Nemesis - Agatha Christie [69]
‘It certainly might,’ said Dr Stokes, rather drily. ‘Identifying a male or female figure by their hair is certainly not easy these days.’ He went on, ‘What happened next?’
‘Well, the stone began to roll over. It sort of toppled over the edge and then it began to gain speed. I said to Emlyn, ‘Oh it’s going to go right over down the hill.’ Then we heard a sort of crash as it fell. And I think I heard a cry from below but I might have imagined it.’
‘And then?’
‘Oh, we ran on up a bit and round the corner of the hill to see what happened to the stone.’
‘And what did you see?’
‘We saw the boulder below on the path with a body underneath it — and people coming running round the corner.’
‘Was it Miss Temple who uttered the cry?’
‘I think it must have been. It might have been one of the others who was catching up and turned the corner. Oh! it was — it was horrible.’
‘Yes, I’m sure it was. What had happened to the figure you’d seen above? The man or woman in the red and black pullover? Was that figure still there among the stones?’
‘I don’t know. I never looked up there. I was — I was busy looking at the accident, and running down the hill to see if one could do anything. I did just look up, I think, but there wasn’t anyone in sight. Only the stones. There were a lot of contours and you could lose anyone quite easily from view.’
‘Could it have been one of your party?’
‘Oh, no. I’m sure it wasn’t one of us. I would have known because, I mean, one would have known by their clothes. I’m sure nobody was wearing a scarlet and black pullover.’
‘Thank you, Miss Crawford.’
Emlyn Price was called next. His story was practically a replica of Joanna’s.
There was a little more evidence which did not amount to much.
The Coroner brought in that there was not sufficient evidence to show how Elizabeth Temple had come to her death, and adjourned the inquest for a fortnight.
Chapter 17
Miss Marple Makes a Visit
I
As they walked back from the inquest to the Golden Boar hardly anyone spoke. Professor Wanstead walked beside Miss Marple, and since she was not a very fast walker, they fell slightly behind the others.
‘What will happen next?’ Miss Marple asked at last.
‘Do you mean legally or to us?’
‘I suppose both,’ said Miss Marple, ‘because one will surely affect the other.’
‘It will be presumably a case of the police making further enquiries, arising out of the evidence given by those two young people.’
‘Yes.’
‘Further enquiry will be necessary. The inquest was bound to be adjourned. One can hardly expect the Coroner to give a verdict of accidental death.’
‘No, I understand that.’ She said, ‘What did you think of their evidence?’
Professor Wanstead directed a sharp glance from under his beetling eyebrows.
‘Have you any ideas on the subject, Miss Marple?’ His voice was suggestive. ‘Of course,’ said Professor Wanstead, ‘we knew beforehand what they were going to say.’
‘Yes.’
‘What you mean is that you are asking what I thought about them themselves, their feelings about it.’
‘It was interesting,’ said Miss Marple. ‘Very interesting. The red and black check pullover. Rather important, I think, don’t you? Rather striking?’
‘Yes, exactly that.’
He shot again that look at her under his eyebrows. ‘What does it suggest to you exactly?’
‘I think,’ said Miss Marple, ‘I think the description of that might give us a valuable clue.’
They came to the Golden Boar. It was only about half past twelve and Mrs Sandbourne suggested a little refreshment before going in to luncheon. As sherry and tomato juice and other liquors were being consumed, Mrs Sandbourne proceeded to make certain announcements.
‘I have taken advice,’ she said, ‘both from the Coroner and Inspector Douglas. Since the medical evidence has been taken fully, there will be at the church a funeral memorial service tomorrow at eleven o’clock. I’m going to make arrangements with Mr Courtney, the local vicar, about it. On the following day it will be best,