8. Fresh suspicions by Agatha Christie
Section [1 | 2]
the mysterious Affair at Styles chapter 8 fresh suspicions

there_was a moment's stupefied silence .Japp, who was_the least surprised of any of us, was_the first to_speak .

" my word,'' he cried, " you're the goods ! and no mistake, Mr Poirot ! these witnesses of yours are all right, I suppose ? ''

"Voilą ! I_have prepared a list of_them -- names and addresses . you_must see them, of_course . but you_will_find it all right .''

"I'm sure of_that .'' Japp lowered his voice ."I'm much obliged to_you .a pretty mare's nest arresting him would_have_been .'' he turned to Inglethorp ." but, if_you'll excuse me, sir, why couldn't you say all this at_the inquest ? ''

" i_will tell you why,'' interrupted Poirot ." there_was a certain rumour -- -- ''

"A most malicious and utterly untrue one,'' interrupted Alfred Inglethorp in an agitated voice .

" and Mr Inglethorp was anxious to_have no scandal revived just at present .Am I right ? ''

" quite right .'' Inglethorp nodded ." with my poor Emily not yet buried, can_you wonder i_was anxious that no more lying rumours should_be started .''

" between you and me, sir,'' remarked Japp, "I'd sooner have any amount of rumours than be arrested for murder . and I venture to_think your poor lady would_have felt the same . and, if_it hadn't been for_Mr Poirot here, arrested you_would_have_been, as sure as eggs is eggs ! ''

" i_was foolish, no_doubt,'' murmured Inglethorp ." but you_do_not know, inspector, how I_have_been persecuted and maligned .'' and he shot a baleful glance at Evelyn Howard .

" now, sir,'' said Japp, turning briskly to John, " i_should like to_see the lady's bedroom, please, and after_that I'll have a little chat with_the servants .Don't you bother about anything .Mr Poirot, here, will show me the way .''

as_they all went out_of_the room, Poirot turned and made me a sign to_follow him upstairs . there he caught me by_the arm, and drew me aside .

" quick, go to_the other wing . stand there -- just this side of_the baize door . do_not move till I come .'' then, turning rapidly, he rejoined the two detectives .

I followed his instructions, taking up my position by_the baize door, and wondering what on earth lay behind the request . why was I to stand in_this particular spot on guard ? I looked thoughtfully down the corridor in front of me . an idea struck me . with_the exception of Cynthia Murdoch's, every_one's room was in_this left wing . had that anything to_do with it ? was I to report who came or went ? I stood faithfully at my post . the minutes passed . nobody came . nothing happened .

it must_have been quite twenty minutes before Poirot rejoined me .

" you_have_not stirred ? ''

" no, I've stuck here like a rock . nothing's happened .''

"Ah ! '' was he pleased, or disappointed ? " you've seen nothing at all ? ''

" no .''

" but you_have probably heard something ? a big bump -- eh, mon ami ? ''

" no .''

" is_it possible ? Ah, but I_am vexed with myself ! I_am not usually clumsy . I_made but a slight gesture'' -- I_know Poirot's gestures -- " with_the left_hand, and over went the table by_the bed ! ''

he looked so childishly vexed and crest- fallen that I hastened to console him .

" never mind, old chap . what does it matter ? your triumph downstairs excited you . I_can tell you, that was a surprise to_us all . there_must_be more in_this affair of Inglethorp's with Mrs Raikes than we thought, to_make him hold his tongue so persistently . what_are you going to_do now ? where are the Scotland yard fellows ? ''

" gone down to interview the servants .I showed them all our exhibits . I_am disappointed in Japp . he has no method ! ''

"Hullo ! '' I_said, looking out_of_the window ." here's Dr .Bauerstein .I believe you're right about_that man, Poirot .I don't like him .''

" he_is clever,'' observed Poirot meditatively .

"Oh, clever as_the devil ! I_must say i_was overjoyed to_see him in_the plight he_was in on Tuesday . you never saw such a spectacle ! '' and I described the doctor's adventure ." he looked a regular scarecrow ! plastered with mud from head to foot .''

" you saw him, then ? ''

" yes . of_course, he didn't want to_come in -- it_was just after dinner -- but Mr Inglethorp insisted .''

" what ? '' Poirot caught me violently by_the shoulders ." was Dr .Bauerstein here on Tuesday evening ? here ? and you never told me ? why did you not tell me ? why ? why ? ''

he appeared to_be in an absolute frenzy .

" my dear Poirot,'' I expostulated, "I never thought it would interest you .I didn't know it_was of any importance .''

" importance ? it_is of_the first importance ! so Dr .Bauerstein was here on Tuesday night -- the night of_the murder .Hastings, do_you not see ? that alters everything -- everything ! ''

I had never seen him so upset .Loosening his hold of me, he mechanically straightened a pair of candlesticks, still murmuring to himself: " yes, that alters everything -- everything .''

suddenly he_seemed to_come to a decision .

"Allons ! '' he_said ." we_must act at once . where is Mr Cavendish ? ''

John was in_the smoking- room .Poirot went straight to him .

" Mr Cavendish, I_have some important business in Tadminster .a new clue . may I take your motor ? ''

" why, of_course . do_you_mean at once ? ''

" if_you please .''

John rang the bell, and ordered round the car . in another ten minutes, we were racing down the park and along the high road to Tadminster .

" now, Poirot,'' I remarked resignedly, " perhaps you_will tell me what all this_is about ? ''

" well, mon ami, a good_deal you_can guess for_yourself . of_course you realize_that, now Mr Inglethorp is out of it, the whole position is greatly changed . we_are face_to_face with an entirely new problem . we_know now that_there_is one person who did_not buy the poison . we_have cleared away the manufactured clues . now for_the real ones . I_have ascertained that anyone in_the household, with_the exception of Mrs Cavendish, who was playing tennis with_you, could_have personated Mr Inglethorp on Monday evening . in_the same way, we_have his statement that he put the coffee down in_the hall . no one took much notice of_that at_the inquest -- but now it has a very different significance . we_must find out who did take that coffee to Mrs Inglethorp eventually, or who passed through_the hall whilst it_was standing there . from your account, there_are only two people whom we_can positively say did_not go near the coffee -- Mrs Cavendish, and Mademoiselle Cynthia .''

" yes, that_is so .'' I_felt an inexpressible lightening of_the heart .Mary Cavendish could certainly not rest under suspicion .

" in clearing Alfred Inglethorp,'' continued Poirot, " I_have_been obliged to show my hand sooner than I intended . as long as I_might_be thought to_be pursuing him, the criminal would_be off his guard . now, he_will_be doubly careful . yes -- doubly careful .'' he turned to_me abruptly ." tell me, Hastings, you yourself -- have_you no suspicions of anybody ? ''

I hesitated . to_tell the truth, an idea, wild and extravagant in itself, had once_or_twice that morning flashed through my brain .I had rejected it as absurd, nevertheless it persisted .

" you couldn't call it a suspicion,'' I murmured ." it's so utterly foolish .''

" come now,'' urged Poirot encouragingly ." do_not fear . speak your mind . you_should always pay attention to your instincts .''

" well then,'' I blurted out, " it's absurd -- but I suspect miss Howard of not telling all she knows ! ''

" miss Howard ? ''

" yes -- you'll laugh at me -- -- ''

" not at all . why should I ? ''

" I_can't help feeling,'' I continued blunderingly; " that we've rather left her out_of_the possible suspects, simply on_the strength of her having been away from_the place . but, after all, she was only fifteen miles away .a car would do_it in half an hour . can we say positively that she was away from Styles on_the night of_the murder ? ''

" yes, my friend,'' said Poirot unexpectedly, " we_can . one of_my first actions was to ring up the hospital where she was working .''

" well ? ''

" well, I learnt that miss Howard had_been on afternoon duty on Tuesday, and_that -- a convoy coming in unexpectedly -- she had kindly offered to remain on night duty, which offer was gratefully accepted . that disposes of_that .''

"Oh ! '' I_said, rather nonplussed ." really,'' I continued, " it's her extraordinary vehemence against Inglethorp that started me off suspecting her . I_can't help feeling she'd do anything against him . and I had an idea she might know something about_the destroying of_the will . she might_have burnt the new one, mistaking it for_the earlier one in_his favour . she_is so terribly bitter against him .''

" you consider her vehemence unnatural ? ''

"Y -- es . she_is so very violent .I wondered really whether she_is quite sane on_that point .''

Poirot shook his head energetically .

" no, no, you_are on a wrong tack there . there_is nothing weak- minded or degenerate about miss Howard . she_is an excellent specimen of well- balanced English beef and brawn . she_is sanity itself .''

" yet her hatred of Inglethorp seems almost a mania . my idea was -- a very ridiculous one, no_doubt -- that she had intended to poison him -- and_that, in some way, Mrs Inglethorp got hold of it by mistake . but I don't at all see how it could_have_been done . the whole thing is absurd and ridiculous to_the last degree .''

" still you_are right in one_thing . it_is always wise to suspect everybody until you_can prove logically, and to your own satisfaction, that_they_are innocent . now, what reasons are there against miss Howard's having deliberately poisoned Mrs Inglethorp ? ''

" why, she was devoted to her ! '' I exclaimed .

"Tcha ! Tcha ! '' cried Poirot irritably ." you argue like a child . if miss Howard were capable of poisoning the old lady, she_would be quite equally capable of simulating devotion . no, we_must look elsewhere . you_are perfectly correct in your assumption that her vehemence against Alfred Inglethorp is too violent to_be natural; but you_are quite wrong in_the deduction you draw from_it . I_have drawn my own deductions, which I believe to_be correct, but i_will_not speak of_them at present .'' he paused a minute, then went on ." now, to my way of thinking, there_is one insuperable objection to miss Howard's being the murderess .''

" and_that is ? ''

" that in no possible way could Mrs Inglethorp's death benefit miss Howard . now there_is no murder without a motive .''

I reflected .

" could_not Mrs Inglethorp have_made a will in her favour ? '' Poirot shook his head .

" but you yourself suggested that possibility to Mr Wells ? ''

Poirot smiled .

" that was for a reason . I_did_not want to mention the name of_the person who was actually in my mind . miss Howard occupied very_much the same position, so I used her name instead .''

" still, Mrs Inglethorp might_have done so . why, that_will, made on_the afternoon of her death may -- -- ''

but Poirot's shake of_the head was so energetic that I stopped .

" no, my friend . I_have certain little ideas of_my own about_that will . but I_can tell you this much -- it_was not in miss Howard's favour .''

I accepted his assurance, though I_did_not really see how he_could be so positive about_the_matter .

" well,'' I_said, with a sigh, " we_will acquit miss Howard, then . it_is partly your fault that I ever came to suspect her . it_was what you said about her evidence at_the inquest that set me off .''

Poirot looked puzzled .

" what did I_say about her evidence at_the inquest ? ''

"Don't you remember ? when I cited her and John Cavendish as being above suspicion ? ''

"Oh -- ah -- yes .'' he_seemed a little confused, but recovered himself ." by_the_way, Hastings, there_is something i_want you to_do for_me .''

" certainly . what_is it ? ''

" next_time you happen to_be alone with Lawrence Cavendish, i_want you to_say this to him .' I_have a message for_you, from Poirot . he_says: " find the extra coffee- cup, and you_can rest in peace ! '' ' nothing more . nothing less .''

" ' find the extra coffee- cup, and you_can rest in peace .' is_that right ? '' I asked, much mystified .

" excellent .''

" but what does it mean ? ''

"Ah, that i_will leave you to_find out . you_have access to_the facts . just say that to him, and_see what he_says .''

" very_well -- but it's all extremely mysterious .''

we were running into Tadminster now, and Poirot directed the car to_the " analytical chemist .''

Poirot hopped down briskly, and went inside . in_a_few_minutes he_was back again .

" there,'' he_said ." that_is all my business .''

" what were you doing there ? '' I asked, in lively curiosity .

"I left something to_be analysed .''

" yes, but what ? ''

" the sample of coco i_took from_the saucepan in_the bedroom .''

" but that has already been tested ! '' I cried, stupefied ."Dr .Bauerstein had it tested, and you yourself laughed at_the possibility of there being strychnine in_it .''

" I_know Dr .Bauerstein had it tested,'' replied Poirot quietly .

" well, then ? ''

" well, I_have a fancy for having it analysed again, that_is all .''

and not another word on_the_subject could I drag out of him .

this proceeding of Poirot's, in respect of_the coco, puzzled me intensely .I could_see neither rhyme nor reason in_it . however, my confidence in him, which at one_time had rather waned, was fully restored since his belief in Alfred Inglethorp's innocence had_been so triumphantly vindicated .

the funeral of Mrs Inglethorp took place the following day, and on Monday, as I_came down to a late breakfast, John drew me aside, and informed me that Mr Inglethorp was leaving that morning, to_take up his quarters at_the Stylites Arms until he_should_have completed his plans .

" and really it's a great relief to_think he's going, Hastings,'' continued my honest friend ." it_was bad enough before, when we thought he'd done it, but I'm hanged if_it isn't worse now, when we all feel guilty for having been so down on_the fellow . the fact is, we've treated him abominably . of_course, things did look black against him .I don't see how anyone could blame us for jumping to_the conclusions we_did . still, there it_is, we were in_the wrong, and now there's a beastly feeling that one ought to_make amends; which_is difficult, when one doesn't like the fellow a bit better than one did before . the whole thing's damned awkward ! and I'm thankful he's had the tact to_take himself off . it's a good thing Styles wasn't the mater's to leave to him .Couldn't bear to_think of_the fellow fording it here . he's welcome to her money .''

" you'll be_able to_keep up the place all

Section [1 | 2]