"Do you keep much money in the house, Miss Blacklog?"
"About five pounds in that desk there, and perhaps a pound or two in my purse."
"Jewellery?"
"A couple of rings and brooches and the cameos I'm wearing.
You must agree with me, Inspector, that the whole thing's absurd."
"It wasn't burglary at all," cried Miss Bunner.
"I've told you so, Letty, all along.
It was revenge!
Because you wouldn't give him that money!
He deliberately shot at you - twice."
"Ah," said Craddock.
"We'll come now to last night.
What happened exactly, Miss Blacklog?
Tell me in your own words as nearly as you can remember."
Miss Blacklog reflected a moment.
"The clock struck," she said.
"The one on the mantelpiece.
I remember saying that if anything were going to happen it would have to happen soon.
And then the clock struck.
We all listened to it without saying anything.
It chimes, you know. It chimed the two quarters and then, quite suddenly, the lights went out."
"What lights were on?"
"The wall brackets in here and the further room.
The standard lamp and the two small reading lamps weren't on."
"Was there a flash first, or a noise when the lights went out?"
"I don't think so."
"I'm sure there was a flash," said Dora Bunner.
"And a crackling noise.
Dangerous!"
"And then, Miss Blacklog?"
"The door opened"
"Which door?
There are two in the room."
"Oh, this door in here.
The one in the other room doesn't open.
It's a dummy.
The door opened and there he was - a masked man with a revolver.
It just seemed too fantastic for words, but of course at the time I just thought it was a silly joke.
He said something - I forget what"
"Hands up or I shoot!" supplied Miss Bunner, dramatically.
"Something like that," said Miss Blacklog, rather doubtfully.
"And you all put your hands up?"
"Oh, yes," said Miss Bunner.
"We all did.
I mean, it was part of it."
"I didn't," said Miss Blacklog, crisply.
"It seemed so utterly silly.
And I was annoyed by the whole thing."
"And then?"
"The flashlight was right in my eyes.