Chapter 10 Chapter 10 The Jamestown Decision

Sitting across the table from Dr. Graham in the Jamestown Administrator's office was his old friend Deventry, a serious-looking young man of thirty-five. "From what you said on the phone, the tone was very mysterious, Graham," Devantry said. "Is there anything very wrong?" "I don't know yet," said Dr. Graham, "but I'm a little worried." Dai Wentrui stared at the other person's face, and he nodded when the wine was delivered.He talked casually about a recent fishing trip.After the servant had withdrawn, he leaned back in his chair, still looking at his guest.

"Well," he said, "you can tell me about it." Dr. Graham told him all his worries.Devantry whistled slowly and long. "Oh. So you think there's something wrong with old man Belgrave's death? You don't dare say it was a natural death anymore? Who signed the death certificate? Robertson. He didn't raise any doubts." Bar?" "No, but I think he signed the death certificate when he saw the bottle of sedative in the bathroom. He asked me if Belgrave was nervous, and I told him no, I didn't do it to him myself. Any medical diagnosis, but he could conceivably have talked about it with other guests at the hotel. All this—the bottle of pills, Balgrave talking to someone about his condition—made it clear that there was no reason Any doubts. His inference of death is very natural and reasonable. But now I feel that it is not necessarily correct. If it is my duty to issue a death certificate, I will issue it without hesitation. All signs are consistent with the cause of his death. If it weren't for the photo that disappeared, I wouldn't even think about it..."

"But, Graham, listen to me," said Deventry, "if you don't mind, I'm going to ask you, doesn't that take an old lady's very bizarre story too seriously? You know They're old ladies. They always exaggerate little things." "Yes, I know," said Dr. Graham, somewhat displeased. "Of course I do. I told myself that it might be so, and that it might be so. But I couldn't believe it, because what she said It was all very clear and very detailed." "The thing, I think on the whole, is pretty improbable," Devantry said. "An old lady was talking about a photograph that wasn't there—no, I'm Goofy—I meant something else, didn't I?—but the only lead you had was that the maid said the official bottle of pills was not in the Major's room the day before he died. But I could give you a hundred explanations for that. He probably kept the pills in his pocket all the time."

"I think it's possible, yes." "It's even more likely that the maid made a mistake. She didn't pay attention before." "It's also possible." "Then it's over." Graham said slowly, "That maid is quite sure." "You know people on St. Annori are fussy, emotional, impulsive. Do you think she might know more than she says?" "I think maybe so," said Dr. Graham slowly. "Then you should try to get her to speak out, unless we have definite evidence, we don't want to cause unnecessary trouble. If you don't think he died of high blood pressure, what should be the reason?" ?”

"In this day and age, there could be many reasons," Dr. Graham said. "You mean the reason why it leaves no trace at all?" "At least people who use poison don't do that," said Dr. Graham dryly. "We'd better be clear—what are you implying? Was the pill in the bottle altered? Was Major Balgrave poisoned?" "No--not really. That's just the opinion of that girl called Victoria. But she must be mistaken. If someone wants to kill the Major in one fell swoop, he can give him something else, like Put something in his wine or something. Then in order to arrange a natural death, he will put a bottle of blood pressure lowering pills prescribed by a doctor in his room. However, everyone has been rumored that he has high blood pressure bug."

"Who passed it on?" "I wanted to find out who it was—and I couldn't find it. The rumour-mongers are too shrewd. A says, 'I think B told me.' You ask B, and he says: 'I didn't say it, I remember C told me one day. C said again: "Many people have said it, and I think A has said it too." ’ And so the circle turned again. " "Someone is smart?" "Yeah. As soon as people found out about his death, everyone started talking about his high blood pressure, and it spread around, and everyone was repeating what everyone else had said."

"Isn't it easier to simply poison him to death?" "No. That would invite scrutiny"—and possibly an autopsy.Only in this way can the doctor recognize the death and issue a death certificate—as in this case. " "Then what do you tell me to do? Go to the Criminal Bureau? Tell them to dig up the grave and open the coffin for an autopsy? This is a big trouble." "You can always find a way not to alarm everyone." "Could it be, at St. Annori? Think it over, man! The vines are all over the place before the seed is planted. Anyway," said Devoutry, with a long sigh:

"Got to look it up, I guess. But, to tell you the truth, I think it's all shit!" "I really hope so," said Dr. Graham.