''She came forward, the outlines of her figure blurred in the half-light. She came forward like a film star, or rather like the ideal woman in an adolescent''s dream. ''I gather you wish to talk to me, Inspector . . . but first of all please sit down . . .'' Her accent was more pronounced than Carl''s. Her voice sang, dropping on the last syllable of the longer words.''Maigret has been interrogating Carl Andersen for seventeen hours without a confession. He''s either innocent or a very good liar. So why was the body of a diamond merchant found at his isolated mansion? Why is his sister always shut away in her room? And why does everyone at Three Widows Crossroads have something to hide?