Megan Brewer became pale and Whitmore worried that she may faint. Gently, he asked, “Why did you do it?
She asked quietly, “How did you know? The cameras and monitors didn’t work so I thought nobody will find out.”
“Process of elimination,*” the detective answered. “First, we know Mr. Willis was killed before 7:13, because he had no umbrella or raincoat with him. That menas he arrived at the office sometime between 6:45 when Ms. Peck arrived and 7:13 when the rains started. I know your boss, Ms. Peck, is not the murderer because she is so confident that the telephone company records will show she wasn’t in the building. Mr. Kesler didn’t do it because he has a wet umbrella in his office – it means he got here after the rain began at 7:13. Although Mr. Ledbetter has no coat, umbrella or anything else to prove his innocence, his arrival time was 7:40. Also it is improbable that a man of Mr. Ledbetter’s age and physical condition could overpower** a younger, muscular man. So – it was you, Ms. Brewer. I believe Mr. Willis arrived early. You met him at the front at the door and took him to Ms. Peck’s office. What I don’t know is, why did you kill him?
Megan felt sick to her stomach but tried to stay calm. Softly, she said, “Mr. Willis has been in our office several times. I knew he liked me. I didn’t like the way he was looking at me*** when I found him waiting for me at the door when I arrived. I took him into Cindy’s office and he tried to attack me. I didn’t know what to do. We wrestled around for a few moments. Fortunately, I saw the letter opener on Cindy’s desk and grabbed it. In desperation**** I stabbed him in the heart. I didn’t want to kill him, but I panicked after I saw he was dead.”
There was dead silence in the room. Finally, she asked, “What will you do with me?
Whitmore answered, “Well, we have to arrest you, but I guess you are not lying. I believe the judge will understand that you were a frightened person who panicked after an act of desperation.”
*Vylučovací metodou.
**přemoci
***Nelíbilo se mi, jak se na mě díval
****V zoufalství