Chapter 26 26

26. Inspector Neil stared at Miss Marple and shook his head slowly. He said incredulously, "You mean Gretty Martin killed Rex Fortescue on purpose? I'm sorry, Miss Marple, but I don't believe it." Miss Marple said: "No, of course she didn't mean to kill him, but she did! You said for yourself that when you questioned her she was nervous and flustered, and seemed guilty." "Yes, but not guilty of murder." "Oh, I agree. I said she didn't mean to kill anybody, but she put taciline in marmalade. Of course she didn't think it was poison."

"What did she think?" Inspector Neil's tone was still full of suspicion. Miss Marple said: "I guess she thought it was a truth-telling drug. You know, the things that girls cut out of newspapers are very interesting and useful. It's the same from ancient times to modern times, you know. Beauty recipes Ah, the secret of attracting a sweetheart, and witchcraft, talismans, and miracles, etc. Now these are all under the heading of science. No one believes in magicians anymore, no one believes that someone can swing a stick and turn you into a frog.But if you read in the newspaper that scientists have injected a certain glandular hormone that changes your tissues so that you develop frog-like traits, everyone will believe it.Glady had read about all kinds of truth-telling drugs in the newspapers, and of course she believed them when he told her. "

"Who told her?" asked Inspector Neal. Miss Marple said: "Albert Evans. Of course that's not his real name. Anyway, he met her in a vacation camp in the summer, so he made a big show of courtship, wooed her, and I think he even mentioned to her about being wronged and persecuted.The point is that Rex Fortescu must admit his actions and make amends.Inspector Neil, of course I don't really know, but I'm pretty sure of it.He asked her to come here to work, and now there is a shortage of helpers, it is too easy to find a job.Staff come and go all the time.Later they agreed on a date.You remember his last postcard saying, 'Remember our days'.That's the great day for them to act.

Gladys had to put the medicine he gave her on top of the marmalade Mr. Fortescue would have for breakfast, and she put the rye in his pocket.I don't know what story he made up to her to explain the rye problem, but Inspector Neil, I told you from the beginning that Gretty Martin was easy to trust.In fact, she would believe anything if told to her by a pleasant young man. " Inspector Neil said in a confused tone, "Go ahead." Miss Marple continued: "It was probably agreed that Albert would visit Mr. Fortescue in the office that day, and when the truth-telling drug took effect, Mr. Fortescue would confess everything...then the poor You can easily imagine the girl's feelings when she heard of Mr. Fortescue's death."

Inspector Neil objected: "Then she will definitely say it?" Miss Marple asked: "When you questioned her, what was the first thing she said?" "She said 'I didn't do anything'," Inspector Neil said. Miss Marple said triumphantly, "That's right, don't you see that's exactly what she'd say? You know, if Gretty breaks the ornaments, she'll say, 'Miss Marple, I didn't do it. , I can't figure out how it's going to break.' Poor kids, they can't help it. They're terrified of what they've done and want to avoid blame. You don't think a nervous teenage girl kills someone without intending to kill Will you admit it? That would be too out of their nature."

Inspector Neil said: "Yes, I suppose so." He thought back to his interview with Gretty: she was nervous, upset, guilty, with dishonest eyes... It might not matter, or it might matter.He really couldn't blame himself for not coming to the right conclusion. Miss Marple went on: "As I said, her first thought was to deny it altogether. Then she sorted everything out in her head: Maybe Albert didn't know how strong the medicine was, maybe he was mistaken, Too much weight was given to her. She would make excuses for him, explain it. She must have wanted him to contact her, and of course he did, by phone."

"You know?" Neil asked abruptly. Miss Marple shook her head. "No, I admit it's speculative. But there were a couple of unexplained phone calls that day. That is, people called and Crump or Mrs. Crump answered and hung up. You know, he'd Do it. He called, waited for Glady to answer, and made her a date." Neil said: "I see, you mean she had a date on the day she died, to meet him." Miss Marple nodded sharply. "Yes, there are signs of that. Mrs. Crump is right. The girl has the best nylon stockings and a good pair of shoes. She's going to see somebody.

But she didn't go out to meet him, but he wanted to come to Zishan Xiaozhu.So she kept watch all day, flustered, and made tea very late.Then she carried the second tray into the hall, and I think she looked down the corridor to the side door and saw him there waving to her.She put down the tray and went out to meet him. " "So he strangled her." Miss Marple pursed her lips and said, "It'll only take a minute. He's afraid she'll tell and he won't take the risk. She's going to die, poor silly girl. And then... he put a clothespin up her nose." !” The old woman’s voice trembled with anger.

"It's for the rhyme. The rye, the black thrush, the tent, the honey bread, and the clothespin—that's the only thing he could find instead of the bird in the rhyme—" "I guess he'll end up in Broadmoor Asylum, and we can't hang him because he's crazy!" Neal said slowly. Miss Marple said: "I think you'll hang him, Inspector, he's not mad, he never was!" Inspector Neal stared at her. "Miss Marple, you have made an opinion to me. Yes—yes—you said you knew, but it was only an opinion. You said that there was a man responsible for these murders under the pseudonym Albert? Evans, met Gretty at summer camp and used her to achieve his own goals. This Albert Evans wants to avenge the black thrush mine. Are you implying Mrs. McCanzie's son Donna? McCanzie didn't die in Dunkirk, he's alive and planning all this?"

To the surprise of Inspector Neil, Miss Marple shook her head violently. She said: "Oh, no! Oh, no! I didn't hint at that. Inspector Neil, don't you see that the black thrush thing is all a disguise; One thing—someone took advantage of it. Black thrushes do exist. Someone knew about the past and wanted revenge, so he put the black thrush there.But the man only wanted to frighten Mr. Fortescue into making him uncomfortable.Inspector Neil, I don't believe that children are taught to grow up looking for vengeance.After all, children have reason too.But if a father was cheated and died for nothing, he or she might want to play a nasty trick on the culprit.I think so, and the murderer took advantage of it. "

Inspector Neal said, "The murderer? Come on, Miss Marple, tell me what you think of the murderer. Who is he?" Miss Marple said: "You won't be surprised, not really. When I say who it is, or I think it is, you'll see. One has to be exact, isn't he?—you'll see He was the kind of guy who would do these cases. He's sane, smart, and has no morals.Of course he was looking for money, maybe a lot of money. " Inspector Neil said beggingly, "Percival Fortescu?" but he knew he was wrong the moment he said it.Miss Marple did not portray a person like Percival Fortescue. Miss Marple said, "Oh, no, it's not Percival, it's Lance."