Mollyfeltquiteunabletosnubhim."Yes,"shesaid,andaddedinaburstofconfidence,"we"donlyknowneachotherafortnight."
Herthoughtswentbackoverthosefourteendaysofwhirlwindcourtship.Therehadn"tbeenanydoubts-theyhadbothknown.Inaworrying,nerve-rackedworld,theyhadfoundthemiracleofeachother.Alittlesmilecametoherlips.
ShecamebacktothepresenttofindSergeantTrottereyingherindulgently.
"Yourhusbanddoesn"tcomefromtheseparts,doeshe?"
"No,"saidMollyvaguely."HecomesfromLincolnshire."
SheknewverylittleofGiles"schildhoodandupbringing.Hisparentsweredead,andhealwaysavoidedtalkingabouthisearlydays.Hehadhad,shefancied,anunhappychildhood.
"You"rebothveryyoung,ifImaysayso,torunaplaceofthiskind,"saidSergeantTrotter.
"Oh,Idon"tknow.I"mtwenty-twoand-"
ShebrokeoffasthedooropenedandGilescamein.
"Everything"sallset.I"vegiventhemaroughoutline,"hesaid."Ihopethat"sallright,Sergeant?"
"Savestime,"saidTrotter."Areyouready,MrsDavis?"
Fourvoicesspokeatoncea.s.sergeantTrotterenteredthelibrary.
HighestandshrillestwasthatofChristopherWrendeclaringthatthiswastoo,toothrillingandhewasn"tgoingtosleepawinktonight,andplease,pleasecouldwehaveallthegorydetails?
Akindofdouble-ba.s.saccompanimentcamefromMrsBoyle."Absoluteoutrage-sheerincompetence-policehaven.o.businesstoletmurderersgoroamingaboutthecountryside."
MrParaviciniwaseloquentchieflywithhishands.Hisgesticulationsweremoreeloquentthanhiswords,whichweredrownedbyMrsBoyle"s...o...b..eba.s.s.MajorMetcalfcouldbeheardinanoccasionalshortstaccatobark.Hewasaskingforfacts.
Trotterwaitedamomentortwo,thenheheldupanauthoritativehandand,rathersurprisingly,therewa.s.silence.
"Thankyou,"hesaid."Now,MrDavishasgivenyouanoutlineofwhyI"mhere.Iwanttoknowonething,andonethingonly,andIwanttoknowitquick.Whichofyouha.s.someconnectionwiththeLongridgeFarmcase?"
Thesilencewasunbroken.FourblankfaceslookedatSergeantTrotter.Theemotionsofafewmomentsback-excitement,indignation,hysteria,inquiry,werewipedawayasaspongewipesoutthechalkmarksonaslate.
SergeantTrotterspokeagain,moreurgently."Pleaseunderstandme.Oneofyou,wehavereasontobelieve,isindanger-deadlydanger.Ihavegottoknowwhichoneofyouitis!"
Andstillnoonespokeormoved.
SomethinglikeangercameintoTrotter"svoice."Verywell-I"llaskyouonebyone.MrParavicini?"
AveryfaintsmileflickeredacrossMrParavicini"sface.Heraisedhishandsinaprotestingforeigngesture.
"ButIamastrangerintheseparts,Inspector.Iknownothing,butnothing,oftheselocalaffairsofbygoneyears."
Trotterwastednotime.Hesnappedout,"MrsBoyle?"
"ReallyIdon"tseewhy-Imean-whyshouldIhaveanythingtodowithsuchadistressingbusiness?"
"MrWren?"
Christophersaidshrilly,"Iwasamerechildatthetime.Idon"trememberevenhearingabout.i.t."
"MajorMetcalf?"
TheMajorsaidabruptly,"Readabout.i.tinthepapers.Iwa.s.stationedatEdinburghatthetime."
"That"sallyouhavetosay-anyofyou?"
Silenceagain.
Trottergaveanexasperatedsigh."Ifoneofyougetsmurdered,"hesaid,"you"llonlyhaveyourselftoblame."Heturnedabruptlyandwentoutoftheroom.
"Mydears,"saidChristopher."Howmelodramatic!"Headded,"He"sveryhandsome,isn"the?Idoadmirethepolice.Sosternandhard-boiled.Quiteathrill,thiswholebusiness."ThreeBlindMice."Howdoesthetunego?"
Hewhistledtheairsoftly,andMollycriedoutinvoluntarily,"Don"t!"
Hewhirledroundonherandlaughed."But,darling,"hesaid,"it"smysignaturetune.I"veneverbeentakenforamurdererbeforeandI"mgettingatremendouskickoutofit!"
"Melodramaticrubbish,"saidMrsBoyle."Idon"tbelieveawordofit."
Christopher"slighteyesdancedwithanimpishmischief."Butjustwait,MrsBoyle,"heloweredhisvoice,"tillIcreepupbehindyouandyoufeelmyhandsroundyourthroat."
Mollyflinched.
Gilessaidangrily,"You"reupsettingmywife,Wren.It"sad.a.m.nedpoorjoke,anyway."
"It"snojokingmatter,"saidMetcalf.
"Oh,but.i.tis,"saidChristopher."That"sjustwhat.i.tis-amadman"sjoke.That"swhatmakesitsodeliciouslymacabre."
Helookedroundatthemandlaughedagain."Ifyoucouldjustseeyourfaces,"hesaid.
Thenhewentswiftlyoutoftheroom.
MrsBoylerecoveredfirst."Asingularlyill-manneredandneuroticyoungman,"shesaid."Probablyaconscientiousobjector."
"Hetellsmehewasburiedduringanairraidforforty-eighthoursbeforebeingdugout,"saidMajorMetcalf."Thataccountsforagooddeal,Idaresay."
"Peoplehavesomanyexcusesforgivingwaytonerves,"saidMrsBoyleacidly."I"msureIwentthroughasmuchasanybodyinthewar,andmynervesareallright."
"Perhapsthat"sjustaswellforyou,MrsBoyle,"saidMetcalf.
"Whatdoyoumean?"
MajorMetcalfsaidquietly,"Ithinkyouwereactuallythebilletingofficerforthisdistrictin1940,MrsBoyle."
HelookedatMollywhogaveagravenod."Thatisso,isn"t.i.t?"
AnangryflushappearedonMrsBoyle"sface."Whatofit?"shedemanded.
Metcalfsaidgravely,"YouwereresponsibleforsendingthreechildrentoLongridgeFarm."
"Really,MajorMetcalf,Idon"tseehowIcanbeheldresponsibleforwhathappened.TheFarmpeopleseemedveryniceandweremostanxioustohavethechildren.Idon"tseethatIwastoblameinanyway-orthatIcanbeheldresponsible-"Hervoicetrailedoff.
Gilessaidsharply,"Whydidn"tyoutellSergeantTrotterthis?"
"n.o.businessofthepolice,"snappedMrsBoyle."Icanlookaftermyself."
MajorMetcalfsaidquietly,"You"dbetterwatchout."
Thenhe,too,lefttheroom.
Mollymurmured,"Ofcourse,youwerethebilletingofficer.Iremember."
"Molly,didyouknow?"Gilesstaredather.
"Youhadthebighouseonthecommon,didn"tyou?"
"Requisitioned,"saidMrsBoyle."Andcompletelyruined,"sheaddedbitterly."Devastated.Iniquitous."
Then,verysoftly,MrParavicinibegantolaugh.Hethrewhisheadbackandlaughedwithoutrestraint.
"Youmustforgiveme,"hegasped."But,indeed.Ifindallthismostamusing.Ienjoymyself-yes,Ienjoymyselfgreatly."
SergeantTrotterre-enteredtheroomatthatmoment.HethrewaglanceofdisapprovalatMrParavicini."I"mglad,"hesaidacidly,"thateveryonefindsthissofunny."
"Iapologize,mydearInspector.Idoapologize.Iamspoilingtheeffectofyoursolemnwarning."
SergeantTrottershruggedhisshoulders."I"vedonemybesttomakethepositionclear,"hesaid."AndI"mnotaninspector.I"monlyasergeant.I"dliketousethetelephone,please,MrsDavis."
"Iabasemyself,"saidMrParavicini."Icreepaway."
Farfromcreeping,helefttheroomwiththatjauntyandyouthfulstepthatMollyhadnoticedbefore.
"He"sanoddfish,"saidGiles.
"Criminaltype","saidTrotter."Wouldn"ttrusthimayard."
"Oh,"saidMolly."Youthinkhe-buthe"sfartooold-Orisheoldatall?Heusesmakeup-quitealotofit.Andhiswalkisyoung.Perhaps,he"smadeuptolookold.SergeantTrotter,doyouthink-"
SergeantTrottersnubbedherseverely."Weshan"tgetanywherewithunprofitablespeculation,MrsDavis,"hesaid."ImustreporttoSuperintendentHogben."
Hecrossedtothetelephone.
"Butyoucan"t,"saidMolly."Thetelephone"sdead."
"What?"Trotterswunground.
Thesharpalarminhisvoiceimpressedthemall."Dead?Sincewhen?"
"MajorMetcalftrieditjustbeforeyoucame."
"But.i.twasallrightbeforethat.YougotSuperintendentHogben"smessage?"
"Yes.Isuppose-sincethen-theline"sdown-withthesnow."
b.u.t.trotter"sfaceremainedgrave."Iwonder,"hesaid."Itmayhavebeen-cut."
Mollystared."Youthinkso?"
"I"mgoingtomakesure."
Hehurriedoutoftheroom.Gileshesitated,thenwentafterhim.
Mollyexclaimed,"Goodheavens!Nearlylunchtime,Imustgeton-orwe"llhavenothingtoeat."
a.s.sherushedfromtheroom,MrsBoylemuttered,"Incompetentchit!Whataplace.Ishan"tpaysevenguineasforthiskindofthing."
SergeantTrotterbentdown,followingthewires.HeaskedGiles,"Isthereanextension?"
"Yes,inourbedroomupstairs.ShallIgoupandseethere?"
"Ifyouplease."
Trotteropenedthewindowandleanedout,brushingsnowfromthesill.Gileshurriedupthestairs.
MrParaviciniwasinthebigdrawing-room.Hewentacrosstothegrandpianoandopenedit.Sittingonthemusicstool,hepickedoutatunesoftlywithonefinger.
ThreeBlindMice,Seehowtheyrun...
ChristopherWrenwasinhisbedroom.Hemovedabout.i.t,whistlingbriskly.Suddenlythewhistlewaveredanddied.HesatdownontheedgeofthebedHeburiedhisfaceinhishandsandbegantosob.Hemurmuredchildishly,"Ican"tgoon."
Thenhismoodchanged.Hestoodup,squaredhisshoulders."I"vegottogoon,"hesaid."I"vegottogothroughwithit."
GilesstoodbythetelephoneinhisandMolly"sroom.Hebentdowntowardtheskirting.OneofMolly"sgloveslaythere.Hepickeditup.Apinkbusticketdroppedoutofit.Gilesstoodlookingdownat.i.tasitflutteredtotheground.Watchingit,hisfacechanged.Itmighthavebeenadifferentmanwhowalkedslowly,asthoughinadream,tothedoor,openedit,andstoodamomentpeeringalongthecorridortowardtheheadofthestairs.
Mollyfinishedthepotatoes,threwthemintothepot,andsetthepotonthefire.Sheglancedintotheoven.Everythingwasallset,goingaccordingtoplan.
Onthekitchentablewasthetwo-day-oldcopyoftheEveningStandard.Shefrowneda.s.shelookedat.i.t.Ifshecouldonlyjustremember- Suddenlyherhandswenttohereyes."Oh,no,"saidMolly."Oh,no!"
Slowlyshetookherhandsaway.Shelookedroundthekitchenlikesomeonelookingatastrangeplace.Sowarmandcomfortableands.p.a.cious,withitsfaintsavorysmellofcooking.
"Oh,no,"shesaidagainunderherbreath.
Shemovedslowly,likeasleepwalker,towardthedoorintothehall.Sheopenedit.Thehousewa.s.silentexceptforsomeonewhistling.
Thattune- Mollyshiveredandretreated.Shewaitedaminuteortwo,glancingoncemoreroundthefamiliarkitchen.Yes,everythingwasinorderandprogressing.Shewentoncemoretowardthekitchendoor.