Chapter 6 chapter Five

1 Colonel Melchett sees a very irritated hotel manager.Also present were Superintendent Harper of the Glenshire Police and the inevitable Inspector Slack, who was extremely displeased with the Chief Constable's deliberate involvement in the case. Superintendent Harper tended to comfort the almost tearful Prescott - Colonel Melchett was curt. "It's no use crying," he said stiffly. "The girl is dead—strangled. You're lucky she wasn't strangled in your restaurant, so the investigation is in another county." Go ahead and your business will not be affected. But there are some things we have to figure out, and the sooner the better.You can trust us to act with care and tact.

So, I advise you not to beat around the bush.What do you know about this girl? " "I don't know anything about her. Josie brought her here." "Has Josie been here long?" "Two years—no, three years." "you like her?" "Yeah, Josie is a nice girl—a good girl, she's capable. She handles public relations, smooths out friction between people—you know, bridge is a delicate game—" Melchett The colonel nodded feelingly. His wife is keen on bridge, but her skills are extremely poor.Mr Prescott went on: "Josie is very good at defusing people. She's good with people—smart and decisive, if you know what I mean."

Melchett nodded again.Now he knew what Miss Josephine Turner reminded him of.Despite her make-up and well-dressed clothes, she definitely smells like a childcare worker. "I depend on her," continued Mr. Prescott.He started to get angry. "I don't know why she is so stupid to play on slippery rocks? We have a good beach here. Why doesn't she swim here? She slipped and sprained her foot. It's so unfair to me! I spend money To make her dance and play bridge and cheer the guests--not to swim to the rocks and break her treads. Dancers should watch their treads--no chances. I'm very annoyed about it. It's not fair to the restaurant."

Melchett interrupted his narrative. "So she suggested this girl—her cousin—in her place?" Prescott reluctantly agreed. "Yeah. Sounds like a good idea. You see, I don't pay extra. I can hire the girl, but the salary, she'll have to negotiate with Josie. That's the way it is. I don't know anything about the girl." .” "But she's doing well." "Oh, yes. There's nothing wrong with her--at least she doesn't look like that. She's young, of course--perhaps a low character for a place like this, but she's well-behaved--quiet, She's polite, she dances well, and people like her."

"is it beautiful?" That question was hard to answer from that bruised face alone. Prescott thought about it. "Fair to average. She's a little on the thin side, if you know what I mean. She's unremarkable without makeup. So she tries to look very attractive." "Are there many young people around her?" "I know what you mean, sir." Prescott cheered. "I never saw anything, nothing special. There was a young man or two around sometimes - but nothing surprising, nothing to do with strangulation. She got on well with older people too - she behaved Naive—like a child, if you know what I mean. That's what interests older people."

Superintendent Harper said in a low voice, "Mr. Jefferson, for instance?" The manager agrees. "Yes, Mr. Jefferson was one of those people in my head. She used to sit with him and his family. He sometimes goes for a drive with her in the car.Mr. Jefferson was very fond of young people, and was very kind to them.I don't want to be misunderstood.Mr. Jefferson is crippled; he has limited mobility - confined to the range of motion of his wheelchair.But he's always happy to watch the young people play - tennis, swimming, etc - and still throws parties here for the young.He likes young people - nothing bad can be said about him.He was a popular gentleman, and, I would say, a very fine man. "

Melchett asked: "Is he interested in Ruby Keane?" "I think her conversation amuses him." "Does his family like her as much as he does?" "They were all nice to her." Harper said: "He reported the girl to the police as missing?" He deliberately emphasizes the meaning and condemnation contained in this sentence.Immediately the manager said, "Mr. Harper, put yourself in my place. I never dreamed that anything would go wrong. Mr. Jefferson came into my office and he was very angry and very emotional. The girl was not in her own room." Sleeping in the room. Didn't go to the dance last night. She must have gone for a drive in the car, and there may have been an accident. The police should be called immediately! Investigate quickly! He was very bossy when he was agitated. At that time, he called the local police to report the case .”

"Didn't consult with Miss Turner?" "I can see Josie doesn't like it very much. She's very annoyed at the whole thing—I mean she's annoyed at Ruby. But what can she say;?" "I think," said Melchett, "we'd better see Mr. Jefferson. How about it, Harper?" Superintendent Harper agreed. 2 Mr. Prescott joined them to Conway.Go to Jefferson's apartment.The room is on the second floor overlooking the sea.Melchett said casually: "He's doing well, isn't he? He's rich?" "I think he's rich. He doesn't skimp when he comes here. Gets the best rooms - usually a la carte, expensive wine - the best of everything."

Melchett nodded. Mr. Prescott knocked softly on the door, and a woman's voice said, "Come in." The manager walked in, and the others followed. A lady sitting by the window turned her head to them, and Mr. Prescott said apologetically, "I'm sorry to bother you, Mrs. Jefferson, but these gentlemen are--the police. They would like to Talk to Mr. Jefferson. Oh—this is Colonel Melt—Supervisor Harper, Inspector—oh—Slack—this is Mrs. Jefferson." Mrs. Jefferson nodded to everyone she had introduced. An ordinary lady, that was Melchett's first impression.But when she spoke with a slight smile on her lips, he changed his original opinion.Her voice was particularly attractive and charming; her eyes were hazel, clear and beautiful.She was plainly dressed, but well fitted.He judged her to be about thirty-five.

She said: "My father-in-law was sleeping. He wasn't physically strong at all and it hit him hard. We had to call in a doctor. The doctor sedated him. I know he'll see you as soon as he wakes up. So What can I do for you now? Please sit down." Mr. Prescott, eager to go, said to Colonel Melchett: "Well--well--if that's all I can do?" As the door closed behind him, the atmosphere in the house became more relaxed and social.Adelaide Jefferson can create an atmosphere of tranquility.She never seemed to say anything startling, but she got people talking and made them feel at ease.At this point she said aptly: "We're all in shock about it. You know we see this girl a lot. It's unbelievable.

My father-in-law was very sad.He likes Ruby very much. " Melchett said: "I hear Mr. Jefferson reported her missing to the police?" He wanted to see how she would react to it.A little - just a little - annoyed?worried?He couldn't tell exactly what it was, but there must be something wrong, and it seemed to him that she was indeed straining, as if she were dealing with a difficult task. She said, "Yes, that's right. He's disabled and gets agitated easily. I tried my best to tell him that everything was normal and there must be a reason, and that the girl wouldn't want us to call the police. But he wouldn't listen. Nag ,” she made a small gesture—“he was right, we were wrong.” Melchett asked: "Mrs. Jefferson, what exactly do you know about Ruby Keene?" She thought about it. “It’s hard to tell. My father-in-law is very fond of young people and enjoys being around them. Ruby is a new type of person for him – she’s amused by her chatter. She often sits with us In the hotel, my father-in-law took her for a drive." Her voice indicated that she did not want to get involved.Melchett thought to herself, "She has something to say if she wants to." He said, "Can you tell me what you know happened last night?" "Of course. Not much of value, I'm afraid. Ruby sat with us in the lounge after dinner. She was still sitting there after the dancing started.We've arranged for a bridge game, and we're waiting for Mark, that is, Mark Gaskell, my brother-in-law—he's married to Mr. Make four together. " "Do you often play cards like this?" "Often. Josie is a first-rate poker player, and a nice fellow. My father-in-law is a big fan of bridge, and whenever possible he catches Josie instead of someone else for a fourth pal. Of course, she must There were four of us, so we couldn't always play with us, but she joined us whenever she could, and because—" she smiled slightly—"my father-in-law spent a lot of money here, Joe West pleases us and the manager is happy too." Melchett asked, "Do you like Josie?" "Yes, I do. She's always nice and pleasant. She works hard and seems to enjoy her job. Though she's not well-educated, she's shrewd and—never puts on airs. She's very natural and doesn't put on airs." "Go on, Mrs. Jefferson." "As I said earlier, Josie had to arrange a foursome for bridge. Mark was at: writing, so Ruby and we sat and chatted a little longer than usual. Then Josie came, and Ruby got up to dance her first pas de deux with Raymond—a professional dancer and tennis player.Mark had just joined us when Ruby came back.So she went dancing with a young man, and the four of us started playing bridge. " She stopped and made a helpless little gesture. "That's all I know! I caught a glimpse of her when she danced, but bridge is such a game of concentration that I barely looked at the dance hall beyond the glass wall. At midnight, Raymond came to find Josie He looked annoyed, and asked where Ruby was, and Josie told him to shut up, of course, but—” Superintendent Harper interrupted her, saying in his characteristic calm voice: "Why 'of course,' Mrs Jefferson?" "Well," she hesitated, and Melchett thought she was a little disturbed—"Josie didn't want to make a fuss about the girl's absenteeism. In a sense, she felt responsible for the girl. She said Lu Bee was probably upstairs in her bedroom, and said the girl had said earlier that she had a headache--I don't think that's true, by the way; I think Josie was just trying to make an excuse by saying that. Ray Mond went to call upstairs to Ruby's room, but there was apparently no answer because he came back looking very nervous and agitated. Josie left with him, trying to comfort him as best she could, and ended up talking to him for Ruby. Did the dance. She had a lot of stamina, and anyone could see afterwards that her heel hurt badly. After the dance she came back and tried to comfort Mr. Jefferson. He was very excited. We finally got him to go to bed, and we said to him Ruby probably went for a drive, maybe got a puncture. He went to bed worried. He was anxious again this morning." She stopped. "You all know what happened next." "Thank you, Mrs. Jefferson. Now I want to ask you, who do you think may have done it?" She answered immediately, "I don't know. I'm afraid I can't be of much help." He pressed, "Didn't the girl say anything? Didn't she say anything about jealousy? Was she afraid of a man? Or a man she was close to?" Adelaide Jefferson shook his head at every question. It seemed she had nothing more to tell them. The Superintendent suggested that they go to George Bartlett Jr. first, and then return to Mr. Jefferson.Colonel Melchett agreed, and the three of them went out, with Mrs. Jefferson promising to let them know as soon as Mr. Jefferson woke up. When the door closed behind him, the colonel said, "A fine woman." "A very nice lady indeed," said Superintendent Harper. 3 The young man George Bartlett was skinny and had a protruding Adam's apple, making it extremely difficult to express.He was shaking so badly that it was difficult for him to utter a calm word, "I said, it's terrible, isn't it? Like something you read in a Sunday paper—it makes you think it can't happen." ,do you know?" "Mr. Bartlett, it is a pity that this happened," said the Superintendent." "Of course, of course, there is no doubt about it.But this thing is really weird.Miles away from here, and, wait, those—in some house in the country, isn't it?Terrible Shire or something.Caused a bit of a commotion in the neighborhood - didn't it? " Colonel Melchett took over the conversation, "Mr. Bartlett, are you familiar with the dead girl?" George Bartlett looked taken aback. "Oh, no-no-no-not at all, first-first-sir. No, not at all-if you know what I mean. Dance with her once or twice-to kill Time - playing tennis - that's all." "I suppose you were the last to see her alive last night?" "Probably—doesn't that sound scary? I mean, she was all right when I saw her—exactly." "What time was it, Mr. Bartlett?" "Oh, you see, I never keep track of the hour—not too late, if you know what I mean." "Did you dance with her?" "Yeah—actually—oh yeah, I danced with her. Earlier in the evening. Listen, right after she'd just had a show dance with that professional lad. Must have been ten, ten Half-past, eleven o'clock, I don't know." "Never mind the time. We can be sure of that. Please tell us exactly what happened." "You know, we dance. I don't dance very well." "It doesn't matter how you dance, Mr. Bartlett." George Bartlett looked at the Colonel in alarm, and stammered: "No-oh-no-no-no, I don't think it matters. Like I said, we danced and spun and spun, I was talking, but Ruby didn't say anything, and she was yawning a little bit. I said I wasn't a very good dancer, and the girls just wanted to -- well -- take a break, if you know what I mean. She said she Headache - I knew when it was time to call it a day, so I said right away, okay, that's all." "What was the last time you saw her?" "She's going upstairs." "Did she say she wanted to see anyone? Or a drive? Or—or—an appointment?" The Colonel struggled with colloquial terms. Bartlett shook his head. "Didn't tell me." He looked very upset. "Just sent me away." "What's her expression like? Does she look anxious, absent-minded, preoccupied?" George Bartlett thought about it, then shook his head. "It seems a little annoying. I just said that she yawned and nothing else." Colonel Melchett said: "What did you do, Mr. Bartlett?" "Ok?" "What have you been doing since Ruby Keith left you?" George Bartlett watched him with wide eyes. "Let me see - what have I done?" "We are waiting for your answer." "Yes, yes—of course. Very difficult to recall, isn't it? Let me see. It probably wouldn't be surprising if I went into the bar for a drink." "Did you go into the bar for a drink?" "Yes, I did drink, but not at that time. You know? I seem to have been out, to get some air. It's still so hot in September, and it's nice outside. Yes, I remembered, I was in Went out for a walk, then came in for a drink, then went back to the ballroom. Not much to do. I noticed—what was her name—Josie—started dancing again. And that Mr. Tennis. She had retired Sick - sprained heel or something." "That means you came back at midnight. Do you mean to say you were out for more than an hour?" "You know, I had a drink. I was—I was thinking." This sentence is more credible than any sentence. Colonel Melchett asked sharply, "What are you thinking?" "Oh, I don't know. Thinking about something," said Mr. Bartlett vaguely. "You have a car, Mr. Bartlett?" "Oh, yes, I have a car." "Where is the car? Is it in the hotel parking lot?" "No, the car's in the yard. See, I might have wanted to go for a drive then." "Maybe you did go for a drive?" "No—no. I swear not." "Didn't you take Miss Keene for a drive?" "Hey, I said, what do you mean? I didn't—I swear I didn't. Listen to me, it's true. " "Thank you, Mr. Bartlett. I don't see anything wrong at the moment. At the moment." Colonel Melchett repeated emphatically. They were gone, and Mr. Bartlett watched their back with a comically frightened expression on his demented face. "Brainless little ass," said Colonel Melchett, "or not?" Superintendent Harper shook his head. "We still have a long way to go," he said.