The Floating Admiral - Agatha Christie [120]
8. Now what are they to do? Here they are with two boats, a car, a woman and a corpse. The easiest thing would be to let the Admiral float peacefully out to sea, but, with the tide running as it is, he would be down at the harbour in half an hour. Somebody would find him—and then there would be enquiries at Rundel Croft, and it is urgently necessary that Walter should go up there and collect the papers. Then, too, the search would at once be made up-river; blood and footprints would be discovered at Fernton Bridge. Much better to suggest that the crime was committed elsewhere. The Vicar’s boat—the Vicar’s hat—why not take the whole caboodle back to Rundel Croft and leave the Vicar to explain things as best he can? Walter will take the car to the house and get the papers and leave the forged permit-to-marry. Mrs. Mount and the miserable Denny must get the boats back as best they can, stream or no stream.
9. “By the way,” says Walter, “how did Mrs. Mount get here?” After a certain amount of harrying and bullying he gets the story out of her. Damn it! That chauffeur must be got rid of! Here they are—it is already twelve o’clock (for there has been a good deal of argument). No time to lose. Walter returns to the car and drives along to the Vicarage. The car has gone! This is puzzling and tiresome, but it is all the more imperative to make haste. He returns over Fernton Bridge and drives to Rundel Croft, concealing the car somewhere off the road. Here he gets in through the french window with Elma’s key, goes into the study and starts hunting for the papers.
10. The Car. Meanwhile the hired chauffeur has been getting impatient. His fare said she would only be a few minutes and here it is getting on for an hour. Nobody seems to have opened the door to her. The Vicarage is as dark as a tomb. He gets a strong impression that he has been bilked. He hoots violently several times and then walks up to the side-door, which is the first he comes to, and hammers on it. The Vicar, who sleeps over the side-door (servants and boys on the river side of house) looks out. What is the matter? Some parishioner dying? The chauffeur’s reply is unintelligible—to him—but he thinks he had better come down and see what it is all about. Chauffeur says, Will the lady be long, because he has got to get back to his garage, he has, for another job? Vicar says, What lady?—Lady what came in here. Describes lady. Is he going to get his money? Because, if not—shows every intention of making a disturbance. The Vicar, who with extreme uneasiness has recognised the description of the lady, does some quick thinking. At all costs a disturbance must be prevented. He makes some sort of explanation and pays the man off, after taking his name and the address of the garage. Then he returns and ponders. Where did his wife go? Why did she come? Perhaps she is over at Rundel Croft. He goes down to the boat-house. His boat is out. She must have gone across in it. He shakes his head over this. Obviously the poor woman is still under that scoundrel’s thumb. What will she do when she returns and finds the car gone? Obviously he must wait and explain what has happened. He will drive her himself if necessary. He returns and dresses; then sits in his bedroom to watch the road. (Why does not he watch the boat-house?