Spider's Web - Agatha Christie [42]
The Inspector said nothing, but merely looked thoughtful.
Sir Rowland stood up, tucked his chair under the table, and walked over to the sofa. Then, turning to address the police officer again, he suggested, ‘Don’t you think, Inspector, that you’re on the wrong track altogether? Why should you be so certain that it was a person Costello came here to see? Why couldn’t it have been a place?’
The Inspector now looked perplexed. ‘What do you mean, sir?’ he asked.
‘When you were talking to us about the late Mr Sellon,’ Sir Rowland reminded him, ‘you mentioned that the Narcotics Squad took an interest in him. Isn’t there a possible link there? Drugs–Sellon–Sellon’s house?’
He paused but, receiving no reaction from the Inspector, continued, ‘Costello has been here once before, I understand, ostensibly to look at Sellon’s antiques. Supposing Oliver Costello wanted something in this house. In that desk, perhaps.’
The Inspector glanced at the desk, and Sir Rowland expanded on his theory. ‘There is the curious incident of a man who came here and offered an exorbitant price for that desk. Supposing it was that desk that Oliver Costello wanted to examine–wanted to search, if you like. Supposing that he was followed here by someone. And that that someone struck him down, there by the desk.’
The Inspector did not seem impressed. ‘There’s a good deal of supposition–’ he began, only to be interrupted by Sir Rowland who insisted, ‘It’s a very reasonable hypothesis.’
‘The hypothesis being,’ the Inspector queried, ‘that this somebody put the body in the recess?’
‘Exactly.’
‘That would have to be somebody who knew about the recess,’ the Inspector observed.
‘It could be someone who knew the house in Sellon’s time,’ Sir Rowland pointed out.
‘Yes, that’s all very well, sir,’ the Inspector replied impatiently, ‘but it still doesn’t explain one thing–’
‘What is that?’ asked Sir Rowland.
The Inspector looked at him steadily. ‘Mrs Hailsham-Brown knew the body was in that recess. She tried to prevent us looking there.’
Sir Rowland opened his mouth to speak, but the Inspector held up a hand and continued, ‘It’s no good trying to convince me otherwise. She knew.’
For a few moments, a tense silence prevailed. Then Sir Rowland said, ‘Inspector, will you allow me to speak to my ward?’
‘Only in my presence, sir,’ was the prompt reply.
‘That will do.’
The Inspector nodded. ‘Jones!’ The Constable, understanding what was required, left the room.
‘We are very much in your hands, Inspector,’ Sir Rowland told the police officer. ‘I will ask you to make what allowances you can.’
‘My one concern is to get at the truth, sir, and to find out who killed Oliver Costello,’ the Inspector replied.
Chapter 17
The Constable came back into the room, holding the door open for Clarissa.
‘Come in here, please, Mrs Hailsham-Brown,’ the Inspector called. As Clarissa entered, Sir Rowland went over to her. He spoke very solemnly. ‘Clarissa, my dear,’ he said. ‘Will you do what I ask you? I want you to tell the Inspector the truth.’
‘The truth?’ Clarissa echoed, sounding very doubtful.
‘The truth,’ Sir Rowland repeated with emphasis. ‘It’s the only thing to do. I mean it. Seriously.’ He looked at her steadily and indeed seriously for a moment, and then left the room. The Constable closed the door after him and resumed his seat for note-taking.
‘Do sit down, Mrs Hailsham-Brown,’ the Inspector invited her, this time indicating the sofa.
Clarissa smiled at him, but the look he returned was a stern one. She moved slowly to the sofa, sat, and waited for a moment before speaking. Then, ‘I’m sorry,’ she told him. ‘I’m terribly sorry I told you all those lies. I didn’t mean to.’ She did indeed sound rueful as she continued, ‘One gets into things, if you know what I mean?’
‘I can’t say that I do know,’ the Inspector replied coldly. ‘Now, please just give me the facts.’
‘Well, it’s really all quite simple,’ she explained, ticking off the facts on her fingers as she spoke. ‘First, Oliver Costello left. Then, Henry came