She did not hesitate.
She said, "No, I didn't."
"Why not, Miss Turner?"
Her eyes met his frankly.
She said, "You wouldn't - in my place!"
"You think not?"
Josie said, "I've got my job to think about! The one thing a hotel doesn't want is scandal - especially anything that brings in the police.
I didn't think anything had happened to Ruby. Not for a minute!
I thought she'd just made a fool of herself about some young man.
I thought she'd turn up all right, and I was going to give her a good dressing down when she did!
Girls of eighteen are such fools."
Melchett pretended to glance through his notes.
"Ah, yes, I see it was a Mr Jefferson who went to the police. One of the guests staying at the hotel?"
Josephine Turner said shortly,
"Yes."
Colonel Melchett asked, "What made this Mr Jefferson do that?"
Josie was stroking the cuff of her jacket. There was a constraint in her manner.
Again Colonel Melchett had a feeling that something was being withheld.
She said rather sullenly,
"He's an invalid.
He he gets upset rather easily. Being an invalid, I mean."
Melchett passed from that.
He asked, "Who was the young man with whom you last saw your cousin dancing?"
"His name's Bartlett.
He's been there about ten days."
"Were they on very friendly terms?"
"Not specially, I should say.
Not that I knew, anyway." Again a curious note of anger in her voice.
"What does he have to say?"
"Said that after their dance Ruby went upstairs to powder her nose."
"That was when she changed her dress?"
"I suppose so."
"And that is the last thing you know?
After that, she just -"
"Vanished," said Josie. "That's right."
"Did Miss Keene know anybody in St Mary Mead? Or in this neighbourhood?"
"I don't know.
She may have.
You see, quite a lot of young men come in to Danemouth to the Majestic, from all round about.
I wouldn't know where they lived unless they happened to mention it."
"Did you ever hear your cousin mention Gossington?"
"Gossington?" Josie looked patently puzzled.
"Gossington Hall."
She shookher head.
"Never heard of it." Her tone carried conviction. There was curiosity in it too.
"Gossington Hall," explained Colonel Melchett, "is where her body was found."
"Gossington Hall?" She stared. "How extraordinary!"
Melchett thought to himself: Extraordinary's the word.
Aloud he said,
"Do you know a Colonel or Mrs Bantry?"