Chapter 24 twenty four

.24. Inspector Neil was sitting on the train to Baytown Heath, always unsuccessfully trying to solve the Times crossword puzzle.His mind was racing through the possibilities, and he couldn't concentrate.He was equally absent-minded when he watched the news.He saw an earthquake in Japan, a discovery of uranium in Tanganyiga, the body of a merchant seaman washed up near Southampton, and the imminent strike of longshoremen.He read about people being beaten to death with truncheons recently, about a new drug for a severe lung disease, and so on. The news created strange patterns in his mind.Soon he picked up the crossword puzzle again and wrote three solutions in a row.

By the time he arrived at "Yew Lodge", he had already made up his mind.He said to Sergeant Hay: "Where's the old lady? Is she still here?" "Miss Marple? Oh, yes, she's still here, and has become good friends with the old lady upstairs." "I see." Neil paused for a moment before saying, "Where is she now? I want to see her." Miss Marple came a few minutes later, flushed and breathing rapidly. "Inspector Neil, do you want to see me? I hope I didn't keep you waiting. Inspector Hay couldn't find me at first. I was talking to Mrs. Crump in the kitchen. I was complimenting her on her cakes and her workmanship." So flexible, tell her the soufflé was so good last night. You know, I often feel like it's better to get to the point, don't you? Guess it's not easy for you. You always have to ask what you're asking Question. But unnecessary gossip is to be expected for an old lady like me with a lot of time. As the saying goes, the way you get the chef's favor is through her pastry."

Inspector Neil said: "It was Gretty Martin you wanted to talk to her, actually?" Miss Marple nodded. "Yes, Gretty. You see, Mrs. Crump can really tell me a lot about her, not about the murders, I don't mean that; her recent state of mind speaks to her. Weird talk. What I call 'weird' is nothing special, just sporadic conversation." "Do you find it useful?" Inspector Neil asked. Miss Marple said, "Yes. I really think it works. You know, I think it clears up a lot, don't you think?" "Arguably yes, and arguably no," said Inspector Neal.

He was grateful to find Sergeant Hay out of the room, because what he was about to do was a little unconventional. He said, "Listen, Miss Marple, I want to have a serious talk with you." "Yes, Inspector Neil." Inspector Neil said: "You and I can say that we represent different views. Miss Marple, I admit that I have heard about your deeds at Scotland Yard before." He smiled: "You seem to be famous over there." Miss Marple was very disturbed: "Why? But I seem to get involved in things that don't concern me. I mean criminal cases and odd things."

"You're famous," said Inspector Neil. Miss Marple said: "Of course, Sir Henry Cisseling is a very good friend of mine." Neil added: "As I said, you and I represent opposite viewpoints, which can be said to be normal and abnormal." Miss Marple tilted her head slightly. "Inspector, I don't know what you mean by this sentence?" "Miss Marple, things can be looked at in a normal light. The murder has benefited certain persons--one in particular. The second murder has benefited that person as well. The third murder may as well." Said to kill for safety."

"But which one do you mean by the third murder?" asked Miss Marple. Her eyes were bright porcelain blue and she was looking shrewdly at the Inspector, who nodded. "Yes, you're right. You know, when the Deputy Commissioner was talking to me about these murders the other day, I always felt that something he said was not quite right. By the way, I was thinking of that nursery rhyme. The king is in In the tent, the queen is in the drawing room, and the maid is drying the laundry." Miss Marple said: "Yes, the context is in that order, but in fact Gretty must have been killed before Mrs. Fortescue, mustn't she?"

Neil said: "I think so. I'm sure. Her body wasn't found until late at night, and it's hard to know how long she'd been dead then. Personally, though, I think she must have been killed around five o'clock, or else... ..." Miss Marple interrupted. "Otherwise she must have carried the second tray into the parlor?" "Yes. She brought in the tea tray, went for a second tray, went into the hall, and it happened. She saw or heard a phenomenon. The question was what that phenomenon was. Maybe it was Dubose who Mrs. Tescu's room went downstairs. Maybe it was Gerald Wright, Ellen Fortescue's boyfriend, who entered the house through the side door.

Whoever it was, he induced her to put down the tray and go into the garden.I think she died soon after.It was cold outside, and she wore only a thin uniform. " Miss Marple said: "You're quite right. I mean, there's no such thing as a 'maid hanging clothes in the garden.' Go over the clothesline. This and the clothespins are a disguise to make the situation fit the nursery rhyme." Inspector Neil said, "Yes, that's crazy. That's where I disagree with you. I can't--I just can't take this thing about nursery rhymes." "But Inspector, the murder case matches the nursery rhyme. You must agree that the two match."

Neil said heavily, "It does match, but the order is wrong. I mean, the nursery rhyme says the maid is the third dead. But we know the queen is the third. Adele Fortescu Killed between five twenty-five and five to six. Gladys was dead then." Miss Marple said: "It's all wrong, isn't it? It's all wrong as a nursery rhyme--that means a lot, doesn't it?" Inspector Neil shrugged. "Perhaps I'm nitpicking. The murder fits the rhyme, I guess, and that's enough. But I'm speaking from your point of view. Now I'm going to set out my side of the case. I'm going to get rid of the black thrush, The rye... wait for the side, I'm going to start with simple facts, common sense, and the reasons why normal people murder. First of all, the murder of Rex Fortescue. Who benefits from his death? The profit There were a lot of people, but it was his son Percival who profited the most. Percival wasn't at Yew Cottage that morning, and he couldn't possibly have poisoned Father's coffee or breakfast food—at least that's what we thought at first."

Miss Marple's eyes lit up: "Ah, there is a way, isn't it? You know, I've been thinking about this and have several ideas. But I couldn't find any evidence at the time." Inspector Neil said: "It doesn't hurt to let you know. The 'tassine' was added to a new bottle of marmalade. That was on the breakfast table, and Mr. Fortescue had eaten the top layer." .Someone threw that bottle of marmalade in the bushes, took a new bottle, scooped out the same amount and put it in the pantry. Then the bottle in the bushes was found, and I just learned the results of the tests, it definitely contained' Taci'in' right."

Miss Marble murmured: "So it's so simple and easy to do." Neil added: "Consolidated Investments isn't doing well. If the firm paid Adele Fortescue a hundred thousand pounds in accordance with old Fortescue's will, the firm would probably go bankrupt. As long as Mrs. Fortescue She had to pay her the extra month of life after her husband's death. She didn't care about the company or the company's plight. But she died less than a month after her husband's death, and the beneficiary of her death was Rex? Fortescu's remaining heir. In other words, Percival Fortescu again." "It's always Percival Fortescue," the inspector grumbled. "But, though he can do something in marmalade, he can't poison his stepmother or strangle Gretty." According to the secretary, at five o'clock that afternoon He was in the downtown office and didn't get back here until nearly seven o'clock." Miss Marple said: "It's going to be hard, isn't it?" Inspector Neil said gloomily: "This is simply impossible. In other words, the suspicion of Percival has been removed." He was no longer depressed and apprehensive, speaking with a bit of bitterness, and hardly felt the presence of the listener. "Wherever I go, wherever I turn, I always run into the same guy: Percival Fortescue! And yet it can't be Percival Fortescue," he said, recovering slightly. : "Oh, there are other possibilities, there are other people with sufficient motives." Miss Marple said aloud, "Mr. Dubose, of course, and young Mr. Wright. I agree with you, Inspector. When it comes to benefits, we are a little more suspicious, and we must avoid trusting others." Neil couldn't help but smile. "Always expect the worst, eh?" he asked. It seemed strange that this charming and fragile old lady should believe in such a doctrine. Miss Marple said earnestly: "Oh, yes, I've always believed in the worst. Sad to say, it often turns out to be right." Neil said, "Well, we're going for the worst. It could be Dubose, it could be Gerald Wright—that is, if he conspires with Ellen Fortescue, If it's up to her to do something in the marmalade - I think it's possible that Mrs. Percival was there too. She's there. But none of the people I've mentioned fit the madness. They're the same as the black thrush and the rye in the pocket Nothing to do with it. That's your theory, and you're probably right.If so, the suspect would be condensed into one person, right?Mrs. McCanzie was in a mental institution, and had been for many years.She doesn't mess with marmalade, or put cyanide in afternoon tea.Her son was killed in Dunkirk.That leaves only her daughter, Ruby McCanzie.If your theory is correct, if the string of murders started at the old Black Thrush Mine, then Ruby McCanzie must be in the house, and only one person could be Ruby McCanzie. " Miss Marple said, "I think you're a little too assertive." Inspector Neal ignored her. He said viciously, "There is only one person." He stood up and walked out of the room. Mary Douf in her own living room.It was a small room with simple decoration, but it was very comfortable. It can be said that Miss Doufu herself gave it a comfortable atmosphere.When Inspector Neal knocked on the door, Mary Douf was looking at a pile of retailer's account books. She looked up and said in a clear voice: "Come in." The Inspector went into the house. "Please sit down, Inspector." Miss Dou Fu pointed to a chair. "Would you wait a minute? The fishmonger's ledger doesn't look quite right. I need to check." Inspector Neil sat silently watching her while she tallied the accounts.He thought to himself: This girl is so peaceful and composed.As usual, he was curious about the true character hidden behind that confident exterior.He noticed any resemblance in her outline to the women he had seen at Pinewood Sanitarium.The skin color is a bit similar, but there is no similarity in the face.Presently Mary Douf looked up and said: "What, Inspector? Is there anything I can do for you?" Inspector Neil said quietly: "Miss Dou Fu, you know that this case has several very strange features." "Ok?" "First of all, Mr. Fortescue has rye in his pocket, which is quite strange." Mary Douf agreed: "It's really unusual. You know I can't think of any explanation." "And then there was the strange thing about the black thrush. There were four dead black thrushes on Mr. Fortescue's table in the summer, and the beef and ham in the pie were replaced with black thrushes. Miss Douf, I think two things happened. You were here all the time, right?" "Yes, yes, now that I think about it. It's infuriating. It was a purposeless and vicious act, especially at the time." "Perhaps there is no purpose. Miss Dou Fu, how much do you know about the Black Thrush Mine?" "I don't think I've heard of the Black Thrush Mine, have I?" "You said your name was Mary Douf. Is that your real name, Miss Douf?" Mary Douf raised her eyebrows.Inspector Neil felt a wary gleam in her blue eyes. "Extraordinary question, Inspector. Are you implying that my name is not Mary Douf?" Neil said cheerfully, "That's exactly what I meant. I implied your name was Ruby McCanzie." She glared at him.For a while her expression was blank, showing neither protest nor surprise.Inspector Neal thought to himself: That face gave the impression that she was planning something.It was a minute or two before she said in a calm, featureless voice: "What do you expect me to say?" "Please answer my question. Is your name Ruby McCanzie?" "I already told you my name is Mary Douf." "But do you have proof, Miss Doufu?" "What do you want to see? My birth certificate?" "It might work, it might not. I mean, you might have a birth certificate called Mary Douf. That Mary Douf might be a friend of yours or someone who's dead." Mary? Douf's voice has a playful meaning again. "Yes, there are many possibilities, are they not? Inspector, you are in a dilemma?" Neal said, "Someone at Pinewood probably recognizes you." Mary raised her eyebrows. "Pinewood Sanitarium! What is Pinewood Sanitarium, and where is it?" "I think you know it very well, Miss Doufu." "I tell you, I have absolutely no idea." "You categorically deny that you are Ruby McCanzie?" "I don't really want to deny anything. You know, Inspector, I think it's up to you to prove that I'm this Ruby McCanzie—whoever she is." There was something playful and challenging about her blue eyes now.Mary Douf looked him straight in the eyes and said, "Yes, Inspector, it's all up to you. If you can, prove I'm Ruby McCanzie."