'That was Japp speaking, Hastings.'
'Yes?'
'He had just got back to the Yard. There was a message from Andover . . . .'
'Andover?' I cried excitedly.
Poirot said slowly: 'An old woman of the name of Ascher who keeps a little tobacco and newspaper shop has been found murdered.'
I think I felt ever so slightly damped. My interest, quickened by the sound of Andover, suffered a faint check. I had expected something fantastic—out of the way! The murder of an old woman who kept a little tobacco shop seemed, somehow, sordid and uninteresting.
Poirot continued in the same slow, grave voice: 'The Andover police believe they can put their hand on the man who did it—'
I felt a second throb of disappointment.
'It seems the woman was on bad terms with her husband. He drinks and is by way of being rather a nasty customer. He's threatened to take her life more than once.'
'Nevertheless,' continued Poirot, 'in view of what has happened, the police there would like to have another look at the anonymous letter I received. I have said that you and I will go down to Andover at once.'
My spirits revived a little. After all, sordid as this crime seemed be, it was a crime, and it was a long time since I had had any association with crime and criminals.
I hardly listened to the next words Poirot said. But they were to come back to me with significance later.
''This is the beginning,' said Hercule Poirot.
IV. Mrs. Ascher
We were received at Andover by Inspector Glen, a tall, fair-haired man with a pleasant smile.
For the sake of conciseness I think I had better give a brief résumé the bare facts of the case.
The crime was discovered by Police Constable Dover at 1 A.M. the morning of the 22nd. When on his round he tried the door of the shop and found it unfastened. He entered and at first thought the place was empty. Directing his torch over the counter, however, he caught sight of the huddled-up body of the old woman. When the police surgeon arrived on the spot it was elicited that the woman had been struck down by a heavy blow on the back of the head, probably while she was reaching down a packet of cigarettes from the shelf behind the counter.
Death must have occurred about nine to seven hours previously.
'But we've been able to get it down a bit nearer than that,' explained the inspector. 'We've found a man who went in and bought some tobacco at 5:30. And a second man went in and found the shop empty, as he thought, at five minutes past six. That puts the time at between 5:30 and 6:05. So far I haven't been able to find anyone who saw this man Ascher in the neighbourhood, but, of course, it's early yet. He was in the Three Crowns at nine o'clock pretty far gone in drink. When we get hold of him he'll be detained on suspicion.'
'Not a very desirable character, inspector?' asked Poirot.
'Unpleasant bit of goods.'
'He didn't live with his wife?'
'No, they separated some years ago. Ascher's a German. He was waiter at one time, but he took to drink and gradually became unemployable. His wife went into service for a bit. Her last place was as cook-housekeeper to an old lady, Miss Rose. She allowed her husband so much out of her wages to keep himself, but he was always getting drunk and coming round and making scenes at the places where she was employed. That's why she took the post with Miss Rose at The Grange. It's three miles out of Andover, dead in the country. He couldn't get at her there so well. When Miss Rose died, she left Mrs. Ascher a small legacy, and the woman started this tobacco and newsagent business—quite a tiny place—just cheap cigarettes and a few newspapers—that sort of thing. She just about managed to keep going.'
'Ascher used to come round and abuse her now and again and she used to give him a bit to get rid of him. She allowed him fifteen shillings a week regular.'
'Had they any children?' asked Poirot.
'No. There's a niece. She's in service near Overton. Very superior, steady young woman.'
'And you say this man Ascher used to threaten his wife?'
'That's right. He was a terror when he was in drink—cursing and swearing that he'd bash her head in. She had a hard time, did Mrs. Ascher.'
'What age of woman was she?'
'Close on sixty—respectable and hardworking.'
Poirot said gravely: 'It is your opinion, inspector, that this man Ascher committed the crime?'
The inspector coughed cautiously. 'It's a bit early to say that, Mr. Poirot, but I'd like to hear Franz Ascher's own account of how he spent yesterday evening. If he can give a satisfactory account of himself, well and good—if not—'
His pause was a pregnant one.
'Nothing was missing from the shop?'
'Nothing. Money in the till quite undisturbed. No signs of robbery.'
'You think that this man Ascher came into the shop drunk, started abusing his wife and finally struck her down?'
'It seems the most likely solution. But I must confess, sir, I'd like to have another look at that very odd letter you received. I was wondering if it was just possible that it came from this man Ascher.'
Poirot handed over the letter and the inspector read it with a frown.
'It doesn't read like Ascher,' he said at last. 'I doubt if Ascher would use the term 'our' British police—not unless he was trying to be extra cunning—and I doubt if he's got the wits for that. Then the man's a wreck—all to pieces. His hand's too shaky to print letters clearly like this. It's good quality notepaper and ink, too. It's odd that the letter should mention the 21st of the month. Of course it might be a coincidence.''
'That is possible, yes.'
'But I don't like this kind of coincidence, Mr. Poirot. It's a bit too pat.'
He was silent for a minute or two—a frown creasing his forehead.
'A.B.C.. Who the devil could A.B.C. be? We'll see if Mary Drower (that's the niece) can give us any help. It's an odd business. But for this letter I'd have put my money on Franz Ascher for a certainty.'
'Do you know anything of Mrs. Ascher's past?'
'She's a Hampshire woman. Went into service as a girl up in London—that's where she met Ascher and married him. Things must have been difficult for them during the war. She actually left him for good in 1922. They were in London then. She came back here to get away from him, but he got wind of where she was and followed her down here, pestering her for money—' A constable came in. 'Yes, Briggs, what is it?'
'It's the man Ascher, sir. We've brought him in.'
'Right. Bring him in here. Where was he?'
'Hiding in a truck on the railway siding.'
'He was, was he? Bring him along.'
Franz Ascher was indeed a miserable and unprepossessing specimen.
He was blubbering and cringing and blustering alternately. His bleary eyes moved shiftily from one face to another.
'What do you want with me? I have not done nothing. It is a shame and a scandal to bring me here! You are swine, how dare you?' His manner changed suddenly. 'No, no, I do not mean that—you would not hurt a poor old man—not be hard on him. Everyone is hard on poor old Franz. Poor old Franz.'
Mr. Ascher started to weep.
