Part 20 (1/2)
The Superintendent nodded.
”Some of the folks are in the pubs, and will stay in the pubs till closing time, and the rest of the population are inside their houses listening to time, and the rest of the population are inside their houses listening to the nine o'clock news. If you ever go along the main street here the nine o'clock news. If you ever go along the main street here between eight-thirty and ten it's completely deserted. Not a soul.” between eight-thirty and ten it's completely deserted. Not a soul.”
”He counted on that?” suggested the Chief Constable.
”Maybe,” said Spence. His expression was not a happy one.
Presently the Chief Constable and the coroner departed. Spence and Poirot were left together. Poirot were left together.
”You do not like the case, no?” asked Poirot sympathetically.
”That young man worries me,” said Spence. ”He's the kind that you never know where you are with them. When they're most innocent of a never know where you are with them. When they're most innocent of a business, they act as though they were guilty. And when they're guilty - business, they act as though they were guilty. And when they're guilty - why, you'd take your oath they were angels of light!” why, you'd take your oath they were angels of light!”
”You think he is guilty?” asked Poirot.
”Don't you?” Spence countered.
Poirot spread out his hands.
”I should be interested to know,” he said, ”just exactly how much you have against him?” have against him?”
”You don't mean legally? You mean in the way of probability?”
Poirot nodded.
”There's the lighter,” said Spence.
”Where did you find it?”
”Under the body.”
”Fingerprints on it?”
”None.”
”Ah,” said Poirot.
”Yes,” said Spence. ”I don't like that too much myself. Then the dead man's watch had stopped at 9.10. That fits in with the medical man's watch had stopped at 9.10. That fits in with the medical evidence quite nicely - and with Rowley Cloade's evidence that evidence quite nicely - and with Rowley Cloade's evidence that Underhay was expecting his client at any minute - presumably that Underhay was expecting his client at any minute - presumably that client was almost due.” client was almost due.”
Poirot nodded.
”Yes - it is all very neat.”
”And the thing you can't get away from, to my mind, M. Poirot, is that he's the only person (he and his sister, that is to say) who has the he's the only person (he and his sister, that is to say) who has the ghost or shadow of a motive. Either David Hunter killed Underhay - or ghost or shadow of a motive. Either David Hunter killed Underhay - or else Underhay was killed by some outsider who followed him here for else Underhay was killed by some outsider who followed him here for some reason that we know nothing about - and that seems wildly some reason that we know nothing about - and that seems wildly improbable.” improbable.”
”Oh, I agree, I agree.”
”You see, there's no one in Warmsley Vale who could possibly have a motive - unless by a coincidence someone is living here (other than the motive - unless by a coincidence someone is living here (other than the Hunters) who had a connection with Underhay in the past. I never rule Hunters) who had a connection with Underhay in the past. I never rule out coincidence, but there hasn't been a hint or suggestion of anything out coincidence, but there hasn't been a hint or suggestion of anything of the kind. The man was a stranger to every one but that brother and of the kind. The man was a stranger to every one but that brother and sister.” sister.”
Poirot nodded.
”To the Cloade family Robert Underhay would be the apple of their eye to be kept alive by every possible precaution. Robert Underhay, alive to be kept alive by every possible precaution. Robert Underhay, alive and kicking, means the certainty of a large fortune divided amongst and kicking, means the certainty of a large fortune divided amongst them.” them.”
”Again, mon ami, I agree with you enthusiastically. Robert Underhay, alive and kicking, is what the Cloade family needs.” alive and kicking, is what the Cloade family needs.”
”So back we come - Rosaleen and David Hunter are the only two people who have a motive. Rosaleen Cloade was in London. But David, people who have a motive. Rosaleen Cloade was in London. But David, we know, was in Warmsley Vale that day. He arrived at 5.30 at we know, was in Warmsley Vale that day. He arrived at 5.30 at Warmsley Heath station.” Warmsley Heath station.”
”So now we have Motive, written very big and the fact that at 5.30 and onward to some unspecified time, he was on the spot.” onward to some unspecified time, he was on the spot.”
”Exactly. Now take Beatrice Lippincott's story. I believe that story. She overheard what she says she overheard, though she may have overheard what she says she overheard, though she may have gingered it up a little, as is only human.” gingered it up a little, as is only human.”
”Only human as you say.”
”Apart from knowing the girl, I believe her because she couldn't have invented some of the things. She'd never heard of Robert Underhay invented some of the things. She'd never heard of Robert Underhay before, for instance. So I believe her story of what pa.s.sed between the before, for instance. So I believe her story of what pa.s.sed between the two men and not David Hunter's.” two men and not David Hunter's.”
”I, too,” said Poirot. ”She strikes me as a singularly truthful witness.”
”We've confirmation that her story is true. What do you suppose the brother and sister went off to London for?” brother and sister went off to London for?”
”That is one of the things that has interested me most.”
”Well, the money position's like this. Rosaleen Cloade has only a life interest in Gordon Cloade's estate. She can't touch the capital - interest in Gordon Cloade's estate. She can't touch the capital - except, I believe, for about a thousand pounds. But jewellery, etc., is except, I believe, for about a thousand pounds. But jewellery, etc., is hers. The first thing she did on going to town was to take some of the hers. The first thing she did on going to town was to take some of the most valuable pieces round to Bond Street and sell them. She wanted most valuable pieces round to Bond Street and sell them. She wanted a large sum of cash quickly - in other words she had to pay a a large sum of cash quickly - in other words she had to pay a blackmailer.” blackmailer.”
”You call that evidence against David Hunter?”
”Don't you?”
Poirot shook his head.
”Evidence that there was blackmail, yes. Evidence of intent to commit murder, no. You cannot have it both ways, mon cher. Either that young murder, no. You cannot have it both ways, mon cher. Either that young man was going to pay up, or else he was planning to kill. You have man was going to pay up, or else he was planning to kill. You have produced evidence that he was planning to pay.” produced evidence that he was planning to pay.”
”Yes - yes, perhaps that is so. But he may have changed his mind.”
Poirot shrugged his shoulders.
”I know this type,” said the Superintendent thoughtfully. ”It's a type that's done well during the war. Any amount of physical courage. that's done well during the war. Any amount of physical courage. Audacity and a reckless disregard of personal safety. The sort that will Audacity and a reckless disregard of personal safety. The sort that will face any odds. It's the kind that is likely to win the V.C. - though, mind face any odds. It's the kind that is likely to win the V.C. - though, mind you, it's often a posthumous one. Yes, in wartime, a man like that is a you, it's often a posthumous one. Yes, in wartime, a man like that is a hero. But in peace - well, in peace such men usually end up in prison. hero. But in peace - well, in peace such men usually end up in prison. They like excitement and they can't run straight, and they don't give a They like excitement and they can't run straight, and they don't give a d.a.m.n for society - and finally they've no regard for human life.” d.a.m.n for society - and finally they've no regard for human life.”
Poirot nodded.
”I tell you,” the Superintendent repeated, ”I know the type.”
There was some few minutes of silence.
”Eh bien,” said Poirot at last. ”We agree that we have here the type of a killer. But that is all. It takes us no further.” a killer. But that is all. It takes us no further.”
Spence looked at him with curiosity.