Chapter 34 Section 12

Inspector Barto walked across the hall and met Mary Odin. "May I speak to you, Inspector General?" "Of course, Miss Odin. Shall we go in here?" He pushed open the dining room door.Lunch has been packed by Hasto. "I want to ask you something, Inspector. Of course you don't, you can't possibly still think that this--that horrible crime was committed by one of us? It must be someone from out there! Crazy!" "You can't be wrong, Miss Odin. If I'm right, this crime was committed by a madman. But not outsiders." Her eyes were wide open.

"You mean there's a man in the room who's—is crazy?" "That's what you think," said the Inspector General. "Someone with blistering mouth and slanted eyes. Crazy people aren't like that. Some of the most dangerous crazy outlaws look as normal as you and me. Usually, it's a matter of obsessions. An idea that gnaws at the soul and gradually deforms the whole soul. A poor, sane man comes to you and tells you how he is being persecuted and how everyone is watching. He—sometimes makes you feel like everything he says must be true." "I'm sure no one here has the idea of ​​being persecuted."

"I'm just giving an example. There are other forms of madness. But I believe that whoever committed this crime must have been under the sway of some paranoid idea - a idea until—until nothing else matters or matters except this idea.” Mary trembled.she says: "I think there's something you should know." She told him specifically about Mr. Traves's dinner here, and the story he told.Inspector Barto said with great interest: "He says he recognizes the person?—by the way, is it a man or a woman?" "I think the story was about a boy—but actually Mr. Traves didn't say—in fact, now that I think of it—he did say that he wouldn't say the sex or the age of the person."

"Really? Maybe that's kind of significant. He said the man had a definite physical trait that he'd recognize wherever he went." "yes." "A scar, maybe—does anyone here have a scar?" He noticed that Mary Odin hesitated before answering: "I haven't noticed." "Come on, Miss Odin," he said, smiling, "you noticed something. Don't you think I should know?" She shook her head. "I—I didn't notice." He could see the fear and uneasiness in her heart.His words had evidently stirred a very unpleasant train of thought in her, and he wished he knew what she was thinking, but experience told him that pressing her at such a time would lead to nothing.

He brought the subject back to Mr. Traves. Mary told him of the tragic end of that night. Ba Tuo asked her for a long time.Then he said calmly: "That's new to me, I've never touched it before." "What do you mean?" "I've never encountered such a simple murder method as the hanging block notice board on the elevator." She looked terrified. "You don't really think—" "Think it's murder? Of course it's murder! Quick, clever murder. Sure, that might not work—but it does. "Just because Mr. Traves knew—" "Yes. Because he can direct our attention to someone in the house. That's how we groped in the dark, with no one to guide us. But we've got a glimpse of the light now, and the case is getting brighter with each passing minute." One point. Let me tell you, Miss Odin - this is a murder carefully planned in every detail. And I want you to remember especially - don't let anyone know that you have told me that you just told Mine. Remember, this is important, don't tell anyone."

Mary nodded.She still looks like she can't figure it out. Inspector Barto came out of the dining room, continuing what he was about to do when Mary Odin stopped him.He's a methodical guy.He wanted some information, and new clues would not distract him from his original plan, no matter how attractive the new clues might be. He knocked on the door of the study, and Neville's voice came: "Come in." Neville introduced him to Mr Treroney, a tall, peculiar-looking man with shrewd, piercing black eyes. "I'm sorry to disturb you," Inspector Barto said apologetically, "but there is one thing I haven't figured out yet. You, Mr. Schunji, inherited half of the estate of the former Sir Marceau, but who inherited the other half?"

Neville looked surprised. "I told you I was too old." "Yes. But—" Ba Tuo coughed lightly, "Which wife is it, Mr. Shi Chunji?" "Oh, I see. Yes, it was an oversight on my part that I didn't make it clear. It was my wife Audrey when the will was made. Isn't that right, Mr Treroney?" The lawyer nodded. "The will was clearly written. The estate was divided equally between Sir Marceau's ward, Neville Henry Strunge, and his wife, Audrey Elizabeth Strunge (née Standish). Later The divorce did not affect this will." "I see, then," said Barteau. "I suppose Mrs. Audrey Schunk is fully aware of the facts?"

"Of course," said Mr Treroney. "And what about Mrs. Schunji now?" "Kay?" Neville looked a little surprised. "Oh, I guess so. At least—I've never talked to him much—" "I think you'll find," said Bardo, "that she's misunderstood. She thought that upon Mrs. Tricilian's death the property would go to you and your current wife. At least, that's how she made me feel this morning. That's why I'm asking you." clear." "How strange," said Neville, "though I think it might be rather misleading. Now that I think of it, she once or twice said, 'When Carmela dies we inherit,' but I I thought she was referring to sharing my share with me."

"It's strange," Ba Tuo said, "often when two people discuss a matter together, they misunderstand each other's meaning and don't even know what it means—each pointing to each other, but they don't find any differences." "I think so," Neville said.He didn't seem too interested. "Anyway, it doesn't matter much in this case. We're not short of money at all. I'm very happy for Audrey. She's always been tight, and this will make a big difference for her." Ba Tuo said bluntly: "But, sir, of course she got a maintenance from you at the time of the divorce?"

Neville blushed.He said in a suppressed voice: "There's a thing called—respect, Inspector. Audrey—has been steadfast in refusing the maintenance I wanted to give her." "A very generous sum," said Mr. Treroney, "but Mrs. Audrey Schunk has been refusing to accept it, and has returned it monthly." "It's very interesting," Ba Tuo said, and walked away without giving anyone a chance to ask him what he meant. He finds his nephew. "On the face of it," he said, "everyone in this case had a motive for getting rich. Neville Schunk and Audrey Schunk each got fifty thousand pounds. Kay Schunk thought she could get Fifty thousand pounds. Mary Odin gets an income to save her from having to make a living again. Thomas Lloyd, I must say, gets nothing. But we can include Hustow, and even Barrett, if We think she risked herself taking poison to avoid suspicion. Yes, as I said, everyone has a motive for money. However, if I am not mistaken, money has nothing to do with this case. If If there is such a thing as murder out of pure hatred, then this case is it. And even if no one comes to help me, I will catch this murderer!"

Later, when he wondered how he could say that last sentence——Andrew Macwhite had come to East Head Bay the previous Saturday.