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.

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