and Sloan.'
'The advertising agency?'
'Yes, in Riverfront.'
'And what is your job here at Delaney Enterprises?'
'I was recently appointed Mr Delaney's new executive secretary. Edith Stoddard - she has the job now - is getting ready to retire.'
'So you haven't started in that job yet?'
'Well, I've had some meetings with Mr Delaney. You know, about what he expects of me, my responsibilities. Things like that. I know what I'll be doing.'
'Have you been working with Mrs… Is it Mrs Stoddard?'
'Yes, she's married and has a daughter going to UC.'
'What's her husband do?'
'He's crippled, I understand.'
'And have you been working with Mrs Stoddard during this period?'
'No. Mr Delaney said he wanted me to start off fresh.' She smiled. 'Said he didn't want me carrying over any of her bad habits, but I think he was kidding about Edith. I mean, everybody knows how efficient she is. I think he was just, you know, looking for a change?'
'Do you know how long she's had the job?' Johnson asked.
'Not really. She's been here forever. Maybe fifteen years?'
'What we're lookin' for here, Ms Stewart, is if any bad blood might've existed between Delaney and people on his staff or maybe his business associates. Know what I mean?' Irving's voice was a raspy growl. 'Arguments, disagreements, threats… bad blood.'
'Well, I don't know about his business associates, you'll have to ask Edith about that. He seemed to get along fine with the people in the office… of course…' She stopped and let the sentence hang in the air.
'Of course, what?' Irving asked.
'Well, I don't think Edith was real happy about the change.'
'Was she bein' demoted, that what you mean?' said Irving.
'She was, uh, she was leaving the company.'
'Did she quit?'
'He said, Mr Delaney said, that she was taking early retirement, but I got the impression that it was an either-or kind of thing.'
'Either-or?' Johnson asked.
'Either retire or, you know, you're out on your…' She jerked a thumb over her shoulder.
'So Mrs Stoddard wasn't happy about it?'
'I got that impression.'
Johnson said, 'Did Delaney discuss this with you?'
'No, it was just… just office gossip, you know how people talk. See, it wasn't really announced yet, about me taking that job.'
'So you're the only one that knew officially?'
'That I know of.'
'Did his wife know?'
'I never met his wife. She never came up here. I've seen her picture in the society pages, at charity things and stuff, but I never saw her face-to-face.'
'That wasn't the question,' Irving said bluntly. His tone was brusque and formal compared with that of Johnson, who was warmer and tended to put people at ease.
'Oh. Uh, I'm sorry, what was the question again?'
'Did his wife know you were taking Mrs Stoddard's place? That was the specific question,' Johnson said.
'Oh. I don't know.' She shrugged.
'When did he first approach you about takin' over Stoddard's position?' Irving asked.
'This was about two months ago.'
