Chapter 27 Chapter 27 "My Brother Was Murdered"

A green Bentley pulled up outside Ambledever's Station Hotel on Friday morning. Frankie had sent a telegram to Bobby by the name they had agreed upon, George Parker, because she was called to testify at the autopsy hearing in the Henry Bassington-French case, so that she could Stopped at Ambledever on the way from London. She had expected a return call with the appointment, but received none, so she went to the hotel. "Mr. Parker, miss?" said the hotel boy. "I don't think there's a gentleman by that name living here, but I'll check." The waiter came back in a few minutes. "He came here on Wednesday evening, miss. He put down his bags and said he might not be back until late. His bag is still here, but he didn't come back to get it."

Frankie suddenly felt a little uncomfortable, and she supported herself by holding on to the table. The waiter looked at her sympathetically. "Not feeling well, miss?" he asked. Frankie shook her head and said with difficulty: "Nothing. Didn't he leave a message?" The man left for a while, then came back and shook his head at her. "There's a telegram for him, nothing more." He stared at her curiously. "Can you help me, miss?" Frankie shook her head. At this point she just wanted to leave.She had to think about what to do next. "It's nothing." After she said that, she got into the Bentley and drove away.

The waiter nodded wisely as he watched her go. "He's gone," he said to himself, "and he's broken her faith and disappointed her. She's such a pretty thing. I don't know what he looks like?" He asked the young lady in the reception room, who could not remember. "It's a rich couple," the waiter said smartly. "They ran out to get married secretly, but the man ran away." At this moment, Frankie's car was driving towards Steverley, and her mind was full of thoughts. Why didn't Bobby come back to the hotel?There are only two reasons: one is that he found a clue, and that clue led him to another place; the other is that an accident happened.The car swerved dangerously suddenly, and Frankie regained control in time.

She was so stupid to think so.Of course Bobby was all right, he had a clue, that was it, a clue. But another voice asked: Why didn't he send a reassuring word? Many things are difficult to explain, but there must be an explanation.Difficult situation, or lack of time and opportunity?Bobby knew that she, Frankie, would not be surprised by his behavior, so everything was normal, it must be. The hearing ended like a dream.Roger was there.Sylvia looked very pretty in mourning.She was attractive and impressive.Frankie found herself admiring her as if she were enjoying a performance at the theatre.

The whole process was well guided.The Bassington-French family had a good reputation in the area, so everything was done to make the deceased's widow and brother feel bad. Frankie and Roger testified, and Dr. Nicholson produced the deceased's suicide note.The hearing seemed to come to an end immediately, with the verdict that "the decedent committed suicide by insanity." The verdict smacks of "compassion," as Mr Sprague put it. In Frankie's mind the two suicides were connected.Both incidents were caused by insanity.Could there be a connection between the two?

She knew the suicide was real because she was there.Bobby's inference of murder was flimsy and had to be ruled out.The widow of the deceased personally testified that Dr. Nicholson was definitely not at the scene of the crime. The others left, but Frankie and Dr. Nicholson remained behind.The coroner shook hands with Sylvia and said a few words of sympathy. "There are some letters for you, Frankie, my dear," said Sylvia. "You won't mind if I leave you to lie down now, it's a dreadful thing." She left the room trembling.Dr. Nicholson went with her, muttering something to calm her down.

Frankie turned to Roger and said, "Roger, Bobby is missing." "disappeared?" "Yes:" "Where is it? What's going on?" Frankie quickly got the matter over in a few words. "So you haven't seen him since then?" Roger asked. "Yes. What do you think is the matter?" "I don't want to hear that," Roger said slowly. Frankie's heart sank. "You don't think..." "Oh 2 it's going to be alright, but... boo: here comes Nicholson." The doctor quietly walked into the room.He rubbed his hands together and smiled.

"It went well," he said, "it really did. Dr. Davidson was very tactful. We may consider him all lucky in having him as the local coroner." "I think so, too," agreed Frankie mechanically. "Things are very different, Miss Frances. The conduct of the coroner's hearing is entirely in the coroner's hands. He has great power. He can make things as complicated or as simple as he likes. In this case, everything is at stake." It went perfectly." "It was just a good stage show." Frankie's voice was stern. Nicholson looked at her in amazement.

"I understand how Frances feels," said Roger. "I feel the same way. My brother was murdered, Dr. Nicholson." Roger stood behind the doctor as Frankie spoke.At this moment, a look of surprise appeared in the doctor's eyes. The doctor was about to answer when Roger interrupted him: "I mean, the law may not say so, but it's murder. The diabolical murderer induced my brother to get addicted to drugs just as they broke him, The drugs did kill him." He moved and looked at the doctor angrily. "I'm going to get back at them." His words sounded like threats.

Dr. Nicholson's pale blue eyes drooped under Roger's direct gaze, and he shook his head sadly. "I can't say I disagree with you," said the doctor. "I know a lot more about drug use than you do, Mr. Bassington-French. Inducing people to take drugs is indeed a most terrible crime." One of the most powerful thoughts was running through Frankie's head, "Impossible, that's absurd, but his alibi is all on her word. What if . . . " When she pulled herself together she found Dr. Nicholson talking to her. "You came here by car, Miss Frances? There was no accident this time?"

Frankie thought she hated that smile. "No," she said, "I think it's a pity that there are too many accidents, isn't it?" She didn't know if it was her imagination, or if his eyes really flickered for a while. "Maybe your driver will drive you this time?" "My driver," said Frankie, "has disappeared." She looked directly at Nicholson. "real?" "He was last seen going to Grange Hall," went on Frankie. "Really? Is there something attractive in my kitchen?" His voice sounded amused. "I can't believe it." "That's where he was last seen, anyway," said Frankie. "You're too dramatic," said Nicholson. "You probably pay too much attention to the local gossip. It's very unreliable. I've heard such grotesque stories." He said. Pausing for a while, his tone changed slightly, "I have heard such a thing, someone saw your driver talking with my wife by the river." He paused again, and then said: "I believe he is a Quite a fine fellow, Miss Frances." "Really?" thought Frankie. "He's going to say his wife ran off with my driver? Is that his little trick?" She exclaimed: "Hawkins is definitely an extraordinary driver." "It seems so," Nicholson said. He turned to Roger and said: "I must go. Believe me, I feel deeply for you and Mrs. Bassington-French." Roger escorted him out of the hall.Frankie followed.There are two love letters for her on the table in the hall.One was the bill in the mail, and the other was... Her heart skipped a beat, in Bobby's handwriting.At this moment Roger and Nicholson were on the threshold. She tore the letter open.Bobby wrote: Dear Frankie: I finally found the clue.Come with me to Chipping Somerton as soon as possible.Best to come by train, not by car.The Bentley is too conspicuous.The train is not very comfortable, but you can get there directly.You come to a house called Tudor House.Then I'll tell you how I found out.Don't ask for directions. (Exact orientation map attached below) Did you figure it out?Don't tell anyone. (Heavily underlined this sentence) Don't tell anyone. Your Bobby Frankie crushed the letter in the palm of his hand in great excitement.So everything was normal and nothing terrible happened to Bobby. He had found the clue, just as she had found it by accident.She went to Somerset Office to check Mr. Savage's will.Rose Emily Templeton was the wife of Edgar Templeton, who lived at the Tudor House in Chipping Somerton.This again coincides with the ABC Railroad Guide spread out in the St. Leonard's Gardens house, on which Chipping Somerton is one of the stations.The Caymans have arrived in Chipping Somerton. Everything gradually became clear.They are nearing the end of their pursuit. Roger turned and walked towards her. "Is there anything interesting in your letter?" he asked casually.Frankie hesitated for a moment.Bobby had ordered her not to tell anyone, sure he didn't mean Roger? Then she thought of the heavy emphasis line, and her own terrible thought of late, that if it was true, Roger might have betrayed them both without knowing it.She didn't dare to hint her doubts to him... so she made up her mind and said, "No, not at all." Before twenty-four hours passed, she was regretting her decision. More than once during the next few hours of the journey, Frankie regretted listening to Bobby's advice not to bring a car.Chipping Somerton is not very far in a straight line, but it takes three transfers.Every time there was a long and tedious wait at a small country station, the slow pace of progress was extremely unbearable to impatient Frankie. Still, she had to admit that there was a grain of truth to what Bobby said, and that the Bentley was a sight to behold. Her reasons for leaving the car at Merowe Yards were flimsy, but she couldn't think of anything brilliant for a while. It was growing dark as the calm, old-fashioned train in which Frankie pulled into Chipping Somerton little station.It looked more like midnight to Frankie.This ride felt to her like she had been riding a horse for hours. It had just started to rain again, which made it very difficult to walk. Frankie buttoned her coat up to her neck, read Bobby's letter one last time in the station light, figured out where she was going, and set off. The way Bobby pointed out was easy to find.Frankie saw the lights of the village ahead and turned left onto a path leading up a steep hill.At the end of the path, she took the right-hand branch, and soon saw a small group of houses forming a village, surrounded by a pine forest, below her.Finally, she came to a clean wooden door, struck a match, and saw "Duze Villa" written on the door. There was no one around.Frankie unlatched the door and went in.She could make out the outlines of houses behind the pines.She took up a position in the woods where she could see the house more clearly.At this time, her heart beat a little faster.She hooted as best she could in an owl.After a few minutes passed, there was no movement.She called out again. The door of the villa opened, and Frankie saw a figure in a chauffeur's uniform loom discreetly.It's Bobby!He gestured and stepped back into the house, leaving the door ajar. Frankie walked out of the woods towards the door.None of the windows were lit.Everything is immersed in darkness and silence. Frankie stepped carefully over the threshold into the dark hall.She stopped and looked around. "Bobby?" she whispered. It was her nose that gave her the warning.Where had she smelled this strong fragrance before? Just when she realized that it was the anesthetic "chloroform", a pair of strong arms grabbed her from behind.She opened her mouth to scream, a damp cloth covered her mouth, and the fragrant cloying smell filled her nostrils. She struggled desperately, twisting her body and kicking her feet, but to no avail. She couldn't help but struggle, but she was still tied up.She too felt that she was giving in.She felt a buzzing in her ears and tightness in her chest.Later, she lost consciousness...