Cat Among the Pigeons - Agatha Christie [31]
“Detective Inspector Kelsey, madam,” said the Inspector.
“What would you like to do first, Inspector Kelsey? Do you wish to go out to the Sports Pavilion or do you want to hear full details?”
“The doctor is with me,” said Kelsey. “If you will show him and two of my men to where the body is, I should like a few words with you.”
“Certainly. Come into my sitting room. Miss Rowan, will you show the doctor and the others the way?” She added, “One of my staff is out there seeing that nothing is disturbed.”
“Thank you, madam.”
Kelsey followed Miss Bulstrode into her sitting room. “Who found the body?”
“The matron, Miss Johnson. One of the girls had earache and Miss Johnson was up attending to her. As she did so, she noticed the curtains were not pulled properly and going to pull them she observed that there was a light on in the Sports Pavilion which there should not have been at 1 a.m.,” finished Miss Bulstrode dryly.
“Quite so,” said Kelsey. “Where is Miss Johnson now?”
“She is here if you want to see her?”
“Presently. Will you go on, madam.”
“Miss Johnson went and woke up another member of my staff, Miss Chadwick. They decided to go out and investigate. As they were leaving by the side door they heard the sound of a shot, whereupon they ran as quickly as they could towards the Sports Pavilion. On arrival there—”
The Inspector broke in. “Thank you, Miss Bulstrode. If, as you say, Miss Johnson is available, I will hear the next part from her. But first, perhaps, you will tell me something about the murdered woman.”
“Her name is Grace Springer.”
“She has been with you long?”
“No. She came to me this term. My former Games Mistress left to take up a post in Australia.”
“And what did you know about this Miss Springer?”
“Her testimonials were excellent,” said Miss Bulstrode.
“You didn’t know her personally before that?”
“No.”
“Have you any idea at all, even the vaguest, of what might have precipitated this tragedy? Was she unhappy? Any unfortunate entanglements?”
Miss Bulstrode shook her head. “Nothing that I know of. I may say,” she went on, “that it seems to me most unlikely. She was not that kind of a woman.”
“You’d be surprised,” said Inspector Kelsey darkly.
“Would you like me to fetch Miss Johnson now?”
“If you please. When I’ve heard her story I’ll go out to the gym—or the—what d’you call it—Sports Pavilion?”
“It is a newly built addition to the school this year,” said Miss Bulstrode. “It is built adjacent to the swimming pool and it comprises a squash court and other features. The racquets, lacrosse and hockey sticks are kept there, and there is a drying room for swim suits.”
“Was there any reason why Miss Springer should be in the Sports Pavilion at night?”
“None whatever,” said Miss Bulstrode unequivocally.
“Very well, Miss Bulstrode. I’ll talk to Miss Johnson now.”
Miss Bulstrode left the room and returned bringing the matron with her. Miss Johnson had had a sizeable dollop of brandy administered to her to pull her together after her discovery of the body. The result was a slightly added loquacity.
“This is Detective Inspector Kelsey,” said Miss Bulstrode. “Pull yourself together, Elspeth, and tell him exactly what happened.”
“It’s dreadful,” said Miss Johnson, “it’s really dreadful. Such a thing has never happened before in all my experience. Never! I couldn’t have believed it, I really couldn’t’ve believed it. Miss Springer too!”
Inspector Kelsey was a perceptive man. He was always willing to deviate from the course of routine if a remark struck him as unusual or worth following up.
“It seems to you, does it,” he said, “very strange that it was Miss Springer who was murdered?”
“Well yes, it does, Inspector. She was so—well, so tough, you know. So hearty. Like the sort of woman one could imagine taking on a burglar single-handed—or two burglars.”
“Burglars? H’m,” said Inspector