N or M_ - Agatha Christie [71]
He leaned forward.
‘We want to do away with muddle and inefficiency. With bribery and corruption. With self-seeking and money-grabbing–and in this new state we want people like you and your husband–brave and resourceful–enemies that have been, friends to be. You would be surprised if you knew how many there are in this country, as in others, who have sympathy with and belief in our aims. Between us all we will create a new Europe–a Europe of peace and progress. Try and see it that way–because, I assure you–it is that way…’
His voice was compelling, magnetic. Leaning forward, he looked the embodiment of a straightforward British sailor.
Tuppence looked at him and searched her mind for a telling phrase. She was only able to find one that was both childish and rude.
‘Goosey, goosey gander! ’ said Tuppence…
II
The effect was so magical that she was quite taken aback.
Haydock jumped to his feet, his face went dark purple with rage, and in a second all likeness to a hearty British sailor had vanished. She saw what Tommy had once seen–an infuriated Prussian.
He swore at her fluently in German. Then, changing to English, he shouted:
‘You infernal little fool! Don’t you realise you give yourself away completely answering like that? You’ve done for yourself now–you and your precious husband.’
Raising his voice he called:
‘Anna!’
The woman who had admitted Tuppence came into the room. Haydock thrust the pistol into her hand.
‘Watch her. Shoot if necessary.’
He stormed out of the room.
Tuppence looked appealingly at Anna, who stood in front of her with an impassive face.
‘Would you really shoot me?’ said Tuppence.
Anna answered quietly:
‘You need not try to get round me. In the last war my son was killed, my Otto. I was thirty-eight, then–I am sixty-two now–but I have not forgotten.’
Tuppence looked at the broad, impassive face. It reminded her of the Polish woman, Vanda Polonska. That same frightening ferocity and singleness of purpose. Motherhood–unrelenting! So, no doubt, felt many quiet Mrs Joneses and Mrs Smiths all over England. There was no arguing with the female of the species–the mother deprived of her young.
Something stirred in the recesses of Tuppence’s brain–some nagging recollection–something that she had always known but had never succeeded in getting into the forefront of her mind. Solomon–Solomon came into it somewhere…
The door opened. Commander Haydock came back into the room.
He howled out, beside himself with rage:
‘Where is it? Where have you hidden it?’
Tuppence stared at him. She was completely taken aback. What he was saying did not make sense to her.
She had taken nothing and hidden nothing.
Haydock said to Anna:
‘Get out.’
The woman handed the pistol to him and left the room promptly.
Haydock dropped into a chair and seemed to be striving to pull himself together. He said:
‘You can’t get away with it, you know. I’ve got you–and I’ve got ways of making people speak–not pretty ways. You’ll have to tell the truth in the end. Now then, what have you done with it?’
Tuppence was quick to see that here, at least, was something that gave her the possibility of bargaining. If only she could find out what it was she was supposed to have in her possession.
She said cautiously:
‘How do you know I’ve got it?’
‘From what you said, you damned little fool. You haven’t got it on you–that we know, since you changed completely into this kit.’
‘Suppose I posted it to someone?’ said Tuppence.
‘Don’t be a fool. Everything you posted since yesterday