”

There was a little silence. Ellery, watching the girl impassively, turned his head away. The Inspector cleared his throat.

“You went directly to bed, Miss French?” he asked.

The girl stared at him. “Why, what do you mean?... I—” Fright gleamed again in her eyes. But she said courageously, “Yes, Inspector, I did.”

“Did anyone see you come into the house?”

“No... no.”

“You saw no one, spoke to no one?”