The Clocks - Agatha Christie [25]
“I live for my darlings,” said Mrs. Hemming. “They understand every word I say to them.”
Inspector Hardcastle walked in manfully. Unfortunately for him he was one of those men who have cat allergy. As usually happens on these occasions all the cats immediately made for him. One jumped on his knee, another rubbed affectionately against his trousers. Detective Inspector Hardcastle, who was a brave man, set his lips and endured.
“I wonder if I could ask you a few questions, Mrs. Hemming, about—”
“Anything you please,” said Mrs. Hemming, interrupting him. “I have nothing to hide. I can show you the cats’ food, their beds where they sleep, five in my room, the other seven down here. They have only the very best fish cooked by myself.”
“This is nothing to do with cats,” said Hardcastle, raising his voice. “I came to talk to you about the unfortunate affair which happened next door. You have probably heard about it.”
“Next door? You mean Mr. Joshua’s dog?”
“No,” said Hardcastle, “I do not. I mean at Number 19 where a man was found murdered yesterday.”
“Indeed?” said Mrs. Hemming, with polite interest but no more. Her eyes were still straying over her pets.
“Were you at home yesterday afternoon, may I ask? That is to say between half past one and half past three?”
“Oh yes, indeed. I usually do my shopping quite early in the day and then get back so that I can do the darlings’ lunch, and then comb and groom them.”
“And you didn’t notice any activity next door? Police cars—ambulance—anything like that?”
“Well, I’m afraid I didn’t look out of the front windows. I went out of the back of the house into the garden because dear Arabella was missing. She is quite a young cat and she had climbed up one of the trees and I was afraid she might not be able to get down. I tried to tempt her with a saucer of fish but she was frightened, poor little thing. I had to give up in the end and come back into the house. And would you believe it, just as I went through the door, down she came and followed me in.” She looked from one man to the other as though testing their powers of belief.
“Matter of fact, I would believe it,” said Colin, unable to keep silence any more.
“I beg your pardon?” Mrs. Hemming looked at him slightly startled.
“I am much attached to cats,” said Colin, “and I have therefore made a study of cat nature. What you have told me illustrates perfectly the pattern of cat behaviour and the rules they have made for themselves. In the same way your cats are all congregating round my friend who frankly does not care for cats, they will pay no attention to me in spite of all my blandishments.”
If it occurred to Mrs. Hemming that Colin was hardly speaking in the proper role of sergeant of police, no trace of it appeared in her face. She merely murmured vaguely:
“They always know, the dear things, don’t they?”
A handsome grey Persian put two paws on Inspector Hardcastle’s knees, looked at him in an ecstasy of pleasure and dug his claws in hard with a kneading action as though the inspector was a pincushion. Goaded beyond endurance, Inspector Hardcastle rose to his feet.
“I wonder, madam,” he said, “if I could see this back garden of yours.”
Colin grinned slightly.
“Oh, of course, of course. Anything you please.” Mrs. Hemming rose.
The orange cat unwound itself from her neck. She replaced it in an absentminded way with the grey Persian. She led the way out of the room. Hardcastle and Colin followed.
“We’ve met before,” said Colin to the orange cat and added, “And you’re a beauty, aren’t you,” addressing another grey Persian who was sitting on a table by a Chinese lamp, swishing his tail slightly. Colin stroked him, tickled him behind the ears and the grey cat condescended to purr.
“Shut the door, please, as you come out, Mr.—er—er,” said Mrs. Hemming from the hall. “There’s a sharp wind today and I don’t want my dears to get cold. Besides, there are those terrible boys—it’s really not safe to let the dear things