“So.” Ben gave weight to the word and went on. “The reason she hired you?”
“I was hired to locate Mr. Shepard for Miss Headley.”
“Did she explain why she wanted to know where he was?”
“No, but I assumed it had something to do with her, um, condition.”
“Her pregnancy, you mean.”
“Yes.”
“Did she tell you she was carrying a child?”
“She didn’t have to. It was obvious.”
“So she never told you that Mr. Shepard was the father.”
“No. Not then. Not in New York. She told me after we arrived and she had spoken to Mr. Shepard. She was disappointed that he refused to accept he was the father.” Martin’s eyes turned to Roen. “She was in expectation of a marriage proposal.”
Roen merely nodded.
Ben said, “When Miss Headley hired you, was it your understanding that you’d be accompanying her to wherever you found Mr. Shepard?”
“Not at all. I was unaware that she planned to go to him. I thought she would insist on Mr. Shepard coming to her. It seemed to me that it was unwise for her to travel.”
“Did you say that to her?”
Martin gave a start. “It was not my place. Miss Headley has definite opinions. I do not cross her.”
“I understand. Was it your idea to accompany her?”
“No. It was hers.”
“Did she explain why she wanted you with her?”
“What did she tell you?” asked Martin.
Ben followed the script that he and Roen discussed beforehand. “She said she believed Mr. Shepard might attempt to harm her. Is that what she told you?”
“Yes.”
“Did she say why she thought that?”
“No. Not directly. She hinted at some incident between the two of them that still troubled her. I didn’t need to know more.”
“Your duties, then, while you are here involve seeing that nothing happens to Miss Headley.”
“Yes. My sole purpose at the outset.”
“Has she asked you to do other things since you arrived?”
“When Mr. Shepard told her he was married, she naturally wanted to know if it were true. She wanted me to find out. I did that for her.”
“What was her reaction when you told her Mr. Shepard was indeed married?”
“Hmm. Frustrated, I would have to say. I told her the name of the woman he married and she wanted to know more.”
“And you gave her that information as well?”
