Hallowe'en Party - Agatha Christie [84]
‘You sound—disturbed.’
‘That is true. I have done what I can to take care of things, but I will admit to you that I am frightened. Yes, I am frightened in spite of the protective measure I have taken. Because, you see, we are—how shall I describe it?—we are up against ruthlessness, quick reactions, greed pushed beyond an expectable human limit and perhaps—I am not sure but I think it possible—a touch, shall we say, of madness? Not there originally, but cultivated. A seed that took root and grows fast. And now perhaps has taken charge, inspiring an inhuman rather than a human attitude to life.’
‘We’ll have to have a few extra opinions on this,’ said the legal man. ‘We can’t rush into things. Of course, a lot depends on the—er—forestry business. If that’s positive, we’d have to think again.’
Hercule Poirot rose to his feet.
‘I will take my leave. I have told you all that I know and all that I fear and envisage as possible. I shall remain in touch with you.’
He shook hands all round with foreign precision, and went out.
‘The man’s a bit of a mountebank,’ said the legal man. ‘You don’t think he’s a bit touched, do you? Touched in the head himself, I mean? Anyway, he’s a pretty good age. I don’t know that one can rely on the faculties of a man of that age.’
‘I think you can rely upon him, said the Chief Constable. ‘At least, that is my impression. Spence, I’ve known you a good many years. You’re a friend of his. Do you think he’s become a little senile?’
‘No, I don’t,’ said Superintendent Spence. ‘What’s your opinion, Raglan?’
‘I’ve only met him recently, sir. At first I thought his—well, his way of talking, his ideas, might be fantastic. But on the whole I’m converted. I think he’s going to be proved right.’
Chapter 24
Mrs Oliver had ensconced herself at a table in the window of The Black Boy. It was still fairly early, so the dining-room was not very full. Presently, Judith Butler returned from powdering her nose and sat down opposite her and examined the menu.
‘What does Miranda like?’ asked Mrs Oliver. ‘We might as well order for her as well. I suppose she’ll be back in a minute.’
‘She likes roast chicken.’
‘Well, that’s easy then. What about you?’
‘I’ll have the same.’
‘Three roast chickens,’ Mrs Oliver ordered.
She leaned back, studying her friend.
‘Why are you staring at me in that way?’
‘I was thinking,’ said Mrs Oliver.
‘Thinking what?’
‘Thinking really how very little I knew about you.’
‘Well, that’s the same with everybody, isn’t it?’
‘You mean, one never knows all about anyone.’
‘I shouldn’t think so.’
‘Perhaps you’re right,’ said Mrs Oliver.
Both women were silent for some time.
‘They’re rather slow serving things here.’
‘It’s coming now, I think,’ said Mrs Oliver.
A waitress arrived with a tray full of dishes.
‘Miranda’s a long time. Does she know where the dining-room is?’
‘Yes, of course she does. We looked in on the way.’ Judith got up impatiently. ‘I’ll have to go and fetch her.’
‘I wonder if perhaps she gets car sick.’
‘She used to when she was younger.’
She returned some four or five minutes later.
‘She’s not in the Ladies’,’ she said. ‘There’s a door outside it into the garden. Perhaps she went out that way to look at a bird or something. She’s like that.’
‘No time to look at birds today,’ said Mrs Oliver.
‘Go and call her or something. We want to get on.’
II
Elspeth McKay pricked some sausages with a fork, laid them on a baking dish, put it in the Frigidair and started to peel potatoes.
The telephone rang.
‘Mrs McKay? Sergeant Goodwin here. Is your brother there?’
‘No. He’s in London today.’
‘I’ve rung him there—he’s left. When he gets back, tell him we’ve had a positive result.’
‘You mean you’ve found a body in the well?’
‘Not much use clamming up about it. The word’s got around already.’
‘Who is it? The au pair girl?’
‘Seems like it.’
‘Poor girl,’ said Elspeth. ‘Did she throw herself in—or what?’
‘It wasn’t suicide