heard me from the hall and called out that she'd got some and would give it to me. She was just going out herself. And Mother said, 'Yes, get it from Kirsty.''
'I was just going down to the Women's Institute with some books on Flower Arrangement,' said Kirsten. 'I knew Mrs. Argyle was busy and didn't want to be disturbed.'
Hester said in an aggrieved voice: 'What does it matter who gave me the money? You wanted to know when I last saw Mother alive. That was when. She was sitting at the table poring over a lot of plans. And I said I wanted cash, and then Kirsten called out that she'd give it to me. I took it from her and then went into Mother's room again and said good night to Mother and she said she hoped I'd enjoy the play, and to be careful driving. She always said that. And then I went out to the garage and got the car out.'
'And Miss Lindstrom.'
'Oh, she went off as soon as she'd given me the money.'
Kirsten Lindstrom said quickly: 'Hester passed me in the car just as I got to the end of our road. She must have started almost immediately after me. She went on up the hill to the main road whilst I turned left to the village.'
Hester opened her mouth as though to speak, then quickly shut it again.
Huish wondered. Was Kirsten Lindstrom trying to establish that Hester would not have had time to commit the crime? Wasn't it possible that instead of Hester's saying a quiet good night to Mrs. Argyle, there had been an argument –a quarrel, and that Hester had struck her down?
Smoothly he turned to Kirsten and said: 'Now, Miss Lindstrom, let's have your account of what you remember.'
She was nervous. Her hands twisted uncomfortably.
'We had tea. It was cleared away. Hester helped me. Then she went upstairs. Then Jacko came.'
'You heard him?'
'Yes. I let him in. He said he had lost his key. He went straight in to his mother. He said at once, 'I'm in a jam. You've got to get me out of it' I did not hear any more. I went back into the kitchen. There were things to prepare for supper.'
'Did you hear him leave?'
'Yes, indeed. He was shouting. I came from the kitchen. He was standing there in the front hall — very angry, shouting out that he'd come back, that his mother had better have the money ready for him. Or else! That is what he said: 'Or else!' It was a threat.'
'And then?'
'He went off banging the door. Mrs. Argyle came out in the hall. She was very pale and upset. She said to me, 'You heard?'
'I said: 'He is in trouble?'
'She nodded. Then she went upstairs to the library to Mr. Argyle. I laid the table for supper, and then I went up to put my outdoor things on. The Women's Institute were having a Flower Arrangement Competition next day. There were some Flower Arrangement books we had promised them.'
'You took the books to the Institute — what time did you return to the house?'
'It must have been about half past seven. I let myself in with my key. I went in at once to Mrs. Argyle's room — to give her a message of thanks and a note — she was at the desk, her head forward on her hands. And there was the poker, flung down — and drawers of the bureau pulled out. There had been a burglar, I thought. She had been licked. And I was right. Now you know that I was right. It was a burglar — someone from outside!'
'Someone whom Mrs. Argyle herself let in?'
'Why not?' said Kirsten defiantly. 'She was kind — always very kind. And she was not afraid — of people or things. Besides it is not as though she were alone in the house. There were others — her husband, Gwenda, Mary. She had only to call out.'
'But she didn't call out,' Huish pointed out.
'No. Because whoever it was must have told her some very plausible story. She would always listen. And so, she sat down again at the desk — perhaps to look for her cheque-book — because she was unsuspicious — so he had the chance to snatch up the poker and hit her. Perhaps, even, he did not mean to kill her. He just wanted to stun her and look for money and jewellery and so. He didn't look very far — just turned out a few drawers.
'Perhaps he heard sounds in the house — or lost his nerve. Or found, perhaps, that he had killed her. And leaned forward.'
Her eyes were both frightened and pleading. 'It must have been like that — it must!'
He was interested in her insistence. Was it fear for herself? She could have killed her employer there and then, pulling out the drawers to lend verisimilitude to the idea of a burglar. Medical evidence could not put the time of death closer than between seven and seven thirty.
'It seems as though it must be so,' he acquiesced pleasantly. A faint sigh of relief escaped her. She sat back. He turned to the Durrants.
'You didn't hear anything, either of you?' 'Not a thing.'
'I took a tray with tea up to our room,' said Mary. 'It's rather shut off from the rest of the house. We were there until we heard someone screaming. It was Kirsten. She'd just found Mother dead.'
'You didn't leave the room at all until then?'
'No.' Her limpid gaze met his. 'We were playing picquet.'
Philip wondered why he felt slightly discomposed. Polly was doing what he had told her to do. Perhaps it was the perfection of her manner, calm, unhurried, carrying complete conviction.
'Polly, love, you're a wonderful liar!' he thought.
'And I, Superintendent,' he said, 'was then, and am still, quite incapable of any comings and goings.'
'But you're a good deal better, aren't you, Mr. Durrant,' said the superintendent cheerfully. 'One of these days we'll have you walking again.'
'It's a long job.'
Huish turned towards the other two members of the family who up to now had sat without making a sound. Micky had sat with his arms folded and a faint sneer on his face. Tina, small and graceful, leaned back in her chair, her eyes moving occasionally from face to face.
'Neither of you two were in the house, I know,' he said. 'But perhaps you'll just refresh my memory as to what you were doing that evening?'
'Does your memory really need refreshing?' asked Micky with his sneer even more pronounced. 'I can still say my piece. I was out testing a car. Clutch trouble. I gave it a good long test. From Drymouth up Minchin Hill, along the Moor Road and back through Ipsley. Unfortunately cars are dumb, they can't testify.'
Tina had turned her head at last. She was staring straight at Micky. Her face was still expressionless…
'And you, Miss Argyle? You work at the library at Redmyn?'
'Yes. It closes at half past five. I did a little shopping in the High Street. Then I went home. I have a flat — flatlet really — in Morecombe Mansions. I cooked my own supper and enjoyed a quiet evening playing gramophone records.'
'You didn't go out at all?'
There was a slight pause before she said: 'No, I didn't go out.'
'Quite sure about that, Miss Argyle?'
'Yes. I am sure.'
'You have a car, haven't you?'
'Yes.'
'She has a bubble,' said Micky. 'Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble.'
'I have a bubble, yes,' said Tina, grave and composed.
'Where do you keep it?'
'In the street. I have no garage. There is a side street near the flats. There are cars parked all along it.'
'And you've — nothing helpful you can tell us?'
Huish hardly knew himself why he was so insistent.
'I do not think there is anything I could possibly tell you.'
Micky threw her a quick glance.
Huish sighed.
