“I will place quite enough people around the area,” said Inspector Blount, sipping his coffee.
“But in the apartment, they will be alone,” said Mr. Korolenko. “Do you know how to use a handgun, Madame Koska?”
“Yes, I do. A long time ago, my husband taught me how to use it. He felt everyone should be able to defend themselves. He vas quite good at it.”
“Do you have one?”
“No,” said Madame Koska. “I am afraid I don’t. My husband took his handgun with him when he vanished.”
“I’ll get you a small one,” said Inspector Blount. “And we’ll go over the details to refresh your memory.”
“Thank you,” said Madame Koska. “I hope I von’t have to use it.”
“So do I,” said Mr. Korolenko, “but one never knows what could happen. Keep it in your handbag all the time, just in case, and keep the handbag close to you. It looks natural enough for a lady to keep her handbag close by.”
“I do anyway,” said Madame Koska. “My keys, my makeup, a torch, it’s important to have it on hand.”
“And now, “said the inspector, “I’d like a word with Miss Saltykov.”
“Is there anything new she is connected with?” asked Madame Koska.
“No. I only want to inquire about the box of ironing cloths.”
“Very vell,” said Madame Koska. “I vill go and bring her over.”
As they entered the room, the inspector said, “No, I needed to see Miss Salt… Oh, sorry, you are Miss Saltykov! You look different… I did not recognise you for a minute.”
Natalya smiled and sat down without being asked. She was wearing the blue smock which brought out her eyes, and they looked bright and beautiful even when not surrounded with kohl and Rimmel. Madame Koska noticed with great satisfaction that Natalya, who unless working always sat nervously on the edge of her chair, now leaned back into the seat and crossed her ankles in a most ladylike pose. She wore nice low-heeled shoes made of soft black leather, one of the two pairs Madame Koska had brought her.
“She is vearing a different hair-do, Inspector,” she volunteered. “That is vhy she looks different.”
“Oh, I see,” said the inspector. “I am not too familiar with such things, not being a married man. You look very nice, Miss Saltykov.” Natalya acknowledged the compliment with a smile and did not say anything. Mr. Korolenko, who grasped the nature of Natalya’s transformation immediately, passed his hand over his face to hide his own smile and glanced at Madame Koska who pretended not to notice.
“I wanted to ask you a couple more questions about the night of the attack on Madame Koska,” said the inspector, regaining his business image and pulling out his notebook.
“Yes, Inspector,” said Natalya.
“I have spoken to the man who sold you the ironing cloths, and everything about your time frame, the way you described it, was correct. One of my men found the box, as you know. I just wanted to ask you if you opened the box at any time during the evening, before or after you saw Madame Koska on the floor.”
“No, Inspector. I believe I dropped the box and never thought of it again,” said Natalya.
“So why was the box open when we found it a little later?” asked the inspector.
“I don’t know,” said Natalya calmly. “Perhaps during the confusion, someone wanted to put a cool wet rag on Madame Koska’s forehead, to relieve her dizziness?”
“Could be,” said the inspector. “But it could also have been used to put the surgical ether on it and press it into her face.”
The old Natalya would have shrivelled before this attack. The new Natalya shrugged and said, “Inspector, I believe you are trying to frighten me into some admission or other. I have nothing to say. You know perfectly well that I could not obtain surgical ether, I have no connection to any doctor or surgeon.”
“Very well, Miss Saltykov,” said the inspector. “Thank you very much for your help. You can go back to work now.”
When the door was closed behind Natalya, the inspector said, “She is different, entirely different. It’s not just the hair-do, it’s her entire attitude.”
“I supposed she got tired of being bullied by you, Inspector,” said Mr. Korolenko.
“I am only doing my job,” said the inspector defensively. Mr. Korolenko laughed and said, “She will make you change your ways, I suspect.”
“Whatever do you mean, Korolenko?” asked the inspector with some irritation.
“Beware the wrath of a Russian noblewoman,” said Mr. Korolenko. “They have the very devil of a pride.”
The inspector laughed. “I am sure of it,” he said. “But if she is innocent, she has nothing to worry about. We are very careful of such matters here.”
“I hope she won’t hold it against you when you find the real culprit,” said Mr. Korolenko. “It would be a pity, such an attractive and accomplished lady.”
“She did look very nice,” said the inspector thoughtfully. “I can never understand women. If she can look like that, why did she look like a rabbit all this time?”
“Good question,” said Madame Koska.
At night, Madame Koska made Gretchen comfortable, and the girl was sleeping peacefully, but Madame Koska was wide awake well into the night. She sat on the sofa in her drawing room, trying to read but unable to concentrate, and kept her handbag by her side. Every little sound made her jump and she despised herself for her nervousness but could not control it. During the afternoon, Inspector Blount had come back with a small handgun, gone over the mechanics with her to make sure there would be no mishap, and left. And now it was tucked under a lace handkerchief in Madame Koska’s handbag, and she felt slightly, but not entirely, reassured by its presence. She wondered if a glass of warm milk would help her settle into sleep, when suddenly she heard Gretchen crying. The poor girl, she thought, and went to knock on her door. “Come in,” she heard Gretchen saying, half sobbing.
“Vhat is it, my dear?” asked Madame Koska, and sat on the edge of the bed.
“How could they leave me like this?” said Gretchen, wiping her eyes. “I never had a mother… then Father disappeared… I thought my uncle and aunt loved me, and instead they have abandoned me.”
“Yes, it’s very hard, Gretchen,” said Madame Koska. “But they may have had no choice. I am sure they do love you.”
“But to go away just like that, not even leaving me a note, is so harsh.”
“They may have been afraid of the Eurasian gang, I suspect,” said Madame Koska.
“Perhaps… but just because they had a reason does not make it less painful…”
Madame Koska stroked the girl’s hair. No, abandonment was always painful, whatever the cause. She knew that.
“You are now an adult,” she said gently. “Such disappointments are part of life.”
“But do they always happen? With everyone?”
“No, of course not, some people vill alvays remain loyal. Try to bear it by giving them the benefit of the doubt. An explanation may be forthcoming soon. Try to sleep.”
“I will,” said Gretchen. “I am so tired. Yes, maybe we’ll hear from them soon…” her eyes were closing with fatigue, and Madame Koska quietly left the room.
In the morning, when Madame Koska entered her office, she cried out with dismay. The safe had been opened during the night and its door was ajar.
“Not again,” she sighed. “Gretchen, vould you call Inspector Blount, please? Tell him there vas another break-in, and the safe is opened. I am not touching it until he comes over.”
The inspector, accompanied by two police officers, came very quickly. Using a pencil, he pushed the safe’s door open.