Nemesis - Agatha Christie [60]
‘Not so far as I know,’ said Mr Broadribb. ‘I just wondered a bit, though.’
‘Was it a road accident?’
‘No. It was at one of the beauty spot places. They were walking on a path up a hill. It was a stiff walk. Up a rather steep hill with boulders and things on it. Some of the boulders got loose and came rushing down the mountainside. Miss Temple was knocked out and taken to hospital with concussion and died — ’
‘Bad luck,’ said Mr Schuster, and waited for more.
‘I only wondered,’ said Mr Broadribb, ‘because I happened to remember that — well, that Fallowfield was the school where the girl was at.’
‘What girl? I don’t really know what you’re talking about, Broadribb.’
‘The girl who was done in by young Michael Rafiel. I was just recalling a few things which might seem to have some slight connection with this curious Jane Marple business that old Rafiel was so keen on. Wish he’d told us more.’
‘What’s the connection?’ said Mr Schuster.
He looked more interested now. His legal wits were in process of being sharpened, to give a sound opinion on whatever it was that Mr Broadribb was about to confide to him.
‘That girl. Can’t remember her last name now. Christian name was Hope or Faith or something like that. Verity, that was her name. Verity Hunter, I think it was. She was one of that series of murdered girls. Found her body in a ditch about thirty miles away from where she’d gone missing. Been dead six months. Strangled apparently, and her head and face had been bashed in — to delay recognition, they thought, but she was recognized all right. Clothes, handbag, jewellery nearby — some mole or scar. Oh yes, she was identified quite easily — ’
‘Actually, she was the one the trial was all about, wasn’t she?’
‘Yes. Suspected of having done away with perhaps three other girls during the past year, Michael was. But evidence wasn’t so good in the other deaths — so the police went all out on this one — plenty of evidence — bad record. Earlier cases of assault and rape. Well, we all know what rape is nowadays. Mum tells the girl she’s got to accuse the young man of rape even if the young man hasn’t had much chance, with the girl at him all the time to come to the house while mum’s away at work or dad’s gone on holiday. Doesn’t stop badgering him until she’s forced him to sleep with her. Then, as I say, mum tells the girl to call it rape. However, that’s not the point,’ said Mr Broadribb. ‘I wondered if things mightn’t tie up a bit, you know. I thought this Jane Marple business with Rafiel might have something to do with Michael.’
‘Found guilty, wasn’t he? And given a life sentence?’
‘I can’t remember now — it’s so long ago. Or did they get away with a verdict of diminished responsibility?’
‘And Verity Hunter or Hunt was educated at that school. Miss Temple’s school? She wasn’t still a school-girl though, was she, when she was killed? Not that I can remember.’
‘Oh no. She was eighteen or nineteen, living with relations or friends of her parents, or something like that. Nice house, nice people, nice girl by all accounts. The sort of girl whose relations always say “she was a very quiet girl, rather shy, didn’t go about with strange people and had no boy-friends.” Relations never know what boy-friends a girl has. The girls take mighty good care of that. And young Rafiel was said to be very attractive to girls.’
‘Never been any doubt that he did it?’ asked Mr Schuster.
‘Not a scrap. Told a lot of lies in the witness box, anyway. His Counsel would have done better not to have let him give evidence. A lot of his friends gave him an alibi that didn’t stand up, if you know what I mean. All his friends seemed to be fluent liars.’
‘What’s your feeling about it, Broadribb?’
‘Oh, I haven’t got any feelings,’ said Mr Broadribb, ‘I was just wondering if this woman’s death might tie up.’
‘In what way?’
‘Well, you know — about these boulders that fall down cliff sides and drop on top of someone. It’s not always in the course of nature. Boulders usually stay where they are, in my experience.’
Chapter 15
Verity