Megan Brewer’s face was white and Whitmore started to worry about her. Slowly, he asked, “Why did you do it?
She asked quietly, “How did you know? I thought with the cameras and monitors out of order* I was safe.”
“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 and he was not wet. 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 believes the telephone company can prove*** 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. It is impossible to imagine that a man of Mr. Ledbetter’s age and physical condition could have a fight with a younger, muscular man. So – it was you, Ms. Brewer. I believe that Mr. Willis arrived early. You met him at the front door and took him up to the office. What I don’t know is, why did you kill him?
Megan felt sick. Softly, she said, “Mr. Willis comes to our office often. I knew that he liked me. I didn’t feel safe when I saw him waiting for me at the door when I arrived this morning. I took him into Cindy’s office and he attacked me. I didn’t know what to do. We had a fight. Then I saw the letter opener on Cindy’s desk and took it. I hit him in the heart. I was afraid. I didn’t want to kill him, and I panicked when I saw he was dead.”
There was silence in the room. Finally, she asked, “What will happen with me now?
Whitmore answered, “Well, we must arrest you, but I believe you. I believe the judge will understand the situation – you were very afraid and you panicked.”
*mimo provoz
**vylučovací metodou
***prokázat, dokázat