Taken At The Flood Part 27

David strode past him, bent over the sheet of paper.

"Do not touch it," Poirot warned him. David drew back his hand, and read the words as he stood motionless. read the words as he stood motionless.

He turned his head sharply and looked searchingly at Poirot.

"Are you suggesting suicide? Why should Rosaleen commit suicide?"

The voice that answered the question was not Poirot's. Superintendent Spence's quiet Oatshire voice spoke from the open doorway: Spence's quiet Oatshire voice spoke from the open doorway: "Supposing that last Tuesday night Mrs Cloade wasn't in London, but in Warmsley Vale? Suppose she went to see the man who had been in Warmsley Vale? Suppose she went to see the man who had been blackmailing her? Suppose that in a nervous frenzy she killed him?" blackmailing her? Suppose that in a nervous frenzy she killed him?"

David swung round on him. His eyes were hard and angry.

"My sister was in London on Tuesday night. She was there in the flat when I got in at eleven o'clock." when I got in at eleven o'clock."

"Yes," said Spence, "that's your story, Mr Hunter. And I dare say you'll stick to it. But I'm not obliged to believe that story. And in any case, stick to it. But I'm not obliged to believe that story. And in any case, isn't it a little late -" he gestured towards the bed - "the case will never isn't it a little late -" he gestured towards the bed - "the case will never come to court now." come to court now."

Chapter 14.

"He won't admit it," said Spence. "But I think he knows she did it." Sitting in his room at the police station he looked across the table at Sitting in his room at the police station he looked across the table at Poirot. "Funny how it was his alibi we were so careful about checking. Poirot. "Funny how it was his alibi we were so careful about checking. We never gave much thought to hers. And yet there's no corroboration We never gave much thought to hers. And yet there's no corroboration at all for her being in the flat in London that night. We've only got his at all for her being in the flat in London that night. We've only got his word that she was there. We knew all along that only two people had a word that she was there. We knew all along that only two people had a motive for doing away with Arden - David Hunter and Rosaleen Cloade. motive for doing away with Arden - David Hunter and Rosaleen Cloade. I went bald-headed for him and pa.s.sed her by. Fact is, she seemed I went bald-headed for him and pa.s.sed her by. Fact is, she seemed such a gentle thing - even a bit half-witted - but I dare say that partly such a gentle thing - even a bit half-witted - but I dare say that partly explains it. Very likely David Hunter hustled her up to London for just explains it. Very likely David Hunter hustled her up to London for just that reason. He may have realised that she'd lose her head, and he that reason. He may have realised that she'd lose her head, and he may have known that she's the kind who gets dangerous when they may have known that she's the kind who gets dangerous when they panic. Another funny thing: I've often seen her going about in an panic. Another funny thing: I've often seen her going about in an orange linen frock - it was a favourite colour of hers. Orange scarves - orange linen frock - it was a favourite colour of hers. Orange scarves - a striped orange frock, an orange beret. And yet, even when old Mrs a striped orange frock, an orange beret. And yet, even when old Mrs Leadbetter described a young woman with her head tied up in an Leadbetter described a young woman with her head tied up in an orange scarf I still didn't tumble to it that it must have been Mrs Gordon orange scarf I still didn't tumble to it that it must have been Mrs Gordon herself. I still think the girl wasn't quite all there - wasn't wholly herself. I still think the girl wasn't quite all there - wasn't wholly responsible. The way you describe her as haunting the R.C. church responsible. The way you describe her as haunting the R.C. church here sounds as though she was half off her head with remorse and a here sounds as though she was half off her head with remorse and a sense of guilt." sense of guilt."

"She had a sense of guilt, yes," said Poirot.

Spence said thoughtfully, "She must have attacked Arden in a kind of frenzy. I don't suppose he had the least idea of what was coming to frenzy. I don't suppose he had the least idea of what was coming to him. He wouldn't be on his guard with a slip of a girl like that." He him. He wouldn't be on his guard with a slip of a girl like that." He ruminated for a moment or two in silence, then he remarked, "There's ruminated for a moment or two in silence, then he remarked, "There's still one thing I'm not quite clear about. Who got at Porter? You say it still one thing I'm not quite clear about. Who got at Porter? You say it wasn't Mrs Jeremy? Bet you it was all the same!" wasn't Mrs Jeremy? Bet you it was all the same!"

"No," said Poirot. "It was not Mrs Jeremy. She a.s.sured me of that and I believe her. I have been stupid over that. I should have known who it believe her. I have been stupid over that. I should have known who it was. Major Porter himself told me." was. Major Porter himself told me."

"He told you?"

"Oh, indirectly, of course. He did not know that he had done so."

"Well, who was it?"

Poirot put his head a little on one side.

"Is it permitted, first, that I ask you two questions?"

The Superintendent looked surprised.

"Ask anything you like."

"Those sleeping-powders in a box by Rosaleen Cloade's bed. What were they?" were they?"

The Superintendent looked more surprised.

"Those? Oh, they were quite harmless. Bromide. Soothing to the nerves. She took one every night. We a.n.a.lysed them, of course. They nerves. She took one every night. We a.n.a.lysed them, of course. They were quite all right." were quite all right."

"Who prescribed them?"

"Dr Cloade."

"When did he prescribe them?"

"Oh, some time ago."

"What poison was it that killed her?"

"Well, we haven't actually got the report yet, but I don't think there's much doubt about it. Morphia and a pretty hefty dose of it." much doubt about it. Morphia and a pretty hefty dose of it."

"Was any morphia found in her possession?"

Spence looked curiously at the other man.

"No. What are you getting at, M. Poirot?"

"I will pa.s.s now to my second question," said Poirot evasively. "David Hunter put through a call from London to Lynn Marchmont at 11.05 on Hunter put through a call from London to Lynn Marchmont at 11.05 on that Tuesday night. You say you checked up on calls. That was the only that Tuesday night. You say you checked up on calls. That was the only outgoing call from the flat in Shepherd's Court. Were there any outgoing call from the flat in Shepherd's Court. Were there any incoming calls?" incoming calls?"

"One. At 10.15. Also from Warmsley Vale. It was put through from a public call box." public call box."

"I see." Poirot was silent for a moment or two.

"What's the big idea, M. Poirot?"

"That call was answered? The operator, I mean, got a response from the London number." the London number."

"I see what you mean," said Spence slowly. "There must have been someone in the flat. It couldn't be David Hunter - he was in the train on someone in the flat. It couldn't be David Hunter - he was in the train on his way back. It looks, then, as if it must have been Rosaleen Cloade. his way back. It looks, then, as if it must have been Rosaleen Cloade. And if so, Rosaleen Cloade couldn't have been at the Stag a few And if so, Rosaleen Cloade couldn't have been at the Stag a few minutes earlier. What you're getting at, M. Poirot, is that the woman in minutes earlier. What you're getting at, M. Poirot, is that the woman in the orange scarf wasn't Rosaleen Cloade. And if so, it wasn't Rosaleen the orange scarf wasn't Rosaleen Cloade. And if so, it wasn't Rosaleen Cloade who killed Arden. But then why did she commit suicide?" Cloade who killed Arden. But then why did she commit suicide?"

"The answer to that," said Poirot, "is very simple. She did not commit suicide. Rosaleen Cloade was killed!" suicide. Rosaleen Cloade was killed!"

"What?"

"She was deliberately and cold-bloodedly murdered."

"But who killed Arden? We've eliminated David -"

"It was not David."

"And now you eliminate Rosaleen? But dash it all, those two were the only ones with a shadow of motive!" only ones with a shadow of motive!"

"Yes," said Poirot. "Motive. It was that which has led us astray. If A has a motive for killing C and B has a motive for killing D - well, it does not a motive for killing C and B has a motive for killing D - well, it does not seem to make sense, does it, that A should kill D and B should kill C?" seem to make sense, does it, that A should kill D and B should kill C?"

Spence groaned. "Go easy, M. Poirot, go easy. I don't even begin to understand what you are talking about with your A's and B's and C's." understand what you are talking about with your A's and B's and C's."

"It is complicated," said Poirot, "it is very complicated. Because, you see, you have here two different kinds of crime - and consequently you see, you have here two different kinds of crime - and consequently you have, you must have, two different murders. Enter First Murderer, and have, you must have, two different murders. Enter First Murderer, and enter Second Murderer." enter Second Murderer."

"Don't quote Shakespeare," groaned Spence. "This isn't Elizabethan drama." drama."

"But yes, it is very Shakespearian - there are here all the emotions - the human emotions - in which Shakespeare would have revelled - the the human emotions - in which Shakespeare would have revelled - the jealousies, the hates - the swift pa.s.sionate actions. And here, too, is jealousies, the hates - the swift pa.s.sionate actions. And here, too, is successful opportunism. ('There is a tide in the affairs of men which successful opportunism. ('There is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at its flood leads on to Fortune...') Someone acted on that, taken at its flood leads on to Fortune...') Someone acted on that, Superintendent. To seize opportunity and turn it to one's own ends - Superintendent. To seize opportunity and turn it to one's own ends - that has been triumphantly accomplished - under your nose so to that has been triumphantly accomplished - under your nose so to speak!" speak!"

Spence rubbed his nose irritably.

"Talk sense, M. Poirot," he pleaded. "If it's possible, just say what you mean." mean."

"I will be very clear - clear as the crystal. We have here, have we not, three deaths? You agree to that, do you not? Three people are dead." three deaths? You agree to that, do you not? Three people are dead."

Spence looked at him curiously.

"I should certainly say so... You're not going to make me believe that one of the three is still alive?" one of the three is still alive?"

"No, no," said Poirot. "They are dead. But how did they die? How, that is to say, would you cla.s.sify their deaths?" is to say, would you cla.s.sify their deaths?"

"Well, as to that, M. Poirot, you know my views. One murder, and two suicides. But according to you the last suicide isn't a suicide. It's suicides. But according to you the last suicide isn't a suicide. It's another murder." another murder."

"According to me," said Poirot, "there has been one suicide, one accident and one murder." accident and one murder."

"Accident? Do you mean Mrs Cloade poisoned herself by accident? Or do you mean Major Porter's shooting himself was an accident?" do you mean Major Porter's shooting himself was an accident?"

"No," said Poirot. "The accident was the death of Charles Trenton - otherwise Enoch Arden." otherwise Enoch Arden."

"Accident!" The Superintendent exploded. "Accident? You say that a particularly brutal murder, where a man's head is stove in by repeated particularly brutal murder, where a man's head is stove in by repeated blows, is an accident?" blows, is an accident?"

Quite unmoved by the Superintendent's vigour, Poirot replied calmly: "When I say an accident, I mean that there was no intent to kill."

"No intent to kill - when a man's head is battered in! Do you mean that he was attacked by a lunatic?" he was attacked by a lunatic?"

"I think that that is very near the truth - though not quite in the sense you mean it." you mean it."

"Mrs Gordon was the only batty woman in this case. I've seen her looking very queer sometimes. Of course, Mrs Lionel Cloade is a bit looking very queer sometimes. Of course, Mrs Lionel Cloade is a bit bats in the belfry - but she'd never be violent. Mrs Jeremy has got her bats in the belfry - but she'd never be violent. Mrs Jeremy has got her head screwed on the right way if any one has! By the way, you say that head screwed on the right way if any one has! By the way, you say that it was not Mrs Jeremy who bribed Porter?" it was not Mrs Jeremy who bribed Porter?"

"No. I know who it was. As I say, it was Porter himself who gave it away. One simple little remark - ah, I could kick myself, as you say, all away. One simple little remark - ah, I could kick myself, as you say, all round the town, for not noticing it at the time." round the town, for not noticing it at the time."

"And then your anonymous A B C lunatic murdered Rosaleen Cloade?" Spence's voice was more and more sceptical. Spence's voice was more and more sceptical.

Poirot shook his head vigorously.

"By no means. This is where the First Murderer exits and Second Murderer enters. Quite a different type of crime this, no heat, and no Murderer enters. Quite a different type of crime this, no heat, and no pa.s.sion. Cold deliberate murder and I intend. Superintendent Spence, pa.s.sion. Cold deliberate murder and I intend. Superintendent Spence, to see that her murderer is hanged for that murder." to see that her murderer is hanged for that murder."

He got up as he spoke and moved towards the door.

"Hi!" cried Spence. "You've got to give me a few names. You can't leave it like this." leave it like this."

"In a very little while - yes, I will tell you. But there is something for which I wait - to be exact, a letter from across the sea." which I wait - to be exact, a letter from across the sea."

"Don't talk like a ruddy fortuneteller! Hi - Poirot."

But Poirot had slipped away.

He went straight across the square and rang the bell of Dr Cloade's house. house.

Mrs Cloade came to the door and gave her usual gasp at seeing Poirot. He wasted no time. He wasted no time.

"Madame, I must speak to you."

"Oh, of course - do come in - I'm afraid I haven't had much time to dust, but -" but -"

"I want to ask you something. How long has your husband been a morphia addict?" morphia addict?"

Aunt Kathie immediately burst into tears.

"Oh dear, oh dear - I did so hope n.o.body would ever know - it began in the war. He was so dreadfully overtired and had such dreadful the war. He was so dreadfully overtired and had such dreadful neuralgia. And since then he's been trying to lessen the dose - he has neuralgia. And since then he's been trying to lessen the dose - he has indeed. But that's what makes him so dreadfully irritable sometimes -" indeed. But that's what makes him so dreadfully irritable sometimes -"

"That is one of the reasons why he has needed money, is it not?"

"I suppose so. Oh, dear, M. Poirot. He has promised to go for a cure -"

"Calm yourself, Madame, and answer me one more little question. On the night when you telephoned to Lynn Marchmont, you went out to the the night when you telephoned to Lynn Marchmont, you went out to the call-box outside the post office, did you not? Did you meet anybody in call-box outside the post office, did you not? Did you meet anybody in the square that night?" the square that night?"

"Oh, no, M. Poirot, not a soul."

"But I understood you had to borrow tuppence because you had only halfpennies." halfpennies."

"Oh, yes. I had to ask a woman who came out of the box. She gave me two pennies for four halfpennies -" two pennies for four halfpennies -"

"What did she look like, this woman?"

"Well, rather actressy, if you know what I mean. An orange scarf round her head. The funny thing was that I'm almost sure I'd met her her head. The funny thing was that I'm almost sure I'd met her somewhere. Her face seemed very familiar. She must, I think, have somewhere. Her face seemed very familiar. She must, I think, have been someone who had pa.s.sed over. And yet, you know, I couldn't been someone who had pa.s.sed over. And yet, you know, I couldn't remember where and how I had known her." remember where and how I had known her."

"Thank you, Mrs Cloade," said Hercule Poirot.

Chapter 15.

Lynn came out of the house and glanced up at the sky.

The sun was getting low, there was no red in the sky but a rather unnatural glow of light. A still evening with a breathless feel about it. unnatural glow of light. A still evening with a breathless feel about it. There would be, she thought, a storm later. There would be, she thought, a storm later.

Well, the time had come now. She couldn't put things off any longer. She must go to Long Willows and tell Rowley. She owed him that at She must go to Long Willows and tell Rowley. She owed him that at least - to tell him herself. Not to choose the easy way of the written least - to tell him herself. Not to choose the easy way of the written word. word.

Her mind was made up - quite made up - she told herself and yet she felt a curious reluctance. She looked round her and thought: "It's felt a curious reluctance. She looked round her and thought: "It's good-bye to all this - to my own world - my own way of life." good-bye to all this - to my own world - my own way of life."