Chapter 16 Chapter 15 Murder Repeats

"Come with me," said Inspector Kelsey, as he entered the room grimly. "Another thing happened." "What?" Adam raised his head alertly. "A murder," Inspector Kelsey said.He led the way out of the room, followed by Adam.They were sitting in Adam's room drinking beer and discussing the possibilities when Kelsey was called to the phone. "Who is it?" Adam asked as he followed Inspector Kelsey down the stairs. "Another governess—Miss Vansittart." "where?" "At the gym." "At the gym again?" Adam said. "What the hell is going on with this gym?"

"You'd better do a full check-up this time," said Inspector Kelsey. "Why else would people be killed there?" He gets into his car with Adam: "I thought maybe the doctor would get there before us. He wouldn't have to walk so far." It was like a nightmare repeating itself, Kelsey thought as she walked into the brightly lit gymnasium.Once again there was a dead body, with the doctor kneeling beside it.Again, the doctor lifted his knees and stood up. "Killed about half an hour ago," he said, "forty minutes at the most." "Who found her?" Kelsey said.

One of his men said, "Miss Chadwick." "It's the older one, isn't it?" "Yes, she saw the light and came here and found her dead. She staggered back to the house, almost hysterical. It was Miss Johnson, the housemaid." "Right," Kelsey said. "How was she killed? Was she shot again?" The doctor shook his head. "No. This time it was a blow to the back of the head. Maybe a stick, or a sandbag, or something like that." On the ground near the door is a golf club with a steel tip.It was the only misplaced object in the place that seemed out of place.

"What about that thing," Kelsey said, pointing at it, "could she have been killed by that thing?" The doctor shook his head. "Impossible. There is no mark on her head. No, it must have been a heavy rubber stick, or a sandbag or something." "Was it a career criminal?" "Probably, whoever did it, this time the murderer didn't want to make any noise. The murderer came up behind her and hit her hard on the back of the head, and she fell forward, probably before she even had time to think that she had been hit. A blow from something kills."

"What is she doing here?" "She may be kneeling," said the doctor, "in front of this cupboard." The inspector went to the cupboard and looked at it. "I think there's a schoolgirl's name on it," he said. "Shesta—let me see, it's—that's the name of that Egyptian girl, isn't it? Her Royal Highness Shesta." Said Then he turned to Adam: "Looks like this has something to do with something else, doesn't it? Wait a minute—isn't she the girl they reported missing tonight?" "Yes, sir," said the Inspector, "a car came to fetch her. It is believed to have been sent by her uncle, who was staying at the Claridge's Hotel in London. She got into the car and drove away. .”

"Didn't you get the report?" "Not yet, sir. We have made contact with all the parties concerned. The Metropolitan Police Criminal Service is also involved, and is investigating." "It's a really simple and clever way to kidnap someone," Adam said. "There's no resistance, no shouting. You just ask the girl to wait for a car to pick her up, and you just stand there Dress yourself up as a senior chauffeur until the car arrives, just drive a limousine. The girl will step into the car without even thinking about it, and you'll drive the car away, and she won't suspect anything has happened .”

"Didn't find the abandoned car?" Kelsey asked. "We have not received such information yet," said the police officer. "As I said, the Police Department is currently investigating." Then he added: "The Special Division is also investigating." "It looks a bit like a political conspiracy," said the inspector. "I don't think they can get her abroad." "Why on earth did they kidnap her?" asked the doctor. "God knows," said Kelsey sullenly. "She told me she was afraid of being kidnapped. It's ashamed to think about it now. I thought she was putting on airs."

"That's what I thought when you told me," Adam said. "The difficulty is that we don't know enough about the situation," Kelsey said. "Lots of unsolved cases." He glanced around. "Well, I don't think I have much else to do here. You go about your business—photographs, fingerprints, and so on. I'd better Go inside and have a look." At the house he was received by Miss Johnson.She was shaken, but still able to control her emotions. "It's dreadful, Inspector," she said. "We've had two of our governesses killed. Poor Miss Chadwick is in very bad shape."

"I'd love to see her as soon as possible." "The doctor gave her medicine, and she is much calmer now. Shall I take you to see her?" "Well, in a minute or two. First, please tell me as much as you can about the last time you saw Miss Vansittart." "I haven't seen her all day," said Miss Johnson. "I haven't been here all day. I didn't come back until nearly eleven o'clock. I went straight up to my room and went to bed." "Didn't you happen to glance out the window in the direction of the stadium?" "No, no. I haven't thought about the gym at all. I've been with my sister all day. I haven't seen her in ages. All I can think about is home. I take a shower, Went to bed and read for a while, then turned off the light and went to bed. The next thing I know is that Miss Chadwick burst in, pale and trembling."

"Is Miss Vansittart not at school today?" "No, she is. She is in charge today. Miss Bulstrode is out." "Who else is at school?—I mean the teacher." Miss Johnson thought for a while. "Miss Vansittart, Miss Chadwick, Miss Blanche, the French teacher, Miss Ron." "I see. Well, I think you'd better take me to Miss Chadwick." Miss Chadwick was sitting on a chair in her room.Although the night was still warm, she turned on the electric stove and, with a blanket wrapped around her knees, turned to Inspector Kelsey, looking frighteningly pale.

"She's dead—is she really dead? Is it possible—maybe she'll wake again?" Tulsi shook her head slowly. "It's dreadful," said Miss Chadwick, "and Miss Bulstrode's gone." She burst into tears. "It's going to ruin this school," she said. "It's going to ruin Yerba Meadows. I can't take it—I can't take it." Kelsey sat down beside her. "I know," he said sympathetically, "I know it's a terrible blow to you, but I hope you'll be brave, Miss Chadwick, and tell me all you know. The more we The sooner you find out who did it, the less trouble and outside spread." "Yes, yes, I see that. I know, I—I went to bed early, because I thought it would be nice to have a long sleep. But I can't sleep, and I'm worrying." "Are you worried about school?" "Yes. At the same time, I was also worried about Shesta's disappearance. Later, I began to think about Miss Springer, and wondered whether her murder—whether it would affect the parents, and whether the parents would not send them back next semester I feel so bad for Miss Bulstrode. I mean, she started this school and it's been such a success." "I know. Now go on - you're worrying, you can't sleep!" "I couldn't sleep, so I counted sheep and tried other things. Then I got up and took an aspirin. After I took the aspirin, I opened the curtains. I can't say why I drew the curtains." .I think maybe it's because I've been thinking about Miss Springer. Then you know, I saw—I saw a light there." "What kind of lighting?" "Well, a dancing light. I mean—I think it must be a flashlight. It's just like the lights Miss Johnson and I used to see." "Exactly the same, isn't it?" "Yes, yes. I think it's exactly the same. Maybe a little fainter, but I can't tell." "Okay, what happened next?" "Then," said Miss Chadwick, her voice suddenly becoming louder, "I made up my mind that this time I must go and see who was out there and what they were doing? So I got up Put on your coat and shoes and rush out of the house." "Didn't it occur to you to call someone else?" "No, no, you know, I want to get there as soon as possible, and that man—whoever that man is—I'm afraid he's going to run away." "Yes, go on, Miss Chadwick." "So I ran as fast as I could. I kept running toward the door, and before I got there I tiptoed, so--so I could look in and no one could hear me coming. I got to the door, The door wasn't closed—it was ajar. I pushed it open a little. I looked behind the door and I saw—I saw her in there, face down on the floor, dead..." She began to tremble all over. "Well, well, Miss Chadwick, that's all right. By the way, there's a bunch of golf clubs out there. Did you take it out? Or did Miss Vansittart take it out?" "Golf club?" said Miss Chadwick vaguely. "Oh, yes, I remembered I got it in the hall. I took it with me just in case--well, just in case maybe I could use it. I think I threw it away when I saw Eleanor. Then I somehow got back into the house and I found Miss Johnson. Oh, I can't take it, I can't take it ——That's the end of Fangcao Field—” Miss Chadwick raised her voice hysterically.Miss Johnson came forward. "Two murders are a great mental thrill for anyone," said Miss Johnson, "and certainly more so for anyone her age. You don't ask her anything else." Bar?" Inspector Kelsey shook his head. As he descended the stairs he noticed old-fashioned sandbags stacked with some buckets in the recessed wall.Maybe these are war time things.But it occurred to him uncomfortably that the man who had killed Miss Vansittart was not necessarily a professional criminal with a short club.There was a man in the house, a man who didn't want to shoot again, and who probably had thrown away the incriminating pistol since the last time he killed someone.Maybe he took a seemingly innocuous weapon that was actually deadly for himself, and maybe even put it back in place afterward.