The Almost Perfect Murder

depression is mere nonsense. It is a simple matter for a rich woman to adopt a child if she is lonely.\"

The Inspector nodded.

\"Fourthly: when a person shoots himself dead one of two things happens. Occasionally the grip on the gun is spasmodic, and remains fixed in death. More often in the act of death all the muscles relax. In that case when she fell from the steps the gun would have been knocked from her hand, just as the


46 of 1255

depression is mere nonsense. It is a simple matter for a rich woman to adopt a child if she is lonely.\"

The Inspector nodded.

\"Fourthly: when a person shoots himself dead one of two things happens. Occasionally the grip on the gun is spasmodic, and remains fixed in death. More often in the act of death all the muscles relax. In that case when she fell from the steps the gun would have been knocked from her hand, just as the


46 of 1255