N or M_ - Agatha Christie [72]
He put his watch down on the table.
‘Three minutes, Mrs Thomas Beresford.’
The clock on the mantelpiece ticked.
Tuppence sat quite still with a blank impassive face.
It revealed nothing of the racing thoughts behind it.
In a flash of bewildering light she saw everything–saw the whole business revealed in terms of blinding clarity and realised at last who was the centre and pivot of the whole organisation.
It came quite as a shock to her when Haydock said:
‘Ten seconds more…’
Like one in a dream she watched him, saw the pistol arm rise, heard him count:
‘One, two, three, four, five–’
He had reached eight when the shot rang out and he collapsed forward on his chair, an expression of bewilderment on his broad red face. So intent had he been on watching his victim that he had been unaware of the door behind him slowly opening.
In a flash Tuppence was on her feet. She pushed her way past the uniformed men in the doorway, and seized on a tweed-clad arm.
‘Mr Grant.’
‘Yes, yes, my dear, it’s all right now–you’ve been wonderful–’
Tuppence brushed aside these reassurances.
‘Quick! There’s no time to lose. You’ve got a car here?’
‘Yes.’ He stared.
‘A fast one? We must get to Sans Souci at once. If only we’re in time. Before they telephone here, and get no answer.’
Two minutes later they were in the car, and it was threading its way through the streets of Leatherbarrow. Then they were out in the open country and the needle of the speedometer was rising.
Mr Grant asked no questions. He was content to sit quietly whilst Tuppence watched the speedometer in an agony of apprehension. The chauffeur had been given his orders and he drove with all the speed of which the car was capable.
Tuppence only spoke once.
‘Tommy?’
‘Quite all right. Released half an hour ago.’
She nodded.
Now, at last, they were nearing Leahampton. They darted and twisted through the town, up the hill.
Tuppence jumped out and she and Mr Grant ran up the drive. The hall door, as usual, was open. There was no one in sight. Tuppence ran lightly up the stairs.
She just glanced inside her own room in passing, and noted the confusion of open drawers and disordered bed. She nodded and passed on, along the corridor and into the room occupied by Mr and Mrs Cayley.
The room was empty. It looked peaceful and smelt slightly of medicines.
Tuppence ran across to the bed and pulled at the coverings.
They fell to the ground and Tuppence ran her hand under the mattress. She turned triumphantly to Mr Grant with a tattered child’s picture-book in her hand.
‘Here you are. It’s all in here–’
‘What on–?’
They turned. Mrs Sprot was standing in the doorway staring.
‘And now,’ said Tuppence, ‘let me introduce you to M! Yes. Mrs Sprot! I ought to have known it all along.’
It was left to Mrs Cayley arriving in the doorway a moment later to introduce the appropriate anticlimax.
‘Oh dear,’ said Mrs Cayley, looking with dismay at her spouse’s dismantled bed. ‘Whatever will Mr Cayley say?’
Chapter 15
‘I ought to have known it all along,’ said Tuppence.
She was reviving her shattered nerves by a generous tot of old brandy, and was beaming alternately at Tommy and at Mr Grant–and at Albert, who was sitting in front of a pint of beer and grinning from ear to ear.
‘Tell us all about it, Tuppence,’ urged Tommy.
‘You first,’ said Tuppence.
‘There’s not much for me to tell,’ said Tommy. ‘Sheer accident let me into the secret of the wireless transmitter. I thought I’d get away with it, but Haydock was too smart for me.’
Tuppence nodded and said:
‘He telephoned to Mrs Sprot at once. And she ran out into the drive and laid in wait for you with the hammer. She was only away from the bridge table for about three minutes. I did notice she was a little out of breath–but I never suspected her.’
‘After that,’ said Tommy, ‘the credit belongs entirely to Albert.