A Blueprint for Murder Page #4

Oh, uh, where is the hospital pharmacy?

- To the right of the entrance as you leave.

- Thank you.

May I have that chart, please?

- Sorry.

- Thank you.

I'd like to check on a prescription

filled for Polly Cameron on April 28.

Room, uh, 362.

- Which one do you want?

- The one issued about 6:30.

Mmm. I don't seem to see it.

Oh.

Bobbie. This man wants to see you.

Miss Brownell, I'm Whitney

Cameron, Polly Cameron's uncle.

Oh, yes. The little girl

who had the convulsions.

- According to the chart,

you were on duty the night she died.

- That's right.

Do you recall Dr. Stevenson asking

you to fill a prescription about 6:30?

- Hmm. Vaguely.

- Where did you get it filled?

- Well, the pharmacy...

- Oh, the pharmacy was closed at that time.

Oh. Well, I don't recall right off.

Now I remember. I was about to send for it

when Mrs. Cameron offered to get it filled.

- Mrs. Cameron?

- Yes, I remember it very clearly now.

- Is that all, sir?

- Yes, thanks.

Would you please see if you can identify

the woman who gave you the calcium capsules?

This is it. Mrs. Cameron. She's

the one I gave the prescription to.

- How did you happen to ask her

to get the medicine?

- I didn't.

The hospital pharmacy was closed, and she

offered to get the prescription filled herself.

- She offered?

- Yes.

- Did she bring the medicine down herself?

- She did.

- What time was that?

- Around 7:
30.

- Notice if the wrapping had been tampered with?

- Looked all right to me.

- The capsules were in a bottle, of course?

- Yes, sir.

- The bottle was sealed?

- No, it was an ordinary cork.

Then it would have been

possible for somebody...

to have tampered with the capsules

without your knowing about it.

Well, yes, I suppose so.

I'd like you to take a look at the

photostatic copies of Polly Cameron's chart.

See if you can verify the notations

as to capsules administered.

- May I see the photostats

of Polly Cameron's chart?

- Mm-hmm.

Thank you.

Yes, this is right. These

are the capsules I gave her.

It was right after the third

one that she became ill.

- That's all. Thank you.

- Not at all.

Let's see how Russ is

coming with the chauffeur.

Mr. Wheeler claims he left the hospital

with Mrs. Cameron a little after 6:30...

and drove her to a drugstore.

She gave him a prescription

which he went in and had filled.

He then drove her to the

hospital. She went in with him.

- What time did you arrive back at the hospital?

- 7:
30, or a few minutes earlier.

- Where was the drugstore?

- It was an Apex Pharmacy at Fifth and Grand.

Would you come into my office, please.

How long did it take for you

to get the prescription filled?

- I suppose about 10 minutes.

- Then you should have been back before 7:30.

- What held you up?

- Mrs. Cameron stopped off

at her apartment for a few minutes.

- Did she say why?

- No.

- How long was she in the apartment?

- Not very long.

Five minutes? Ten minutes? How long?

There was no parking place, so I

circled the block a couple of times.

Do you remember if Mrs. Cameron had the

bottle with her when she entered the apartment?

- I'm not sure, but she must have.

- Why? - Why?

- Because I saw her put it in her purse.

- You're positive?

- Why, yes.

- I see. Thank you. That's all.

Russ, did Ed question the cook?

- Yes.

- Send him in.

- Are you Anna?

- Yes. Anna Swenson.

Think carefully, Miss Swenson.

On the night Polly Cameron died, what time

did Mrs. Cameron return to the apartment?

Well, let me see.

Everything was so upset that

day. Nobody was on schedule.

- But I'm pretty sure it was before 7:00.

- What did she say to you?

She just told me Polly was coming on

fine and for me to fix the guest room.

- Mr. Whitney Cameron was coming.

- Did she say anything else?

- No, not that I can remember.

- Are you sure, Miss Swenson?

- Yes, sir.

- Do you know if she left again

within the next 15-20 minutes?

If she did, I didn't hear her.

I was in the guest room.

- You didn't hear her come back again either?

- No, sir.

I asked the cook the same question...

but she was in the kitchen

and had no way of knowing.

Okay, that'll be all for

the moment. Thank you.

- I think we're ready for Mrs. Cameron now.

- I want you in on this, Ed.

- We're ready for Mrs. Cameron.

- [Woman] In your office?

- Yes, in my office.

- Yes, sir.

Oh, and send in a

stenographer, please. Thank you.

- How do you do?

- Hello.

Mrs. Cameron, please be seated.

Gonna try to be as easy on

you as possible, Mrs. Cameron.

Thank you.

- A stenographer will take notes. Do you mind?

- Not at all.

- I want to cooperate as much as I can.

- Good.

At 6:
30 on the night your stepdaughter died,

you offered to get her prescription filled.

That's quite correct.

Mr. Wheeler stated he drove you to the

drugstore where you had him fill the order.

- He then gave you the bottle,

which you placed in your purse.

- That's right.

- He then drove you to your apartment?

- Yes.

Just why did you return to your apartment?

- To pick up some things for Polly.

- What things?

Comb, brush, toothpaste...

things like that.

The night before, we left in such a rush...

there wasn't time to think of anything

except getting the child to the hospital.

Why didn't you send your

chauffeur for them earlier?

I was too worried to think about them.

- How long did you remain in you apartment?

- Only a few minutes.

- Why did you go to you bedroom first?

- To get the traveling case.

- What exactly did you do while you

were in your room?

- I picked up the case and left.

- You're sure. You did nothing else?

- Yes. Nothing.

- Then what?

- I went to Polly's room and packed her things.

- Why didn't your maid help?

- She was getting the guest room

ready for my brother-in-law.

Packing the bag for Polly was

all you did? You're quite sure?

Quite sure.

- Did you open the bottle of capsules?

- No. Why should I?

- Did you at any time remove them

from your purse? - No.

Then you delivered the bag

and the medicine to the nurse.

- Is that correct?

- Correct?

- Then you admit giving the medicine

to the nurse. - Of course.

You realize the lethal dose was administered

at the hospital. That's been proven.

- So I understand.

- I don't think we can get away from it,

Mrs. Cameron.

Your stepdaughter must have been murdered.

And we have to find out who's responsible

for the child getting the poison.

The hospital attendants had no motive.

- You and Mr. Cameron were the only visitors.

- That's right.

You and the hospital attendants were

always present while he was there.

- I know.

- So that rules him out.

And there was always someone

present while I was there.

Nevertheless, the poison was

slipped into the calcium capsules...

and all the medicine came from the hospital,

except the bottle you gave the nurse.

- It was in your possession.

- This gave you the opportunity

to poison the capsules.

You're the one person with a motive.

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