May 15, 2025 • 21 mins
Penned by Alfred Walter Stewart under the pseudonym J.J. Connington, Case With Nine Solutions introduces us to the astute and highly regarded police professional, Sir Clinton Driffield. Thrust into a tangled web of murder, Driffield and his loyal sidekick, Inspector Flamborough, must sift through nine possible scenarios to uncover the truth. This complex case brings a beguiling temptress, her unsuspecting husband, a clandestine admirer, and a smitten young man into the mix. As the pair delve deeper into the mystery, they navigate a labyrinth of scientific evidence, cryptic messages, and rely on their sharp deductive reasoning skills to solve the murder.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter fifteen of the Case with Nine Solutions by J. J. Connington.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain Sir Clinton's
double Two days after the interview with Markfield and his
colleague at the Crowthornton Institute, Inspector Flamborough came into Sir
Clinton's office, obviously in a state of faint trepidation. I've
(00:24):
arrested Silverdale this morning, Sir, he announced, in a voice
which betrayed that he was not quite sure whether this
step would meet a superior's approval. The Chief Constable exhibited
neither surprise nor disapproval at the news. I shouldn't care
to say that you've got a complete case against him, Inspector,
not yet at any rate. But he's got himself to
(00:45):
thank for his troubles, and now I expect things will
begin to move a bit quicker in the case. Mister
Justice will be calling up his last reserves. Flamborough seemed
to feel that his action needed some justification, though Sir
Clinton had asked for none. Well, Sir, it seems to
me we had to forced all the possible bolt on
(01:05):
Silverdale's part. There's quite enough evidence to justify his detention
on suspicion. In the meantime, there's just one point I'd
like to know about, Sir Clinton said, disregarding the inspector's statement.
You've got four deaths to choose from which of them
are you going to select as your main case? You
can hardly put him on trail for all four simultaneously.
(01:27):
There's nothing against it legally, but you confuse the jury.
I'm afraid I thought the Bungalow business would be best, Sir.
There's a fair chance of establishing a motive in it,
whereas in the Heatherfield affair there's only conjecture as to
what he was after. And in the Waldi case, we
simply haven't got enough evidence apart from the jacket unless
we can prove that Silverdale was the Bungalow murderer. And
(01:50):
if we can prove that, then there's no need to
enter into the Waldy case at all. Sir Clinton acquiesced
with a nod. The Bungalow affair is the key to
the whole series, he admitted, without qualification. There was a
knock at the door and a constable entered. A young
lady wants to see you, sir, he announced, as he
crossed the room and handed a card to the Chief Constable.
(02:11):
She insisted that she must see you personally. There's a
woman with her. Send her up, Sir Clinton ordered, after
a glance at the card. When the Constable had left
the room, Sir Clinton flicked the tiny oblong of paceboard
across his desk to the inspector, who picked it up
Miss Savis deep Car. He read, What the deuce can
she be wanting here? Calm yourself, Inspector. The next installment
(02:35):
will be published in a moment or two. You'd better
wait here while she interviews me. When Avis deep Car
entered the office, Flamborough was puzzled by her manner. She
seemed to be agitated, but it was not the sort
of agitation he had expected. When she spoke, it sounded
as if she were both indignant and perturbed. You're Sir
(02:56):
Clinton Driffield, aren't you, she demanded, Scanning the chief coms closely,
the Chief Constable confessed to his identity. Then I'll come
straight to the point, Avis said, What is the meaning
of your visiting my house last night, terrorizing my maid
and making a search through my private papers. I'm going
to see my solicitor about it. I don't believe it's legal,
(03:19):
but in the meantime, I want to know why you
did it. Flamborough was completely taken aback by this charge.
He stared open mouth at his superior. Sir Clinton occasionally
did things which mystified him, but this seems something completely
out of the common He must have got a search
warrant without saying anything about it to me, the inspector reflected,
(03:41):
But why on earth didn't he take me with him,
even if he wanted to go through your papers? Personally?
Sir Clinton's face had become an inscrutable mask. Perhaps you
wouldn't mind being a little more explicit, Miss steep Car,
he suggested, I'm not quite sure that I understand your grievance.
Have a steep Car's face showed that she had nothing
but contempt for this apparent quibbling. If you think it
(04:04):
worth while, I'll give you details, she said, disdainfully. But
you're not thinking of denying it, are you. I've got
a witness to prove the facts, you know. With a gesture,
Sir Clinton invited her to tell his story. I've been
away from home for a day or two, Avis began.
This morning, I came back to Westerhaven by the eleven
o'clock train, and drove to my house in a taxi.
(04:26):
I left my mate alone in the house while I
was away, and when I got home again, I found
her in a great state of excitement. It seems that
last night you came to the door, showed her your card,
and told her that you had come to search the
house on some matter connected with these awful murders. Naturally,
she was greatly shocked, but there was nothing for it
but to let you in. You went over the whole place,
(04:49):
searched in every corner of the house, opened every drawer,
poked your nose into all my private possessions. In fact,
you behaved as if I were a criminal under suspicion.
She paused, as though to rein in her temper after
this sudden outpouring indignation had brought a slight flush to
her cheeks, and her quickened breathing betrayed the agitation she
(05:10):
was trying to keep under control. Mechanically, she changed the
position of her feet and smoothed down her skirt, and
Flamborough sharp eye noted a trembling in her hand as
she did so. Sir Clinton maintained his silence and gazed
at her as though he expected further information. My maid
was very much put about, Naturally, she went on. She
(05:31):
asked you again and again what was at the back
of it all? But you gave her no explanation whatever.
When you'd completed your search of my house, you sat
down with a pile of correspondence you collected. You see,
I know all about it, and you began to read
through my private letters. Some of them you put aside.
Others you laid down in a pile on my desk.
(05:51):
When you'd finished reading them all, you took away the
ones you selected and left the rest on the desk.
Then you left the house without offering the slightest explanation
of this raid of yours. I shan't stand that, you know,
you've no right to do things of that sort, throwing
suspicion on me in this way without the faintest ground
for it. Naturally, my maid has been babbling about it,
(06:13):
and everyone knows. The police have been on the premises.
It's put me in a dreadful position, and you'll have
to give me an explanation and an apology. It's no
use trying to deny the facts. You know, I again
prove what I've said, and I want my letters back
at once, the ones you stole. You've no right to them,
and I simply won't put up with this kind of thing.
(06:35):
She broke off, once more, evidently afraid that she was
letting her feelings get the better of her. For a
moment or two, Sir Clinton made no reply. He seemed
to be considering something carefully before he spoke. I suppose
you know, Miss deep Carr. He said at last, that
doctor Silverdale is under arrest. The girl's expression changed in
(06:55):
an instant. Something like fear replaced her earlier anger Doctor Silverdale.
The rest that she demanded, with a tremor in her voice,
what do you mean? He was arrested yesterday in connection
with the affair at the bungalow. Avasteep Car's eye showed
her amazement at the news the affair at the bungalow,
(07:15):
She repeated, but he had nothing to do with that,
He couldn't have had. All her indignation seemed to have
been swept away by this fresh information. She had the
appearance of someone upon whom a wholly unexpected peril has descended.
Sir Clinton seemed satisfied by the effect of his words,
but without giving her time for thought, he pursued his narrative.
(07:37):
Several things have turned up which seemed to implicate him
in that affair, and when we tried to extract some
information from him about his movements on the night of
the Bungalow murder, he refused to say anything. He wouldn't
tell us where he had been at that time. Halvesteep
Car clasped and unclasped her hands mechanically for a second
or two. It was obvious that she was thinking swiftly
(07:59):
and coming to some decision upon which much might turn.
He won't say where he was, she demanded, in a
trembling voice. Why not, Sir Clinton made a vague gesture
with his hand. I can hardly tell you his motive.
Perhaps he hasn't an alibi. I've told you what we know.
He looked keenly at the girl before him, evidently expecting something,
(08:22):
and he was not disappointed. I can tell you where
he was at that time, aves said, at last. Probably
you won't believe me, but this is true. At any rate.
He and I dined together in town that evening, and
after dinner we went home to my house. We had
a lot to talk over. We reached my house about
half past eight, and then we began to talk things over.
(08:44):
We have such a lot to discuss that the time
passed without our noticing it. And when at last he
had got up to go, it was between one and
two in the morning, So you see, he couldn't possibly
have been at the bungalow. Sir Clinton interjected a question.
Why didn't doctor Silverdale tell us all this? Frankly when
he was questioned about his movements during that night? Hav
(09:07):
a steep car flushed at the direct attack, but she
evidently had made up her mind to make a clean
breast of the whole business. I told you that doctor
Silverdale was with me that night from dinner time until
the early hours of the morning. As it happened, my
maid was away that day and did not return until
the next afternoon. You must have a pretty good idea
of what people would have said about me if they
(09:29):
got to know I'd been alone with doctor Silverdale in
my house. I shouldn't have cared, really, because there was
nothing in it. We were simply talking. But I expect
that when you question him, he thought of my position
he's a married man, at least he was a married
man then, and some people would have twisted the whole
business into something very unpleasant for me. I'm sure. So
(09:51):
I think, knowing him well, that he very likely didn't
want to give me away. He knew he'd had nothing
to do with the murders, and I expect he imagined
and that the real murderer would be detected without his
having to give any precise account of his doings on
that night. If I'd known that he was running the
risk of arrest, of course I'd have insisted on telling
what really happened. But I've been out of town and
(10:14):
i'd no idea things I got to this pitch, Flamborough intervened,
as she pause for a moment. Your maid was away
that night, then you've got no one else who could
give evidence that doctor Silverdale was with you during that
crucial period. Laves seemed to see a fresh gulf opening
before her. No, she admitted, with a faint tremor in
(10:35):
her voice. We were quite alone. No one saw us
go into the house and no one saw him leave it,
hum said Flamborough. Then it rests on your own evidence entirely.
There's no confirmation of it. What confirmation do you need,
Avis demanded, Doctor Silverdale will tell you the same story.
Surely that's sufficient. Before Flamborough could make any comment on this,
(10:59):
Sir Clinton turned in the interview back to its original subject.
I should like to be clear about the other matter first,
if you please, miss Deeve Carr, with regard to this
police raid on your house, as you call it, can
you tell me something more about it? For instance, you
say that I produced my card. Was that card preserved? No,
(11:19):
Avis admitted. My maid tells me that you only showed
it to her. You didn't actually hand it over to her.
Then anybody might have presented it. No, Avis contradicted him.
My maid recognized you. She'd seen your photograph in a
newspaper once some months ago, and she knew you from that. Ah. Indeed,
(11:40):
can you produce this maid. She's not out of town
at present or anything like that. I can produce her
in a few moments, Avis retorted, with obvious assurance. She's
waiting for me somewhere in this building at the present time.
Sir Clinton glanced at Flamborough and the inspector retired from
the room. In a very short time. He returned, bringing
with him. I'm a middle aged woman who glanced inquisitively
(12:02):
at Sir Clinton as she entered. Now Marple avsteep Carr demanded,
do you recognize anyone here? Missus Marple had no hesitation
in the matter. That's Sir Clinton Driffield. Miss I know
his face quite well. Flamborough's suspicion that his superior had
been moving in the background of the case were completely
(12:22):
confirmed by this evidence, but he was still further surprised
to catch a gleam of sardonic amusement passing across the
face of the Chief Constable. You recognize me, it seems,
he said, as oh, half in doubt as to what
line to take. You won't mind my testing your memory
a little? Well, then, what kind of suit was I
wearing when I came to your house? Missus Marple considered
(12:45):
carefully for a moment or two before replying, an ordinary suit, sir,
A dark one, rather like the one you've got on
just now. You can't recall the color. It was a
dark suit, that's all I can remember. You came in
the evening, sir, and the light isn't good for colors.
You didn't notice my tie or anything like that. No, sir,
(13:06):
you'll remember that I was put about at the time.
You gave me a shock coming down on me like that.
It's the first time I ever had to do with
the police, sir, and I was all on my nerve's
edge with the idea that you'd come after miss Avis. Sir.
I couldn't hardly get to believe it, and I was
all in a twitter, Sir. Clinton nodded sympathetically. I'm sorry
(13:28):
you were so much disturbed. Now, have a good look
at me where the light's bright enough. Do you see
anything that strikes you? Was different from the appearance I
had that night. He moved across to the window and
stood patiently while Missus Marple scanned him up and down deliberately.
You haven't got your eye glass on to day, sir
Ah Did you say eye glass or eye glasses? Eyeglass? Sir?
(13:51):
I remember you dropped it out of your eye when
you began to read Miss Avas's letters. Apart from the
eye glass, then, I'm much the same. You've got quit
of your cold now, sir. You were quite hoarse that night.
You came to the house as if you'd got a
touch of sore throat or something like that. That's true,
I've no cold now, anything more. Missus Marple subjected him
(14:14):
to another prolonged scrutiny. No, sir, you're just like you
were that night, and you recognize me from some newspaper portrait.
It seems yes, sir, I saw your picture in the
evening paper once. It was just a head and shoulders one.
But I'd have recognized you from it even if you
hadn't shown me your card. Sir Clinton reflected for a moment.
(14:36):
Can you remember what was on that card? He asked.
Missus Marple consulted her memory. It said Sir Clinton, Driffield
and some letters after the name Chief Constable. Then in
the left hand corner was the address Police head Quarters, Westerhaven.
Sir Clinton caught flamberose eye in the exchanged glances. The
(14:57):
inspector had little difficulty in seeing that his first impression
had been wrong. It was not the Chief Constable who
had ransacked to have a steep car's house. Sir Clinton
took out his card case and handed a card to
Missus Marple. It wasn't that card I showed you, was it?
Missus Marple scanned the card for a moment. Oh no, sir,
(15:17):
this one reads quite different. Sir Clinton nodded and took
back the card. I think that's really all I want
to know, missus Marple. Perhaps Inspector Flamborough may want to
ask you a question or two later on. Have a
steep car. Seemed by no means satisfied at this close
to the interview. That's all very fine, Sir Clinton, she said,
(15:38):
But you seem to think you've satisfied me. You haven't.
You can't invade my house in this way and then
pass the whole thing off as if it were part
of your routine. And you can't carry away a pile
of my private letters and keep them without my consent.
I insist on having them back. If you don't, I'll
see my solicitor at once about the matter. And may
I remind you again that you owe me some apoll
(16:00):
for your proceedings. Sir Clinton seemed in no way ruffled.
Of course, I apologize for anything I've done which may
have inconvenienced you, Miss deep Carr. I'm quite sincere in
saying that I very much regret that you should have
been worried in this way. Nothing that I have done
has been meant to throw any suspicion on you. I
can assure you as to the letters. I think your
best plan will be to consult your solicitor as you suggest,
(16:24):
ask him to ring me up at once, and I'll
try to settle the matter as soon as we can.
I've no wish to cause you any trouble, none whatever.
Havis glanced suspiciously from him to the inspector. It was
evident that dissolution did not satisfy her, but obviously she
realized that nothing would be gained by attempting to argue
the point very well, she said, at last, I'll go
(16:45):
straight to my solicitor. Now you'll hear from him very shortly.
Sir Clinton held the door open for her, and she
passed out of the room, followed by missus Marple. After
a few seconds, the Chief Constable turned to Flamborough. What
do you make of it all, Inspector? Well, Sir, that
missus Marple seems to me honest enough, but not very bright.
(17:06):
Sir Clinton nodded an assent. She recognized her visitor from
his resemblance to some blurred newspaper portrait, and she recognized
me from my resemblance to her visitor, that's your idea,
it looks like it. I never saw you wearing a
single eyeglass, sir, And it occurs to me that a
single eyeglass helps to change the normal expression of a face,
(17:28):
owing to the wrinkling that you make in holding it
in your eye. Also, if it's an unfamiliar thing, one
would drop it when one began to read documents so
as not to be hampered by it. True, I suppose
that satisfies you, along with the faked visiting card, which
was meant to impress her with the fact that a
high official had descended on her, that I personally wasn't
(17:48):
mixed up in the business. I've the best reasons for
knowing that myself, of course, since I know I was
elsewhere at the time. But what do you make of
the raid documents are with the man was after? Obviously, sir,
it seems clear enough that he expected to get hold
of something compromising amongst her correspondents. If you ask me, Inspector,
(18:09):
mister Justice doesn't seem to stick at much in his
self appointed task. I was pretty sure it was some
of his work, sir. The deep car girl in Silverdale
had a common interest in getting missus Silverdale out of
the way. There's no doubt about that. And some people
are perfect fools in what they put down on paper.
It's quite on the cards that mister Justice thought he
might find something useful amongst Silverdale's letters to have a
(18:32):
steep car. He evidently found something which he thought worth
taking away at any rate, Sir Clinton pointed out, I
had a notion that once you arrested Silverdale, things would
begin to move faster. If mister Justice has got hold
of any evidence, it'll be in our hands before long.
I'm prepared to bet he's saving us some trouble if
(18:52):
there is anything in the writing, The inspector said, with
a grin, we would hardly have raided the deep Car
house on such a long chance as that, And he's
done the job for us. A most useful and altruistic person, evidently,
Sir Clinton commented ironically, Now what about the rest of
the affair, Inspector, If you accept miss deep Carr's evidence,
then the bottom's out of your case against Silverdale. He
(19:15):
couldn't be with her and at the bungalow simultaneously. Why
should we accept her evidence at all? Flamborough demanded, crossly.
She had as much interest in getting Missus Silverdale out
of the way as Silverdale himself had. Their interests are
absolutely at one in the affair. It's more than an
even chance that she was his accomplice in the business,
(19:36):
standing ready with this tale of hers to prove an
alibi for him. I don't reckon her statement was worth that.
He snapped his fingers contemptuously. There's something else, sir, He
continued this. Missus Marple wasn't at the house that night.
What evidence is there that Silverdale and the Deep Car
Girl ever went home at all after they dined down town.
(19:57):
There's no corroboration of that story. Why I not assume
that the Deep Car Girl was an actual accomplice on
the spot. She and Silverdale may have driven out to
the bungalow after dinner, and she may have stood at
the window during the whole affair. There's nothing against that
if you discount her story. My reading of the Deep
Car Girl is that she may be surfish eye, so
(20:18):
to speak, but she's got good, strong fiber in her
character underneath. Look how she faced up to you not
ten minutes ago. Not much shyness about that. I think
I'd have been a bit stirred up myself, Inspector, if
you came along in my absence and pought over all
my private possessions. One isn't necessarily a scoundrel. If one
turns peevish over a thing of that sort, the Inspector
(20:41):
let the point pass. Have you any notion who this
mister Justice can be, sir, I've a pretty fair notion,
But it's only a notionan who stands to profit by
the affair. Some recollection seemed to cross the Inspector's mind. Spratton,
of course, sir, And now I come to think of it,
if you've shaved off your mustache, he's very like you
(21:04):
in face and build. If Spratton's going to collect his
insurance on young Hassendein, then murder's got to be proved. Well,
said Sir Clinton lightly. I trust mister Spratton will get
what he deserves in the matter. End of Chapter fifteen,
Chapter fifteen of the Case with Nine Solutions by J. J. Connington.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain Sir Clinton's
double Two days after the interview with Markfield and his
colleague at the Crowthornton Institute, Inspector Flamborough came into Sir
Clinton's office, obviously in a state of faint trepidation. I've
(00:24):
arrested Silverdale this morning, Sir, he announced, in a voice
which betrayed that he was not quite sure whether this
step would meet a superior's approval. The Chief Constable exhibited
neither surprise nor disapproval at the news. I shouldn't care
to say that you've got a complete case against him, Inspector,
not yet at any rate. But he's got himself to
(00:45):
thank for his troubles, and now I expect things will
begin to move a bit quicker in the case. Mister
Justice will be calling up his last reserves. Flamborough seemed
to feel that his action needed some justification, though Sir
Clinton had asked for none. Well, Sir, it seems to
me we had to forced all the possible bolt on
(01:05):
Silverdale's part. There's quite enough evidence to justify his detention
on suspicion. In the meantime, there's just one point I'd
like to know about, Sir Clinton said, disregarding the inspector's statement.
You've got four deaths to choose from which of them
are you going to select as your main case? You
can hardly put him on trail for all four simultaneously.
(01:27):
There's nothing against it legally, but you confuse the jury.
I'm afraid I thought the Bungalow business would be best, Sir.
There's a fair chance of establishing a motive in it,
whereas in the Heatherfield affair there's only conjecture as to
what he was after. And in the Waldi case, we
simply haven't got enough evidence apart from the jacket unless
we can prove that Silverdale was the Bungalow murderer. And
(01:50):
if we can prove that, then there's no need to
enter into the Waldy case at all. Sir Clinton acquiesced
with a nod. The Bungalow affair is the key to
the whole series, he admitted, without qualification. There was a
knock at the door and a constable entered. A young
lady wants to see you, sir, he announced, as he
crossed the room and handed a card to the Chief Constable.
(02:11):
She insisted that she must see you personally. There's a
woman with her. Send her up, Sir Clinton ordered, after
a glance at the card. When the Constable had left
the room, Sir Clinton flicked the tiny oblong of paceboard
across his desk to the inspector, who picked it up
Miss Savis deep Car. He read, What the deuce can
she be wanting here? Calm yourself, Inspector. The next installment
(02:35):
will be published in a moment or two. You'd better
wait here while she interviews me. When Avis deep Car
entered the office, Flamborough was puzzled by her manner. She
seemed to be agitated, but it was not the sort
of agitation he had expected. When she spoke, it sounded
as if she were both indignant and perturbed. You're Sir
(02:56):
Clinton Driffield, aren't you, she demanded, Scanning the chief coms closely,
the Chief Constable confessed to his identity. Then I'll come
straight to the point, Avis said, What is the meaning
of your visiting my house last night, terrorizing my maid
and making a search through my private papers. I'm going
to see my solicitor about it. I don't believe it's legal,
(03:19):
but in the meantime, I want to know why you
did it. Flamborough was completely taken aback by this charge.
He stared open mouth at his superior. Sir Clinton occasionally
did things which mystified him, but this seems something completely
out of the common He must have got a search
warrant without saying anything about it to me, the inspector reflected,
(03:41):
But why on earth didn't he take me with him,
even if he wanted to go through your papers? Personally?
Sir Clinton's face had become an inscrutable mask. Perhaps you
wouldn't mind being a little more explicit, Miss steep Car,
he suggested, I'm not quite sure that I understand your grievance.
Have a steep Car's face showed that she had nothing
but contempt for this apparent quibbling. If you think it
(04:04):
worth while, I'll give you details, she said, disdainfully. But
you're not thinking of denying it, are you. I've got
a witness to prove the facts, you know. With a gesture,
Sir Clinton invited her to tell his story. I've been
away from home for a day or two, Avis began.
This morning, I came back to Westerhaven by the eleven
o'clock train, and drove to my house in a taxi.
(04:26):
I left my mate alone in the house while I
was away, and when I got home again, I found
her in a great state of excitement. It seems that
last night you came to the door, showed her your card,
and told her that you had come to search the
house on some matter connected with these awful murders. Naturally,
she was greatly shocked, but there was nothing for it
but to let you in. You went over the whole place,
(04:49):
searched in every corner of the house, opened every drawer,
poked your nose into all my private possessions. In fact,
you behaved as if I were a criminal under suspicion.
She paused, as though to rein in her temper after
this sudden outpouring indignation had brought a slight flush to
her cheeks, and her quickened breathing betrayed the agitation she
(05:10):
was trying to keep under control. Mechanically, she changed the
position of her feet and smoothed down her skirt, and
Flamborough sharp eye noted a trembling in her hand as
she did so. Sir Clinton maintained his silence and gazed
at her as though he expected further information. My maid
was very much put about, Naturally, she went on. She
(05:31):
asked you again and again what was at the back
of it all? But you gave her no explanation whatever.
When you'd completed your search of my house, you sat
down with a pile of correspondence you collected. You see,
I know all about it, and you began to read
through my private letters. Some of them you put aside.
Others you laid down in a pile on my desk.
(05:51):
When you'd finished reading them all, you took away the
ones you selected and left the rest on the desk.
Then you left the house without offering the slightest explanation
of this raid of yours. I shan't stand that, you know,
you've no right to do things of that sort, throwing
suspicion on me in this way without the faintest ground
for it. Naturally, my maid has been babbling about it,
(06:13):
and everyone knows. The police have been on the premises.
It's put me in a dreadful position, and you'll have
to give me an explanation and an apology. It's no
use trying to deny the facts. You know, I again
prove what I've said, and I want my letters back
at once, the ones you stole. You've no right to them,
and I simply won't put up with this kind of thing.
(06:35):
She broke off, once more, evidently afraid that she was
letting her feelings get the better of her. For a
moment or two, Sir Clinton made no reply. He seemed
to be considering something carefully before he spoke. I suppose
you know, Miss deep Carr. He said at last, that
doctor Silverdale is under arrest. The girl's expression changed in
(06:55):
an instant. Something like fear replaced her earlier anger Doctor Silverdale.
The rest that she demanded, with a tremor in her voice,
what do you mean? He was arrested yesterday in connection
with the affair at the bungalow. Avasteep Car's eye showed
her amazement at the news the affair at the bungalow,
(07:15):
She repeated, but he had nothing to do with that,
He couldn't have had. All her indignation seemed to have
been swept away by this fresh information. She had the
appearance of someone upon whom a wholly unexpected peril has descended.
Sir Clinton seemed satisfied by the effect of his words,
but without giving her time for thought, he pursued his narrative.
(07:37):
Several things have turned up which seemed to implicate him
in that affair, and when we tried to extract some
information from him about his movements on the night of
the Bungalow murder, he refused to say anything. He wouldn't
tell us where he had been at that time. Halvesteep
Car clasped and unclasped her hands mechanically for a second
or two. It was obvious that she was thinking swiftly
(07:59):
and coming to some decision upon which much might turn.
He won't say where he was, she demanded, in a
trembling voice. Why not, Sir Clinton made a vague gesture
with his hand. I can hardly tell you his motive.
Perhaps he hasn't an alibi. I've told you what we know.
He looked keenly at the girl before him, evidently expecting something,
(08:22):
and he was not disappointed. I can tell you where
he was at that time, aves said, at last. Probably
you won't believe me, but this is true. At any rate.
He and I dined together in town that evening, and
after dinner we went home to my house. We had
a lot to talk over. We reached my house about
half past eight, and then we began to talk things over.
(08:44):
We have such a lot to discuss that the time
passed without our noticing it. And when at last he
had got up to go, it was between one and
two in the morning, So you see, he couldn't possibly
have been at the bungalow. Sir Clinton interjected a question.
Why didn't doctor Silverdale tell us all this? Frankly when
he was questioned about his movements during that night? Hav
(09:07):
a steep car flushed at the direct attack, but she
evidently had made up her mind to make a clean
breast of the whole business. I told you that doctor
Silverdale was with me that night from dinner time until
the early hours of the morning. As it happened, my
maid was away that day and did not return until
the next afternoon. You must have a pretty good idea
of what people would have said about me if they
(09:29):
got to know I'd been alone with doctor Silverdale in
my house. I shouldn't have cared, really, because there was
nothing in it. We were simply talking. But I expect
that when you question him, he thought of my position
he's a married man, at least he was a married
man then, and some people would have twisted the whole
business into something very unpleasant for me. I'm sure. So
(09:51):
I think, knowing him well, that he very likely didn't
want to give me away. He knew he'd had nothing
to do with the murders, and I expect he imagined
and that the real murderer would be detected without his
having to give any precise account of his doings on
that night. If I'd known that he was running the
risk of arrest, of course I'd have insisted on telling
what really happened. But I've been out of town and
(10:14):
i'd no idea things I got to this pitch, Flamborough intervened,
as she pause for a moment. Your maid was away
that night, then you've got no one else who could
give evidence that doctor Silverdale was with you during that
crucial period. Laves seemed to see a fresh gulf opening
before her. No, she admitted, with a faint tremor in
(10:35):
her voice. We were quite alone. No one saw us
go into the house and no one saw him leave it,
hum said Flamborough. Then it rests on your own evidence entirely.
There's no confirmation of it. What confirmation do you need,
Avis demanded, Doctor Silverdale will tell you the same story.
Surely that's sufficient. Before Flamborough could make any comment on this,
(10:59):
Sir Clinton turned in the interview back to its original subject.
I should like to be clear about the other matter first,
if you please, miss Deeve Carr, with regard to this
police raid on your house, as you call it, can
you tell me something more about it? For instance, you
say that I produced my card. Was that card preserved? No,
(11:19):
Avis admitted. My maid tells me that you only showed
it to her. You didn't actually hand it over to her.
Then anybody might have presented it. No, Avis contradicted him.
My maid recognized you. She'd seen your photograph in a
newspaper once some months ago, and she knew you from that. Ah. Indeed,
(11:40):
can you produce this maid. She's not out of town
at present or anything like that. I can produce her
in a few moments, Avis retorted, with obvious assurance. She's
waiting for me somewhere in this building at the present time.
Sir Clinton glanced at Flamborough and the inspector retired from
the room. In a very short time. He returned, bringing
with him. I'm a middle aged woman who glanced inquisitively
(12:02):
at Sir Clinton as she entered. Now Marple avsteep Carr demanded,
do you recognize anyone here? Missus Marple had no hesitation
in the matter. That's Sir Clinton Driffield. Miss I know
his face quite well. Flamborough's suspicion that his superior had
been moving in the background of the case were completely
(12:22):
confirmed by this evidence, but he was still further surprised
to catch a gleam of sardonic amusement passing across the
face of the Chief Constable. You recognize me, it seems,
he said, as oh, half in doubt as to what
line to take. You won't mind my testing your memory
a little? Well, then, what kind of suit was I
wearing when I came to your house? Missus Marple considered
(12:45):
carefully for a moment or two before replying, an ordinary suit, sir,
A dark one, rather like the one you've got on
just now. You can't recall the color. It was a
dark suit, that's all I can remember. You came in
the evening, sir, and the light isn't good for colors.
You didn't notice my tie or anything like that. No, sir,
(13:06):
you'll remember that I was put about at the time.
You gave me a shock coming down on me like that.
It's the first time I ever had to do with
the police, sir, and I was all on my nerve's
edge with the idea that you'd come after miss Avis. Sir.
I couldn't hardly get to believe it, and I was
all in a twitter, Sir. Clinton nodded sympathetically. I'm sorry
(13:28):
you were so much disturbed. Now, have a good look
at me where the light's bright enough. Do you see
anything that strikes you? Was different from the appearance I
had that night. He moved across to the window and
stood patiently while Missus Marple scanned him up and down deliberately.
You haven't got your eye glass on to day, sir
Ah Did you say eye glass or eye glasses? Eyeglass? Sir?
(13:51):
I remember you dropped it out of your eye when
you began to read Miss Avas's letters. Apart from the
eye glass, then, I'm much the same. You've got quit
of your cold now, sir. You were quite hoarse that night.
You came to the house as if you'd got a
touch of sore throat or something like that. That's true,
I've no cold now, anything more. Missus Marple subjected him
(14:14):
to another prolonged scrutiny. No, sir, you're just like you
were that night, and you recognize me from some newspaper portrait.
It seems yes, sir, I saw your picture in the
evening paper once. It was just a head and shoulders one.
But I'd have recognized you from it even if you
hadn't shown me your card. Sir Clinton reflected for a moment.
(14:36):
Can you remember what was on that card? He asked.
Missus Marple consulted her memory. It said Sir Clinton, Driffield
and some letters after the name Chief Constable. Then in
the left hand corner was the address Police head Quarters, Westerhaven.
Sir Clinton caught flamberose eye in the exchanged glances. The
(14:57):
inspector had little difficulty in seeing that his first impression
had been wrong. It was not the Chief Constable who
had ransacked to have a steep car's house. Sir Clinton
took out his card case and handed a card to
Missus Marple. It wasn't that card I showed you, was it?
Missus Marple scanned the card for a moment. Oh no, sir,
(15:17):
this one reads quite different. Sir Clinton nodded and took
back the card. I think that's really all I want
to know, missus Marple. Perhaps Inspector Flamborough may want to
ask you a question or two later on. Have a
steep car. Seemed by no means satisfied at this close
to the interview. That's all very fine, Sir Clinton, she said,
(15:38):
But you seem to think you've satisfied me. You haven't.
You can't invade my house in this way and then
pass the whole thing off as if it were part
of your routine. And you can't carry away a pile
of my private letters and keep them without my consent.
I insist on having them back. If you don't, I'll
see my solicitor at once about the matter. And may
I remind you again that you owe me some apoll
(16:00):
for your proceedings. Sir Clinton seemed in no way ruffled.
Of course, I apologize for anything I've done which may
have inconvenienced you, Miss deep Carr. I'm quite sincere in
saying that I very much regret that you should have
been worried in this way. Nothing that I have done
has been meant to throw any suspicion on you. I
can assure you as to the letters. I think your
best plan will be to consult your solicitor as you suggest,
(16:24):
ask him to ring me up at once, and I'll
try to settle the matter as soon as we can.
I've no wish to cause you any trouble, none whatever.
Havis glanced suspiciously from him to the inspector. It was
evident that dissolution did not satisfy her, but obviously she
realized that nothing would be gained by attempting to argue
the point very well, she said, at last, I'll go
(16:45):
straight to my solicitor. Now you'll hear from him very shortly.
Sir Clinton held the door open for her, and she
passed out of the room, followed by missus Marple. After
a few seconds, the Chief Constable turned to Flamborough. What
do you make of it all, Inspector? Well, Sir, that
missus Marple seems to me honest enough, but not very bright.
(17:06):
Sir Clinton nodded an assent. She recognized her visitor from
his resemblance to some blurred newspaper portrait, and she recognized
me from my resemblance to her visitor, that's your idea,
it looks like it. I never saw you wearing a
single eyeglass, sir, And it occurs to me that a
single eyeglass helps to change the normal expression of a face,
(17:28):
owing to the wrinkling that you make in holding it
in your eye. Also, if it's an unfamiliar thing, one
would drop it when one began to read documents so
as not to be hampered by it. True, I suppose
that satisfies you, along with the faked visiting card, which
was meant to impress her with the fact that a
high official had descended on her, that I personally wasn't
(17:48):
mixed up in the business. I've the best reasons for
knowing that myself, of course, since I know I was
elsewhere at the time. But what do you make of
the raid documents are with the man was after? Obviously, sir,
it seems clear enough that he expected to get hold
of something compromising amongst her correspondents. If you ask me, Inspector,
(18:09):
mister Justice doesn't seem to stick at much in his
self appointed task. I was pretty sure it was some
of his work, sir. The deep car girl in Silverdale
had a common interest in getting missus Silverdale out of
the way. There's no doubt about that. And some people
are perfect fools in what they put down on paper.
It's quite on the cards that mister Justice thought he
might find something useful amongst Silverdale's letters to have a
(18:32):
steep car. He evidently found something which he thought worth
taking away at any rate, Sir Clinton pointed out, I
had a notion that once you arrested Silverdale, things would
begin to move faster. If mister Justice has got hold
of any evidence, it'll be in our hands before long.
I'm prepared to bet he's saving us some trouble if
(18:52):
there is anything in the writing, The inspector said, with
a grin, we would hardly have raided the deep Car
house on such a long chance as that, And he's
done the job for us. A most useful and altruistic person, evidently,
Sir Clinton commented ironically, Now what about the rest of
the affair, Inspector, If you accept miss deep Carr's evidence,
then the bottom's out of your case against Silverdale. He
(19:15):
couldn't be with her and at the bungalow simultaneously. Why
should we accept her evidence at all? Flamborough demanded, crossly.
She had as much interest in getting Missus Silverdale out
of the way as Silverdale himself had. Their interests are
absolutely at one in the affair. It's more than an
even chance that she was his accomplice in the business,
(19:36):
standing ready with this tale of hers to prove an
alibi for him. I don't reckon her statement was worth that.
He snapped his fingers contemptuously. There's something else, sir, He
continued this. Missus Marple wasn't at the house that night.
What evidence is there that Silverdale and the Deep Car
Girl ever went home at all after they dined down town.
(19:57):
There's no corroboration of that story. Why I not assume
that the Deep Car Girl was an actual accomplice on
the spot. She and Silverdale may have driven out to
the bungalow after dinner, and she may have stood at
the window during the whole affair. There's nothing against that
if you discount her story. My reading of the Deep
Car Girl is that she may be surfish eye, so
(20:18):
to speak, but she's got good, strong fiber in her
character underneath. Look how she faced up to you not
ten minutes ago. Not much shyness about that. I think
I'd have been a bit stirred up myself, Inspector, if
you came along in my absence and pought over all
my private possessions. One isn't necessarily a scoundrel. If one
turns peevish over a thing of that sort, the Inspector
(20:41):
let the point pass. Have you any notion who this
mister Justice can be, sir, I've a pretty fair notion,
But it's only a notionan who stands to profit by
the affair. Some recollection seemed to cross the Inspector's mind. Spratton,
of course, sir, And now I come to think of it,
if you've shaved off your mustache, he's very like you
(21:04):
in face and build. If Spratton's going to collect his
insurance on young Hassendein, then murder's got to be proved. Well,
said Sir Clinton lightly. I trust mister Spratton will get
what he deserves in the matter. End of Chapter fifteen,
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