Chapter 8 chapter eight

six o'clock.In Pine Crown House.Hercule Poirot put a piece of sausage into his mouth, followed by another sip of tea.The tea was too strong for his liking, but the sausage was delicious and well done, and his grateful eyes fell on Mrs Mackay across the table, holding a large brown teapot. Elspeth, McKay was as unlike his brother, Captain Spence, as he could be.He is tall and burly, but she is skinny, her face is thin and sharp, she looks shrewd and capable, and she seems to be constantly examining everything around her.She was beyond description thin.There is, however, a certain similarity between the two.Mainly the eyes, and the chiseled chin, both he and she are very discerning and well-informed, but the way of expression is different, that's all, Superintendent Spence will speak after careful consideration, carefully and carefully, Mrs. McKay was articulate, and her reaction was as quick as a cat leaping at a mouse.

"It has a lot to do with the boy's character," said Poirot, "and Joyce, Reynolds, really puzzles me." He eyed Spence questioningly. "Don't ask me," Spence said. "I haven't been here long. Better ask Elspeth." Poirot looked across the table and raised his eyebrows, and Mrs. MacKay said decisively as usual: "It should be said that she is a complete little liar." "You can't believe what she said?" Elspeth nodded without hesitation. "Yes, totally unbelievable. Very good at making up stories and making them up perfectly. But I never believed her."

"The purpose of making up stories is to show off?" "That's right, someone told you the lie about her going to India, right? There are many other things, saying that the whole family went on vacation, somewhere abroad. I don't know if it's her parents or her uncle. My aunt went there, and after the holidays she said she went with her, and it was very colorful. I met the Lord of the Land, shot a tiger, and many elephants, etc.-it was so similar, Many people believe it to be true. But as soon as I heard it, I said that she added things. I thought she was just a little exaggerated, but every time she said it, the number increased by one time, and more and more tigers were killed. You understand me Do you mean it? It’s unbelievably many. Besides, the number of elephants is increasing, and I used to know that she likes to make up lies.”

"Always attract attention?" "Ah, you're right, she's so good at grabbing people's attention." "Just because a kid makes up a story about a trip that hasn't been taken," Superintendent Spence said, "you can't say that everything she says that doesn't sound convincing is a lie." "Probably not," Elspeth said, "but I think it's possible." "So you think Joyce, if Reynolds says she's seen a murder, she's probably lying, and you don't believe it's true, do you?" "Yes," replied Mrs. MacKay.

"Perhaps you are mistaken," said his brother. "Yes," Mrs. MacKay replied, "everyone makes mistakes. Like the story about the wolf is coming, told so many times, the little boy kept saying, 'Wolf is coming,' and waited for the wolf." When it really came, everyone didn't believe him anymore, and he ended up being devoured by wolves." "So you mean—" "I still want to say that there is a possibility that she lied, but I'm fair. Maybe she didn't lie. Maybe she saw something. It wasn't exactly what she said, but it was true."

"So she got murdered," said Superintendent Spence. "You don't forget, Elspeth, she got murdered." "Certainly," replied Mrs. MacKay, "or I may have misread her, and if so I must express my regret. Ask anyone who knows her, and they will certainly say that she Lots of lies to tell. Remember, she's at a party, she's very excited, and she's trying to make a splash." "It is true that no one believed her," said Poirot. Elspeth, Mackay shook his head puzzled. "Who will she see murdered?" asked Poirot. He looked at the siblings.

"No one," said Mrs. Mackay firmly. "Someone must have died in this area in the past three years?" "Oh, that goes without saying," Spence replied, "but it's pretty common—old man, sick or something—maybe someone hit someone with a motorcycle and got away—" "No unusual, unexpected deaths?" "Well—" Elspeth hesitated for a moment, "I think—" Spence chimed in: "I've got a few names here." He handed Poirot a piece of paper, "to save you the trouble of looking around." "Possibly the victim?"

"No, just give you a range." Poirot read aloud: "Mrs. Llewellyn Smythe, Charlotte, Benfield. Janet, White. Leslie, Ferrier—" He paused, looked across the table, and repeated the first name: "Mrs. Llewellyn Smythe." "It's possible," said Mrs. MacKay, "yes, maybe there's something to it." She said something that sounded tragic. "Singing?" Poirot was puzzled. He did not understand what singing had to do with it. "Going out one night," said Elspeth, "and never heard of it again." Mrs. Llewellyn Smythe? "

"No, no, it's the foreign girl. If she puts something in her medicine it's so easy, and she gets all the property, doesn't she—or doesn't even think about it?" Poirot looked at Spence for some enlightenment. "Never heard from again," said Mrs. Mackay. "These foreign girls are the same." Suddenly Poirot realized. An au pair (French, that is, a girl who gives lessons, assists with housework, etc. in exchange for board and lodging.) girl. "He said. "Yes, to accompany the old lady. The old lady died only a week or two ago, and the girl disappeared."

"Eloped off with some man, I'm afraid," said Spence. "Nobody knows who he is, though?" said Elspeth. "There must be a lot of gossip in that case, and it's generally known who's going with whom." "Anyone find anything strange about Mrs. Llewellyn Smythe's death?" asked Poirot. "No. She has a heart condition and often sees a doctor." "But why did you put her at the top of the list, old friend?" "Hey, she was rich, very rich. Her death was not unexpected, but it was a bit sudden. For example, Dr. Ferguson was taken aback, although only slightly, maybe he thought she would live longer Well, but a doctor is also surprised when she doesn't follow the doctor's advice to keep her from working too much, but she insists on doing it her own way, for example, she is keen on gardening, which is not good for her heart."

Elspeth took up the conversation: "She came here after she had a total breakdown. She used to live overseas and came here to live with her nephew and niece, the Drakes. She bought the Quarry House, a Victorian There is also an abandoned quarry, and it is this quarry that attracted her. She thinks there is a lot to do. She spent tens of thousands of pounds to turn the quarry into an underground garden, and hired a landscaper to design it. I don't know if it was hired from Wiseley or from other places. Yes, there is really something to see." "I'll look at it," said Poirot. "Who knows—maybe I'll get a little inspiration." "Yeah, if I were you, I would go too. It's worth seeing." "She is rich, isn't she?" asked Poirot. "The widow of a great shipbuilder. She's got bags and bags of money." "She had a bad heart, so her death was expected, but it was sudden," Spence said. A long list of coronary heart disease or something." "Never investigated?" Spence shook his head. "Things like this happen all the time," said Poirot. "An old lady who is told to be careful not to go up and down stairs, not to do too much gardening work. But it happens that this person is very energetic." Energetic, she has loved planting gardens all her life, and does things as she pleases, so naturally she will not listen to other people's advice." "That's right. Mrs. Llewellyn Smythe has done a wonderful job of that quarry, a landscaper, I should say, and he's been working with his employer for three or four years, and she's seen a lot of it." Less gardens, probably in Ireland, when she participated in a nationally organized nature-loving trip and visited many gardens. Based on this, they changed the quarry greatly, yes, seeing is believing, you will believe it when you see it .” "Then it was a natural death," said Poirot, "as confirmed by the local doctor. Is it the same doctor who is staying here now? The one I am going to call on?" "Dr. Ferguson--yes, he's nearly sixty, very skilled and well-loved." "And yet you suspect she might have been murdered? For some reason you haven't told me?" "For example, the foreign girl," said Elspeth. "why?" "Oh, she must have forged the will. If not she, who would have done it?" "You haven't told me," said Poirot, "what on earth is a forged will?" "Oh, there was some trouble during the notarization, I mean the old lady's will." "A new will?" “It’s what they say — it sounds like a fish (codicil is pronounced closer to cod in English.) — it’s a codicil.” Elspeth looked at Poirot, who nodded hurriedly. "She's made wills before," Spence said. "It's been the same every time. Some go to charity, some go to old servants, but the main part is usually left to nephews and nieces, who are the closest relatives." relatives." "What about this special rider?" "Leaving the whole estate to the little girl," said Elspeth, "'because she took good care of me.' That's what it seems." "Tell me about that foreign girl again." "She's from a country in Central Europe with a very long name." ¨How long has she been with the old lady? " "More than a year." "You keep talking about the old lady, how old is she?" "Sixty is more like sixty-five-six." "Not too old." Poirot was a little excited. "She's made two or three wills, after all," said Elspeth, "like Bert said, all pretty much the same, leaving some money to one or two charities, and then maybe switching to another one." The name of the establishment, and maybe a change of what was left to the old servants, etc., the main inheritance was left to the nephew and niece; I think maybe there was a plan to leave some to an old cousin, but she passed away before she died. Yes. She left the bungalow she built to the gardener, let him live as long as he likes, and gave him a fixed income to maintain the garden for everyone to enjoy, it seems to be like this." "I think her family must have said that something unexpected caused her to suddenly lose her psychological balance and lead to her death?" "Maybe it was mentioned," Spence said, "but the lawyers immediately focused on the bogus will, which wasn't so good that they could almost spot it." "There is evidence that the foreign girl did it with ease," said Elspeth. "You know, she wrote a lot of letters to Mrs. Llewellyn Smythe, and Mrs. Llewellyn Smythe seemed I really don't like to write letters to my friends with a typewriter. As long as it is not an official document, she will say: "You can write it for me, the more you imitate the better, and sign it for me when you are done." Hear her say that. So I think girls are used to writing letters for her, imitating her handwriting, and then it occurs to her that she can do it without being noticed, so she does it. But as I said, lawyers have too much eyes It's sharp, and you can see it at a glance." "Mrs. Llewellyn Smythe's personal lawyer?" "Yes. Fullerton, Harrison and Leadbetter, a law firm with a good reputation in Manchester, has always handled various legal matters for her. Anyway, they are experts and have raised many questions, girl. Having to answer a lot of questions made her nervous, so she went out one day without taking half of her things. They were going to question her further, but she didn't want to sit still, so she slipped away. In fact, it is not difficult to get out of the country, As long as you pick the right time. Well, you don't need a passport to take a bus for a day trip around the continent. You just need to make a little arrangement with someone over there without much trouble. Most likely she It’s not sure whether it’s returned to China or concealed, or which friend it’s hidden in.” "And does everyone think that Mrs. Llewellyn Smythe died a natural death?" asked Poirot. "Yes, it doesn't seem like the matter was ever asked, I just said there was some possibility of an unnatural death, as it had happened and the doctor hadn't suspected it at all. Could it be that Joyce heard something?" , heard the foreign girl bring medicine to Mrs. Llewellyn Smythe, and the old lady said that the medicine tasted different today, or 'this medicine is much bitter' or 'it tastes weird'" "So you were there, Elspeth," said Superintendent Spence. "It's all just your imagination." "When did she die?" asked Poirot. "In the morning or in the evening? In the house, outside, or at a distance from home?" "Oh, in the house. One day when she came back from working in the garden she was very short of breath and said she was so tired she wanted to go to bed, and to make a long story short she never woke up again, medically speaking, Seems pretty normal." Poirot produced a small notebook.The words "victim" had already been written on the notebook.He went on: "First possibility, Mrs. Llewellyn Smythe." On the following pages he wrote the names of the others Spence had told him.he asked: "Charlotte, who is Benfield?" Spence replied quickly: "A sixteen-year-old shop assistant. Multiple head injuries, body found on a trail near the quarry woods. Two young men were the subject of suspicion, both of whom occasionally Go for a walk with her, there is no evidence." "Are they cooperating with the police in their investigation?" asked Poirot. "They weren't very cooperative, they were terrified, they made up some lies, they couldn't justify themselves. It wasn't decided that they were the murderers. But maybe it was one of the two." "What are they like?" "Peter, Gordon, twenty-one. Unemployed. Had a job or two that didn't last long. Lazy. Very good looking. Probation once or twice for petty theft. No violence. Records. Dafa does not make mistakes, small mistakes continue." "What about the other one?" "It's Thomas, Hurd, twenty years old, stuttering. Shy, a little nervous. Wants to be a teacher, but fails grades. Mother is a widow, spoils the child a little too much, doesn't like to let him have a girlfriend, does everything possible Tethered to him, he works in a stationery store. No prior convictions, but seems psychologically likely. The girl caused him a lot of pain. Jealousy was probably the motive, but there's no evidence, both of them Alibi, Hurd was with his mother and she swears to God he didn't leave the house that whole night, and no one can prove he wasn't there, and no one saw him anywhere, young Gordon was a bit of a friend Testify for him that he was not at the scene, who knows if their words are true or not, but who can refute them." "When did it happen?" "Eighteen months ago." "Where?" "On a field path not far from Woodley New Village." "Three-quarters of a mile away," said Elspeth. "Is it near the Joyces' house, the Reynolds' house?" "No, it's on the other side of the village." "It seems unlikely that it was the murder Joyce was talking about," said Poirot thoughtfully. "If you saw a young man punch a girl on the head, you would immediately think it was murder, no. It took a year and a half to understand." Poirot read another name; "Leslie, Ferrier." Spence said: "Law firm clerk, twenty-eight years of age, employed by Fullerton, Harrison & Leadbetter LLP in Manchester." "Those were Mrs. Llewellyn Smythe's personal lawyers, I think you said." "Exactly. That's them." "Leslie, what's the matter with Ferrier?" "He was stabbed a few times in the back. Not far from the Green Swan Hotel, it is said that he had an affair with the landlady's wife, Harry Griffin. She is a real beauty, and still has the charm. Maybe the teeth have changed a bit Longer, five or six years older than him, but she likes to provoke young ones." "What about the murder weapon?" "The dagger was not found. Leslie supposedly broke up with her and found another girl, but it was never quite clear who." "Well, who is the suspect in this case? The landlord or his wife?" "You're right," said Spence, "it's probably one of them, the wife seems more likely. She's half gypsy and has a temper. But maybe someone else did it, our Leigh." Slee was not a man of good character, got into trouble in his early twenties, made false accounts while working somewhere, was caught forgery, was said to have been brought up in a broken home, and so on. He begged for mercy. He didn't last long, and when he got out he was hired by Fullerton, Harrison, and Leadbetter." "Did he go the right way afterward?" "Ah, who knows, he seems to be honest and obedient to his bosses, but he did get involved in a few unclear transactions with his friends. He is a problematic youth, and he is more careful." "Then what is the possibility?" "Maybe it was done by some cronies. Once you join a rogue gang, if you let them down, there is no guarantee that someone will come to you with a knife." "What else?" "Well, he has a lot of money in his bank account, and the payment is in cash, and there is no clue as to who gave it to him, which in itself is suspicious." "Perhaps it was stolen from Fullerton, Harrison and Leadbetter?" suggested Poirot. "They said no, they had a chartered accountant who ran the books and supervised it." "And the police don't know where it might have been obtained?" "right." "This," said Poirot, "is not like the murder Joyce witnessed." He said the last name: "Janet White." "Found strangled on a short cut from the school building to her dormitory, she shared a house with another teacher, Nora Ambrose, and according to Nora Ambrose, Janet White often felt very Nervous, telling her from time to time that a certain man she dumped a year ago always sends her threatening letters. Nothing has been found out about that man, and Nora and Ambrose don't know his name or where he lives. Where." "Ah," said Poirot, "it's kind of like it." He put a big check next to Janet White's name. "Why?" Spence asked. "It's more like a murder that a girl Joyce's age might have witnessed. She might have recognized the victim as a teacher at her school, and maybe taught her, maybe she didn't know the killer, maybe she saw the two Wrestling, heard an argument between a woman she knew and a man she didn't know, but she didn't think much of it at the time. Janet, when was White killed?" "Two and a half years ago." "That's right," said Poirot, "and the timing fits, mainly because I didn't realize that putting both hands on Janet White's neck might mean strangling her as well as caressing her, but when she slowed As I grew older, I gradually found the correct answer.” He glanced at Elspeth. "Do you agree with my reasoning?" "I see what you mean," replied Elspeth, "but aren't you going the wrong way? Looking for the murderer of the child at Woodley New Village three days ago, instead of the murderer of a few years ago?" "We have traced from the past to the future," replied Poirot, "that is to say, from two and a half years ago to three days ago, so we have to consider - no doubt you have considered - in the Who among the party-goers in this village is involved in an old case?" "Then we can narrow down our target a little bit now," Spence said, "if we're not mistaken, and Joyce's death was connected to a murder she claimed to have witnessed earlier that day. She was in the Said that while getting ready for the party. Mind you, we could be wrong to take that as a motive, but I don't think we got it wrong, so we can say that she claimed to have witnessed a murder at the time, And one of the people who helped prepare the party that afternoon heard about it, and killed it at the first opportunity." "Who was there?" asked Poirot. "Here, I made a list for you." "Have you double-checked?" "Yes, I checked it several times, but it was difficult. Eighteen people were listed." The list of people present during the preparation of the Halloween party: Mrs. Drake (Master) Mrs. Butler Mrs. Oliver Miss Whittaker (Primary Teacher) Charles, The Reverend Cottrell (Vicar) Simon, Lamp Ching (Corrector) Miss Lee (Ferguson's Missing Potion Division) Ann, Reynolds Joyce, Reynolds Leopold, Reynolds Nicholas, Ransom Desmond, Holland Beatrice, Adelie Casey, Grant Diana, Bren Mrs. Tuggalton (cook) Minden missing (cleaner) Mrs. Goodberg (help) "Are you sure that's all?" "No," said Spence, "can't be sure, can't really figure it out, who's going to figure it out. You know, some people send things here and there, some people send some colored lights, some people send some mirrors, Some came with plates. Someone lent them a plastic bucket. These people brought the things over, exchanged a few words and left, and did not stay to help. Therefore, one of them may be ignored and forgotten. was there, and that person, even just for a while with the bucket in the hall, could have heard Joyce in the living room, you know, she was yelling. We can't limit ourselves to just this list , but that’s all we can do. Here you go, take a look, I’ve given a brief description next to the name.” "Thank you very much. One more question for you. You must have asked some of the people on the list who may have been at the party. Did anyone mention Joyce's account of the murder?" "I don't think so. There's no official record. I first heard about it when you told me." "Interesting," said Poirot, "or, it may be said, wonderful." "Obviously nobody took it seriously," Spence said. Poirot nodded thoughtfully. "I've got to meet with Dr. Ferguson, who must have done the surgery," he said. He folded the list Spence had given him and put it in his pocket.