Chapter 20 20

.20. Arriving at the Pinewood Nursing Home, Inspector Neal sat in the reception room facing an old gray-haired woman.Helen McCanzie looked young, but she was sixty-three years old.Her eyeballs were light blue and vague; her chin was thin and uncertain; her upper lip was long and twitched once or twice.She had a large book on her lap, and she looked down at it as Inspector Neal was talking to her.Inspector Neal recalled his conversation with the superintendent, Dr. Crossby. Dr Crossby said: "She was a voluntary patient, not a certified insane." "Then she is not dangerous."

"Oh, no, her spirit is probably normal, and talking to her is no different from ordinary people. Now she is in a good condition, and you can talk to her normally." Inspector Neil memorized this sentence and began to speak. He said, "Thank you, ma'am, for meeting me. My name is Neil. I've come to see you about a Mr. Fortescue who died recently—Mr. Rex Fortescue. I miss you know the name." Mrs. McCanzie's eyes were fixed on the book.she says: "I do not know what you're talking about." "Ma'am, Mr. Fortescue—Mr. Rex Fortescue."

Mrs. McCanzie said: "No, no, not really." Inspector Neil was a little taken aback.He wondered if this was what Dr. Crossby meant by "normal." "Mrs McCanzie, I think you knew him years ago." Mrs. McCanzie said, "No, it was yesterday." Inspector Neil hesitantly spoke his catchphrase: "I see." He also said: "I believe that many years ago, you went to his home 'Yew Shan Xiaozhu' to look for him." Mrs. McCanzie said: "The house is absolutely luxurious." "Yes, yes, so to speak. I think he once owned a mine with your husband in Africa. It's probably called the Black Thrush Mine."

Mrs McCanzie said: "I must read. Time is running out, I must read." "Yes, ma'am. Yes, I understand." There was a moment's silence, and then Inspector Neal continued: "Mr. McCanzie and Mr. Fortescue are going to Africa to survey mines." Mrs. McCanzie said: "That was my husband's mine. He found it and applied for the mining rights. He needed funds and went to Rex Fortescu. If I was smarter, if I knew better, I would never let him do it. " "No, I understand. They went to Africa together, and your husband died of a fever there."

Mrs. McCanzie said, "I've got to read." "Mrs. McCanzie, do you think Mr. Fortescue has lied to your husband about the Black Thrush?" Mrs. McCanzie, still looking at the book, said: "you are stupid." "Yes, yes, I dare say . . . but you know, it's so long ago that it's hard to track down something that's long past." "Who said it's over?" "I see. Don't you think it's a thing of the past?" "Problems are not solved until they are done fairly. The writer Kipling said it. No one wants to read Kipling these days, but he was a great man."

"Do you believe that the problem will be resolved fairly in the near future?" "Rex Fortescue is dead, isn't he? You said it." Inspector Neil said: "He was poisoned." Mrs. McCanzie laughed disconcertingly. She said, "Nonsense, he died of a fever." "I'm talking about Mr. Rex Fortescue." "Me too." She looked up suddenly, looked at him with light blue eyes and said, "Forget it, he died in his own bed, right? He died in his own bed?" "He died at St. Yode's," said Inspector Neal. Mrs. McCanzie said: "Nobody knows where my husband died. Nobody knows how he died or where he was buried. All that is known is Rex Fortescu. Rex? Fortescu is a liar!"

"Do you think there may be fraud?" "There is fraud, there is fraud, chicken and duck eggs, right?" "You think Rex Fortescu was responsible for your husband's death?" Mrs McCanzie said: "I had an egg for breakfast this morning and it was fresh. Isn't it strange to think that it happened thirty years ago? " Neil gasped.It seemed impossible for him to find anything, but he persevered. "Someone put dead black thrushes on Rex Fortescu's desk a month or two before he died." "Interesting, very, very interesting." "Ma'am, do you know who would do that?"

"It's no good to dream, you have to act. You know, I raised them for that, for action." "You mean your children?" She nodded quickly. "Yes, Donal and Ruby. They lost their fathers at nine and seven. I tell them, I tell them every day. I make them swear every night." Inspector Neal leaned forward. "What did you make them swear to?" "Of course I swore to kill him." "I see." Inspector Neil seemed to take it as the most reasonable word in the world. "Did they make a move?" "Donald went to Dunkirk and never came back. The authorities cabled me saying he was dead: 'Sorry to die in combat action.' Not the kind of action I mean, you know."

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Where's your daughter?" "I don't have a daughter," Mrs. McCanzie said. Neil said, "You mentioned her just now—your daughter Ruby." Her body leaned forward. "Ruby, yes, Ruby. Do you know what I do to Ruby?" "No ma'am, what do you do with Ruby?" Suddenly she whispered: "Read this book." Then he saw that she had a Bible on her lap--a very old Bible.She turned the front page, and Inspector Neil found that there were many names written on it.It was obviously a family Bible, and according to the ancient custom, every time a person was born, his name was written on it.With a thin index finger, Mrs. McCanzie pointed to the last two names: "Donald McCanzie" and his date of birth, and "Ruby McCanzie" and her date of birth.But Ruby McCanzie's name was underlined.

Mrs. McCanzie said: "Did you see? I've got her off the book. I've disowned her forever! I can't find her name after recording the angel." "You removed her? Why, ma'am?" Mrs. McCanzie looked at him slyly. "You know why," she said. "I don't know. Really, ma'am, I don't." "She doesn't keep her word, and you know she doesn't." "Madam, where is your daughter now?" "I told you. I don't have a daughter. There's no such thing as Ruby McCanzie anymore." "You mean she's dead?"

The woman suddenly laughed. "Dead? It would be better if she died. That's much better, much better." She sighed, fidgeting in her chair.Then she became very polite and said, "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't talk to you any longer. You know, there's not enough time, and I have to read." Inspector Neil asked again, but Mrs. McCanzie did not answer.She made only small, annoyed gestures, and went on reading the Bible, running her fingers along the lines. Neal got up to leave.He had a few words with the superintendent. He asked, "Have any relatives come to see her? Like a daughter or something?" "I think a daughter came to see her when the previous administrator was there, but the patient was very excited. So he persuaded the daughter not to come again. Everything was arranged through a lawyer." "You don't know where this Ruby McCanzie is?" The manager shook his head. "have no idea." "For example, you don't know if she's married or not?" "I don't know. I can only tell you the address of the lawyer we deal with." Inspector Neal had already approached the lawyers.They say they have no comment.Someone set up a trust fund for Mrs. McCanzie, and they managed it.Everything had been arranged years ago, and they had not seen Miss McCanzie since. Inspector Neil asked the hospital to describe Ruby McCanzie, and it was discouraging.There are too many relatives and friends who came to see the patient. After so many years, no one can remember clearly. Sometimes the appearance of certain A and certain B will be mixed together.The head nurse who served for many years seemed to remember Miss McCanzie as dark-haired and petite.The other nurse remembered her as heavy and blond. Inspector Neil reported to the Deputy Commissioner: "Look, sir. The case is crazy, but it fits together. There must be something special about it." The deputy director nodded thoughtfully. "The black thrush in the pie is related to the 'black thrush mine', the dead man had rye in his pocket, and Adele Fortescu had tea and honey bread (this is not clear. Anyone could have honey bread for tea, after all) - The third murder was a maid strangled to death by a clothesline with a clothespin stuck in her nose.Yes, the layout is crazy, but it cannot be ignored. " Inspector Neil said, "Wait a minute, sir?" "What's up?" Neil frowned. "What you said just now is not entirely correct. There is something wrong." He shook his head and sighed, "No, I can't remember it right now."