Chapter 7 Chapter VII

Christine stared at him as if she didn't understand him for a moment.She replied almost mechanically: "I think—because she's being blackmailed. She's the kind of person who gets blackmailed." Colonel Winston said eagerly: "But—did you know she was being blackmailed?" A flush came to her cheeks, and she said with some embarrassment: "To be honest, I happen to know that I, I—overheard something." "Can you explain, Mrs. Redfern?" Christine Redfern, blushing more and more, said: "I—I didn't mean to eavesdrop, it was quite an accident. It was two—no, three days ago, and we were playing bridge. She turned to Poirot and asked: "Do you still remember? My husband and I, Mr. Poirot and Miss Dai Li, I happened to be vacant. The air in the bridge room was very stuffy, so I went outside through the French windows." A breath of fresh air. I was walking towards the beach when I heard a voice, a voice - it was Elena Marshall - which I recognized right away, and she said: 'It's no use pushing me like this, I'll try again now My husband will be suspicious if you can't get the money.' Then a man's voice said, 'I don't care what excuses you have, you've got to spit it out.' Elena Marshall said, 'You blackmailer Dirty bastard,' said the man, 'You'll still have to pay if it's dirty, ma'am'." Christine paused. "I turned and walked back, and a minute later Eleanor Marshall rushed past me, looking - er, very unhappy."

Winston said: "And that man? Do you know who he is?" Christine Redfern shook her head and said, "His voice was so low that I could barely hear what he was saying." "Can't you hear the voice of someone you recognize?" She thought about it, but shook her head again.She said, "I don't know, it's muffled and low. It's—ah, it could be anyone's voice." Colonel Winston said: "Thank you, Mrs. Redfern." After Christine Redfern went out and closed the door behind her, Inspector Cogender said, "Now we have a clue." Winston said: "You think so, eh?"

"Hey, this is very informative. Director, you can't leave it alone. Someone in this hotel is blackmailing that lady." Bai Luo murmured, "But it wasn't the blackmailer who died, but the victim." "That's a bit annoying, I agree," said the inspector. "Blackmailers don't usually kill their blackmailers. But at least it gives us an answer to Mrs. Marshall's strange behavior that morning." One reason. She was going to meet her blackmailer, and she didn't want her husband or Redfon to know about it." "That does make sense," agreed Poirot.

Inspector Cogender went on: "Consider the place chosen, it was the right place for the purpose. It was natural enough for the lady to go in a raft. She did that every day, and she went around Going to Little Devil's Bay, where no one goes in the morning, is a quiet place for conversation." Poirot said: "Yes, that's what I thought too. As you said, there is a good place to meet. There is no one else. To get there from the land side, you have to go down the ladder from the top of the cliff. Not everyone likes it." One way to go. Also, the place is mostly invisible from above, because it is hidden by the cliff. Another advantage. Mr. Redfern told me the other day, there is a cave in there, the entrance is very Hard to find, but anyone can wait there without being seen."

Winston said: "By the way, it's called the Goblin's Hole—I remember hearing it mentioned." Inspector Cogender said, "But it hasn't been mentioned in years. We'd better go look in the cave, and who knows, maybe we can find some clues or something." Winston said: "Yes, that's right, Cogand, we have already got part of the answer to the mystery of why Mrs. Marshall went to Leprechaun Bay. But we still need the other half. She is going there to meet Mrs. Who? Assume that's someone who lives in this hotel, too. There's no one here who's qualified to be her lover—but blackmailer's another thing." He pulled the guest book toward him. Except for the servants and all, I don't think they're likely, and here's the rest: the Yankee, Gardner, Major Barry, Mr. Horace Platt, and the Reverend Steven Lane."

Inspector Cogender said: "We can narrow it down a little more, Chief. I think we can exclude the Yankee too. He's been on the beach all morning, isn't that right, Mr. Poirot?" Poirot replied: "He has been absent for a little while, and has gone to fetch wool for his wife." "Ah, uh, that doesn't count," Cogender said. Winston said: "What about the other three?" "Major Barry went out at ten o'clock this morning and came back at one-thirty. Reverend Lane was earlier. He had breakfast at eight and said he was going for a hike. Mr. Blatt sailed out at nine-thirty, as he usually does. , how many of them haven’t come back yet?”

"Sailing out? Eh?" Colonel Winston seemed to be thinking of something as he spoke. Inspector Kegende echoed, "It's a good match, Director." Winston said: "Well, we're going to talk to the major—let's see, who else is there? Rosamund Daly, and that woman named Brest, who was with Redfern Who found the body. What kind of person is she, Cogand?" "Ah, a very sensible person, Chief, who seeks truth from facts." "Has she said anything about the case?" The inspector shook his head. "I don't think she has anything more to tell us, Chief, but we have to make sure. The other is the American couple."

Colonel Winston nodded. He said, "Let's let them come in together and finish the questioning as soon as possible. Who knows, maybe something will be discovered. Even if nothing else is said, there may be some clues in the blackmail case." The Gardners came before them, and Mrs. Gardner explained at once: "I hope you understand, Colonel Winston—I think the name is right?" Confirming this, she went on: "It was quite a shock to me, and Mr. Gardner has been very, very careful with my health—" Mr. Gardner cut in here. "Mrs. Gardner," he said, "is a very sensitive person."

"—he said to me: 'Why, Carrie,' he said: 'Of course I'll go with you right away.' Not that we don't have the highest admiration for the methods of detection by the British police, because we do, and some Tell me that the British police have the finest and best detective work, and I never doubted it. And I lost a bracelet at the San Fu Hotel once, and no one came to see me for it The young police officer was much cuter and more sympathetic, of course, my bracelet wasn't dropped at all, it was misplaced, it's all because everything is rushed and you forget things There—” Mrs. Gardner paused, took a little breath, and then began again: “I will say, and I know Mr. Gardner agrees with me, that we absolutely would like to Every effort is being made to assist the British Police in every way, so please try to ask any questions you want-"

Colonel Winston opened his mouth to do as he was told, but held back for a moment as Mrs. Gardner went on: "I said so, didn't I? O'Dill, that's it, isn't it?" ?” "Yes, dear," said Mr. Gardner. Colonel Winston said quickly: "As far as I know, Mrs. Gardner, you and your husband have been on the beach all morning?" This time Mr. Gardner actually took the lead. "Not bad," he said. "Well, of course it is," said Mrs. Gardner. "It's lovely and quiet this morning, just like any other day, you know what I mean, and even better, and it never occurred to us that we'd be in another Something like that happens in that deserted bay over there."

"Did you see Mrs. Marshall today?" "No. I said to O'Dill, well, where's Mrs. Marshall this morning? I said. First her husband came to see her, and then that handsome young man, Mr. Redfern, is he okay?" Looking impatient, sitting on the beach, frowning at who and everything, I thought to myself, why does he have such a good and beautiful wife, and he must go after that terrible woman? Because I think She's just a horrible woman, I've always felt that way about her, haven't I, Odyll?" "yes dear." "I really can't figure out how such a good Mr. Marshall could marry such a woman—not to mention that he has a young daughter who is developing. It is very important for a girl to have a good influence! Mrs. Marshall is not at all. The right person--totally unbrought--I should say she's a beast. Well, if Mr. Marshall had any brains, he'd marry Miss Darley, who's a very, very charming woman. And she is very famous. I really admire her for being able to work so directly and turn out a first-class business. She is as great as her. To do this kind of thing, you have to rely on your brains—and you just have to look at Rosamund. Dai Li, you can see that she is a person with a good mind, she can plan well for anything anyone can think of, and she can also carry it out. I admire this lady beyond words. I told Mr. Gardner the other day that anyone could tell she loved Mr. Marshall--I meant madly in love with him, didn't I, O'Dell?" "Yes, dear." "Looks like they're old acquaintances from childhood. Well, now, who knows, now that the woman's gone, it might actually end well. I'm not a narrow-minded woman, Colonel Winston, and I'm not saying I don't approve of people in show business to that degree--well, a lot of my best friends are actresses--but I keep telling Mr. Gardner that woman is a bit of a villain, you see, now prove me That's right." She stopped very proudly.Hercule Poirot could not help smiling, his lips trembling.His eyes met Gardner's shrewd gray eyes, and Colonel Winston said with a little despair: "Well, thank you, Mrs. Gardner, I don't think you two have been living here since you lived here. Have you noticed anything else connected with this case?" "Well, no, I don't think so," said Mr. Gardner slowly, "Mrs. Marshall spent most of her time with young Redfern—but everybody can tell you that." .” "Where's her husband? Do you think he cares?" Mr. Gardner said carefully, "Mr. Marshall is a very reserved man." Mrs. Gardner agreed: "Well, that's right, he's a real Englishman!" On Major Barry's bloodshot face, all kinds of emotions were intertwined. He really wanted to show a surprised expression, but he couldn't help but feel a kind of joy that shouldn't be there.He said in his husky, breathless voice: "I'll be happy to help you all I can. Of course I don't know anything about the case--nothing. Don't know the few people involved, But I have seen a lot in my life. You know, I have lived in the East for a long time. I can tell you that after being stationed in the Indian mountains, if you still have some ignorance about human nature, it is not worth talking about. It’s gone.” He stopped, took a breath, and continued: “Speaking of which, this case reminds me of a case in Indochina, a guy named Robinson, or Hu Kena, anyway, he is stationed in East China. Vidy City, or North Surui Village? I can’t remember now, but it doesn’t matter anyway. He is a very quiet man, you know, and read a lot—gentle as milk. One night in the hut where they lived Rie killed his wife and strangled her. She'd been hanging out with a guy and he found out. God, he almost killed her! It's going to happen and we're all terrified! Never thought he would be like this." Hercule Poirot murmured: "Do you think there is anything in common between that case and Mrs. Marshall's death?" "Well, I mean--smothered, you know, same thing, the guy's got a fit of jealousy." Poirot said: "Do you think M. Marshall feels that way?" "Well, I never said that," said Major Barry, blushing even more. "Never said anything about Marshall. He's a very good man. I'd never say a bad word about him." Poirot murmured: "Ah, I'm sorry, but you did speak of the natural reaction of a husband." Major Barry said, "Well, I mean, I think she's pretty hot. Eh? Got young Redfone hooked, and I'm afraid there must be others before him. But it's funny Yes, you know, it's a strange thing, and it always amazes me, that husbands are stubborn, and they only see how nice a guy is to his wife, and they don't see how nice she is to the guy I remember a case in Pura, India, and that woman was so pretty. God, she took her husband to a dance--" Colonel Winston moved his body and said: "Yes, yes, Major Barry, at present we just need to find out the facts, do you personally know anything - hear or notice something that may help us solve the case thing?" "Well, to tell you the truth, Winston, I don't think so, seeing her with young Redfang one afternoon at Gull Bay—" He blinked meaningfully, and made a hoarse and deep sound. Laughter——"It's beautiful, but this is not the kind of evidence you want, is it? Ha, ha." "Did you not see Mrs. Marshall at all this morning?" "I didn't see anyone this morning. I went to Saint-Loup. It's my bad luck. Nothing happens for months in a place like this, and when it does, I miss it again." .” There was a trace of annoyance in the major's tone.Colonel Winston asked: "You said, you went to Saint-Loup?" "Yes, want to make a phone call. There's no phone here, and the office in Piscomb Bay is too secretive." "Are you calling on something very personal?" Major Barry blinked happily again. "Well, you can say yes, or you can say no. I want to get in touch with an old friend of mine and ask him to place a bet on a horse for me. Bad luck, I haven't been able to get through to him on the phone." "Where did you call?" "In the phone box at the General Post Office in St. Lo. Then I got lost on the way back--those goddam alleys--wasted at least an hour in there. It's a hell of a place It's confusing. I've been back in less than half an hour." Colonel Winston said: "Did anyone talk to or see anyone in Saint-Loup?" Major Barry chuckled and said, "Should I provide an alibi? I can't think of any useful information. I saw fifty thousand people in Saint-Loup—but that doesn't mean they all remember seeing me." The police chief said: "We must ask you these words, and you know it." "You're right, feel free to ask me, happy to help. The deceased was such an attractive woman. Would love to help you catch the guy who did it, Murder on No Man's Beach—I bet you, report The Lord must have said so. It brings me back to—” This time it was Inspector Cogender who insisted on breaking the flower of memory when it was still in bud, and invited the talkative major out.When he came back, he said, "It's hard to go to Saint-Loup to check anything. It's the holiday season." The Chief of Police said, "Well, we can't take him off the suspect list. Not that I really believe he's involved, there's a lot of old men like him that are annoying, I remember when I was in the army Just one or two. But—he might still be a suspect. I'll leave that up to you, Cogender, find out when he's driving out—patrol—something, he's probably Park the car in an empty place, walk back, and then go to Xiaoyao Bay. But I don’t think this is right, he has to take the risk of being seen.” Cogender nodded.He said: "Of course, there are many tourist buses coming here today. The weather is fine. They started coming in around half past eleven. The high tide is around seven o'clock, and the low tide is around one o'clock. There will be people on the beach and on the embankment. ’” said Winston: “Well, he has to come by the embankment, past the hotel.” "Instead of going right this way, he can go around that path and turn over to the side of the island." Winston said suspiciously: "I'm not saying that if he does that, he will definitely be seen. Almost all the guests in the hotel are at the beach in front, except for Mrs. Redfern and the girls from the Marshall family. The bay, and that path can only be seen from the windows of certain rooms in the hotel. At that time, I am afraid that the chances of someone seeing it from there were not great, so in this way, I dare say that if a person enters the hotel It is also possible to go out of the hall without anyone seeing it. But what I want to say is that he can't make such a good wishful thinking." Cogender said, "He can row to Leprechaun Bay." Winston nodded and said: "That's a lot more reasonable. If he had prepared a boat in the small bay nearby, he could stop the car, row or drive to Little Demon Bay, and kill people." , rowed back, got into his car, and came back with his story about going to Saint-Loup and getting lost—a statement he knew would be hard to disprove." "You're absolutely right, Chief." The Chief Constable said: "Well, I'll leave that to you, Cogand. Do a search of the neighborhood, you know what to do, and now we'd better see Miss Brest." Emily Brest did not add to what they already knew, and Winston, after she had repeated it, asked her: "Besides you have nothing else to help us. information?" Emily Brest said bluntly: "I'm afraid not. This matter is very distressing. However, I hope you can dig to the bottom soon." "I hope so," said Winston. Emily Brest said indifferently: "It shouldn't be too difficult." "What do you mean by that, Miss Brest." "I'm sorry, but I'm not trying to make a fuss, I just mean, with a woman like this, this kind of thing should be easy." Hercule Poirot murmured: "Is that your opinion?" Emily Brest said bluntly: "Of course. Although the old saying goes: 'A man does not hold grudges when he dies', but the facts cannot be overturned. That woman is a bad woman through and through. You just need to investigate her past carefully. .” Hercule Poirot said softly: "You don't like her?" "I know a lot about her." Seeing the questioning eyes of the three people, she continued, "A cousin of mine married a member of An Siqin's family. You have probably heard that that woman also deceived Lao Luo. Sir Ji donated his property to her instead of leaving it to his own family?" Colonel Winston said: "And his family - er - resented it?" "Of course, his association with this woman is already a big scandal, and the fact that he left her an inheritance worth nearly fifty thousand pounds shows what kind of woman she is. I dare say that is too harsh for me to say. A little bit, but it seems to me that there is nothing in the world worthy of sympathy for a woman like Elena Starter. I know one more thing—a young man is completely dazzled by her—he was Kind of crazy. Of course his relationship with her made him totally crazy, and he played a little bit with the stock thing - just to get money to spend on her - and then almost got a lawsuit. This woman is See a man ruin a man, and see what she did to young Redfang. Well, I'm afraid I don't regret her death at all--but of course she'd better drown herself, or slip Falling off a cliff and strangling to death is always uncomfortable." "You think the murderer was one of her former lovers?" "Yes, that's exactly what I thought." "Someone is coming from the other side, but no one sees it?" "How could anyone see him? We were all on the beach, and I think the Marshalls and Christine Redfern were on their way to Gull Bay, in the opposite direction, and Mr. Marshall was in his own hotel room. In the room, who else will see him? Unless it is Miss Dali." "Where was Miss Dailey at that time?" "Sitting in the place hewn out of the cliff called Sunshine Bluff. We saw her there, I mean Mr. Redfern and I, when we rowed over." Colonel Winston said: "Perhaps you are right, Miss Brest." Emily Brest said with certainty: "I'm pretty sure I'm right. She's an out-and-out villain. She's the best clue. You agree with me." Mister Poirot?" Hercule Poirot looked up into her confident gray eyes, and said: "Oh, yes--I agree with you on this, that Elena Marshall is her The best clue to my own murder case." Miss Brest said, "That's it." She stood there upright, looking at the three men one by one with her calm and confident eyes. Colonel Winston said: "Miss Brest, you can rest assured that we will never ignore any clues in Mrs. Marshall's past life." Emily Brest walked out. Inspector Cogender, who was sitting in front of the table, moved his body, and said in a deep thought: "She is really a woman with a strong opinion, and she also harbors hatred for the deceased, really." He paused for a minute, then thought again. Get up and say: "It's a pity that she has a solid alibi all morning. Have you noticed her two hands? Director? They are as big as a man's hands. And she is a very strong woman—even Yu is stronger than some men..." He paused again, looking at Poirot with almost pleading eyes, "You said she never left the seaside this morning? Mr. Poirot?" Poirot shook his head slowly, and said: "My dear Inspector, when she comes, Mrs. Marshall cannot possibly have arrived at Leprechaun Bay, and she is rowing out to sea in a small boat with Mr. Redfern. Before I went, it never left my eyes." Inspector Cogender said gloomily, "Then she's not a suspect." He seemed very unhappy about this. As usual, Hercule Poirot felt a surge of joyful intensity at the sight of Rosamund Daly, and she stood out even in a police questioning to ascertain the grim facts of a murder.Sitting opposite Colonel Winston, with a little sadness on her wise face, she said: "Do you want my name and address? My name is Rosamund Anne Daly, and I own the Rose House clothing company." , at 626 Brock Street." "Thank you, Miss Daley, and now, can you tell us anything that might help solve the case?" "I guess it's nothing." "Your own actions—" "I had breakfast about half-past nine, then went upstairs to my room to get a few books and my parasol, and arrived at Sunny Bluff at about ten-twenty-five. I was at twelve Went back to the hotel about ten minutes to go, went upstairs to get a tennis racket, went to the tennis court and played tennis until lunchtime." "You stayed at that place called Sunshine Cliff from half past ten to ten minutes to twelve?" "yes." "Did you see Mrs. Marshall this morning?" "No." "When you were on the cliff, did you see her paddling the raft to Little Demon Bay?" "No, she must have been there before I got there." "Did you notice anyone going by in a raft or boat this morning?" "No, I didn't see, you know, I've been reading, and of course I stop and look up now and then, but every time the sea is calm." "You didn't even notice Mr. Redfond and Miss Brest passing by?" "No." "I suppose you and Mr. Marshall knew each other before?" "Mr. Marshall and we are good family friends. We live next door, but I haven't seen him for many years—twenty years at all." "Where's Mrs. Marshall?" "Before I saw her here again, I didn't say five or six words to her." "As far as you know, are Mr. Marshall and his wife on good terms?" "Fine, I think." "Does Mr. Marshall love his wife very much?" "Probably so," said Rosamund, "I don't really know that. Mr. Marshall is a very old-fashioned fellow—he's not used to saying marriage vows like people are nowadays." "Do you like Mrs. Marshall, Miss Darley?" "I don't like it." She said it so calmly that it sounded obvious—simply stating the facts. "why?" A half smile appeared on Rosamund's lips.She said: "You must have noticed that Eleanor Marshall was not very popular among her own sex? She was terribly bored with women, and she showed it. But I I really appreciate her knowledge of dressing, she has a talent for dressing, and the clothes she chooses are always appropriate and well-dressed. I would like her to be my client." "She spends a lot on clothes, doesn't she?" "I suppose so. But she has money of her own, and Mr. Marshall is rich." "Have you heard, or noticed, that Mrs. Marshall has been blackmailed by anyone? Miss Daley." A very surprised expression appeared on Rosamund Daly's face.She said: "Someone blackmailed? Elena?" "That seems to surprise you." "Uh, yes, that's true, it seems not." "But of course there is such a possibility, right?" "Anything is possible, isn't it? You'll know this when you're alive, but I can't think of anyone who could have anything that could be used to blackmail Elena." "There are always things, I suppose, that Mrs. Marshall does not wish to hear of her husband." "Uh—that's true." She smiled and explained the reason for the suspicion in her tone: "My tone was suspicious, but then again, you also know that Elena's behavior has given her a bad reputation, She never made people feel that she should be treated with respect." "Then, do you think her husband knows about her—intimacy with other people?" Rosamund was silent for a while, frowning, and finally she said slowly and reluctantly: "You know, I really don't know what to think. I always assumed that Kenneth Marshall accepted his wife quite frankly. Knowing who she is, having no illusions about her. But that might not be the case." "Is it probable that he has absolute confidence in her?" Rosamund said indignantly: "Men are fools. Beneath his sophisticated appearance, Gan Yishi Marshall is not a well-informed person. Maybe he will blindly believe her, maybe He thinks she's just—well admired." "And you don't know of anyone—that is, you haven't heard of anyone who held a grudge against Mrs. Marshall?" Rosamund Dailey smiled slightly and said, "There are only some wives who hate her, and I think since she was strangled to death, the murderer must be a man." "yes." Rosamund said thoughtfully: "Uh, I can't think of anyone coming, but maybe I don't know at all. You should ask someone who is close to her." "Thank you, Miss Dailey." Rosamund turned slightly sideways in her chair, and said, "Doesn't Mr. Poirot have any questions?" Her slightly ironic smile turned towards him. Hercule Poirot smiled and shook his head."I can't think of anything to ask," he said. Rosamund Daly stood up and walked out.