Agatha Christie - Murder in the mews

‘I do not smoke the pipe,’ said Poirot. ‘It is a pretty alibi you have there.’

‘It should be a pretty cast iron one anyway! Now then, sir,’ he looked at Japp. ‘Are you satisfied?’

‘You remained in the sitting-room throughout your visit?’

‘Yes.’

‘You did not go upstairs to Mrs Allen’s own boudoir?’

‘No, I tell you. We stayed in the one room and didn’t leave it.’

Japp looked at him thoughtfully for a minute or two. Then he said:

‘How many sets of cuff links have you?’

‘Cuff links? Cuff links? What’s that got to do with it?’

‘You are not bound to answer the question, of course.’

‘Answer it? I don’t mind answering it. I’ve got nothing to hide. And I shall demand an apology. There are these…’ he stretched out his arms.

Japp noted the gold and platinum with a nod.

‘And I’ve got these.’

He rose, opened a drawer and taking out a case, he opened it and shoved it rudely almost under Japp’s nose.

‘Very nice design,’ said the chief inspector. ‘I see one is broken—bit of enamel chipped off.’

‘What of it?’

‘You don’t remember when that happened, I suppose?’

‘A day or two ago, not longer.’

‘Would you be surprised to hear that it happened when you were visiting Mrs Allen ?’

‘Why shouldn’t it? I’ve not denied that I was there.’ The major spoke haughtily. He continued to bluster, to act the part of the justly indignant man, but his hands were trembling.

Japp leaned forward and said with emphasis:

‘Yes, but that bit of cuff link wasn’t found in the sitting-room . It was found upstairs in Mrs Allen’s boudoir—there in the room where she was killed, and where a man sat smoking the same kind of cigarettes as you smoke .’

The shot told. Eustace fell back into his chair. His eyes went from side to side. The collapse of the bully and the appearance of the craven was not a pretty sight.

‘You’ve got nothing on me.’ His voice was almost a whine. ‘You’re trying to frame me… But you can’t do it. I’ve got an alibi… I never came near the house again that night…’

Poirot in his turn, spoke.

‘No, you did not come near the house again… You did not need to … For perhaps Mrs Allen was already dead when you left it .’

‘That’s impossible—impossible—She was just inside the door—she spoke to me—People must have heard her—seen her…’

Poirot said softly:

‘They heard you speaking to her… and pretending to wait for her answer and then speaking again… It is an old trick that…People may have assumed she was there, but they did not see her, because they could not even say whether she was wearing evening dress or not—not even mention what colour she was wearing …’

‘My God—it isn’t true—it isn’t true—’

He was shaking now—collapsed…

Japp looked at him with disgust. He spoke crisply.

‘I’ll have to ask you, sir, to come with me.’

‘You’re arresting me?’

‘Detained for inquiry—we’ll put it that way.’

The silence was broken with a long, shuddering sigh. The despairing voice of the erstwhile blustering Major Eustace said:

‘I’m sunk…’

Hercule Poirot rubbed his hands together and smiled cheerfully. He seemed to be enjoying himself.

‘Pretty the way he went all to pieces,’ said Japp with professional appreciation, later that day.

He and Poirot were driving in a car along the Brompton Road.

‘He knew the game was up,’ said Poirot absently.

‘We’ve got plenty on him,’ said Japp. ‘Two or three different aliases, a tricky business over a cheque, and a very nice affair when he stayed at the Ritz and called himself Colonel de Bathe. Swindled half a dozen Piccadilly tradesmen. We’re holding him on that charge for the moment—until we get this affair finally squared up. What’s the idea of this rush to the country, old man?’

‘My friend, an affair must be rounded off properly. Everything must be explained. I am on the quest of the mystery you suggested. The Mystery of the Missing Attaché-Case.’

‘The Mystery of the Small Attaché-Case—that’s what I called it—It isn’t missing that I know of.’

‘Wait, mon ami. ’

The car turned into the mews. At the door of No. 14, Jane Plenderleith was just alighting from a small Austin Seven. She was in golfing clothes.

She looked from one to the other of the two men, then produced a key and opened the door.

‘Come in, won’t you?’

She led the way. Japp followed her into the sitting-room. Poirot remained for a minute or two in the hall, muttering something about:

‘ C’est embêtant —how difficult to get out of these sleeves.’

In a moment or two he also entered the sitting-room minus his overcoat but Japp’s lips twitched under his moustache. He had heard the very faint squeak of an opening cupboard door.

Japp threw Poirot an inquiring glance and the other gave a hardly perceptible nod.

‘We won’t detain you, Miss Plenderleith,’ said Japp briskly.

‘Only came to ask if you could tell us the name of Mrs Allen’s solicitor.’

‘Her solicitor?’ The girl shook her head. ‘I don’t even know that she had one.’

‘Well, when she rented this house with you, someone must have drawn up the agreement?’

‘No, I don’t think so. You see, I took the house, the lease is in my name. Barbara paid me half the rent. It was quite informal.’

‘I see. Oh! well, I suppose there’s nothing doing then.’

‘I’m sorry I can’t help you,’ said Jane politely.

‘It doesn’t really matter very much.’ Japp turned towards the door. ‘Been playing golf?’

‘Yes.’ She flushed. ‘I suppose it seems rather heartless to you. But as a matter of fact it got me down rather, being here in this house. I felt I must go out and do something—tire myself—or I’d choke!’

She spoke with intensity.

Poirot said quickly:

‘I comprehend, mademoiselle. It is most understandable—most natural. To sit in this house and think—no, it would not be pleasant.’

‘So long as you understand,’ said Jane shortly.

‘You belong to a club?’

‘Yes, I play at Wentworth.’

‘It has been a pleasant day,’ said Poirot.

‘Alas, there are few leaves left on the trees now! A week ago the woods were magnificent.’

‘It was quite lovely today.’

‘Good afternoon, Miss Plenderleith,’ said Japp formally. ‘I’ll let you know when there’s anything definite. As a matter of fact we have got a man detained on suspicion.’

‘What man?’

She looked at them eagerly.

‘Major Eustace.’

She nodded and turned away, stooping down to put a match to the fire.

‘Well?’ said Japp as the car turned the corner of the mews.

Poirot grinned.

‘It was quite simple. The key was in the door this time.’

‘And—?’

Poirot smiled.

‘ Eh, bien , the golf clubs had gone—’

‘Naturally. The girl isn’t a fool, whatever else she is. Anything else gone ?’

Poirot nodded his head.

‘Yes, my friend— the little attaché-case !’

The accelerator leaped under Japp’s foot.

‘Damnation!’ he said. ‘I knew there was something . But what the devil is it? I searched that case pretty thoroughly.’

‘My poor Japp—but it is—how do you say, “obvious, my dear Watson”?’

Japp threw him an exasperated look.