Arthur Upfield: Death of a Lake

“That was before Gillen came. Carney was trying his luck when Gillen asked for a job. I used to watch the play. I was asked by this one and that to obtain a wages cheque from the Boss, and then when making up the mail I’d see a letter addressed to a Sydney or an Adelaide jeweller. I became satisfied to wait, and bet with myself which of the men would finally murder her.

“Gillen came and he fancied Joan, and Joan seemed to fall for him. Gillen must have been fifteen years younger than I am. In modern parlance, he had everything it takes. She played with me, and she played with Carney, but she meant business with Gillen… until she came to me one evening and was sweet and loving and told me that Gillen had a lot of stolen money in his suitcase. She suggested that I take it, saying it must have been stolen by Gillen, and what was stolen would not be real stealing the second time. And that when Gillen discovered his money was gone he wouldn’t dare make a fuss about it, and we could go away and be married and start with plenty of cash. The Golden Bitch! I told her to use someone else.

“The very next night, Gillen came to me with the money in a parcel, and after he had gone back to the quarters, I opened the parcel, made sure that it contained a fortune in banknotes, and retied and resealed it and put it in the safe.

“I stayed on the veranda a full two hours after I heard Gillen shouting for help from the middle of the Lake, and by then was sure he had drowned. Because all the time he’d been here he had never written a letter, but had signed the employees’ work-book, I imitated his handwriting and wrote a note saying he had planted his money and that the clue to the plant was in his locket and daring anyone to take the locket from him. I knew someone had been after the money, because Gillen told me his case had been tampered with.

“At four in the morning the front of the quarters was in deep shadow, and I took the note and crept into Gillen’s room and put it into the case. If someone came after the money and took the note, they’d be ready to get in first for the locket when the body came ashore. And if by chance it didn’t, they’d have to wait for the Lake to dry up. If no one opened the case, I’d give the note to Joan for the pleasure of seeing her reaction. But when I listed the contents of the case, the note was gone, and as Gillen’s body didn’t turn up, I sat back and watched the play go on.”

“Who knew where the safe key was normally kept?” asked Bony.

“No one other than Mr Wallace and myself.”

“And on the morning of the first you inadvertently left the key in the safe lock?”

“I did. That morning when Mr Wallace rang through he wanted stock figures and I had to refer to the stock book. I forgot to relock the safe. That is the story, Inspector. I have nothing to add to it. I shall continue to sit back and watch the play, because I know now that you know the end of it.”

Who Wins?

JOANAPPEARED, escorted by the constable, and behind them came Mr Wallace, who had been requested by Bony not to leave the poor girl alone to brood.

She looked cool and confident in a lilac dress and sling-back sandals. Her hair was gloriously, vividly alive and her makeup was, as usual, lightly applied. She gave Bony a tender smile and then concentrated on SergeantMansell, who had sent word that he wished to ask questions. It was when Bony was presented as Inspector Bonaparte that she froze.

“You, a detective-inspector!”

“When I am not breaking-in horses, yes. Now be easy, Miss Fowler. I just want you to tell us about the fire so that this matter of your mother’s unfortunate end may be cleared up. Would you tell SergeantMansell just what happened?”

“What, again?”Joan tossed her hair, settled herself on the hard tea-chest, and related her experience as previously given to Bony and others.

“Thank you,” murmured Bony. “Let us be quite clear. Your mother was lying down on her bed. She occupied a room other than yours?”

“Yes. When I ran to her she was lying on her bed and I tried to wake her up and couldn’t. So I pulled her off the bed and tried to drag her from the room, but the fire and smoke was too much for me, and I just got out myself. As I told you.”

“When you first noticed the fire, you were lying down on your own bed?”

“Yes.”

“Fully dressed, of course?”

“Oh, yes. I had had a shower and dressed for the afternoon. I was reading a book when I saw smoke pouring into my room and then I heard the crackle of the flames.”

“It was, if memory serves, a very hot afternoon, Miss Fowler. You would have found the shade cast by the garden trees much cooler. During the morning you swept out the office, I understand.”

“No. I didn’t. Mother did, I think.”

“Supposing you tell us about the money in the unlocked safe.”

“Money in the safe!” echoed Joan. “What are you talking about?”

“This money,” replied Bony, and brought up the parcel to place it on the desk.“Gillen’s money. It was in the safe before the house caught fire. It was not in the safe when the house was burning. After the house burned to ash, it was in Lester’s room… under his bed and pushed as far back as possible. Can you tell us anything concerning this strange angle?”

“I still don’t know what you are talking about!”persisted the girl, her eyes indignant, but voice controlled.

“You knew, of course, that Gillen possessed a great deal of money, and that everyone thought he had stolen it?”

“It’s the first I’ve heard of it. And if you believe tales told you by Harry and Mr Martyr about me, you’re a fool. They’re spiteful liars. They’ve always been sore because I wouldn’t give in to them. This has never been a safe place for a decent girl, but Mother and I had to live, and we could save something from our wages.”

“These tales about you have to be checked, you know,” Bony said soothingly. “It’s my job. Let’s return to the fire. Of course, you know there will have to be an inquest, and it’s better to have it all straightened out for the coroner. Would you prefer to sign a statement covering your actions from the time you realized the house was on fire?”

“Yes, I would.”

Bony wrote down the details.

“There you are. Please read it carefully before you sign it. Then we’ll witness your signature, and make it hard and fast.”

The girl read the document. She picked up the pen provided byMansell. She looked at Bony, who was rolling a cigarette. She glared at Martyr and Carney, who had drawn close at Bony’s beckoning.

“That is what happened,” she said.“Every word of it. I don’t tell lies about people.”

With angry deliberation she wrote her name, and sat back while Carney and Martyr and Lester witnessed her signature.

“You might confirm the document, Mr Wallace,” suggested Bony, and Wallace signed as a Justice of the Peace. The men were waved away, and Bony continued. “Now that subject is covered, Miss Fowler, let us make clear the subject of your mother’s jewellery.”

Bony thought to make the girl betray shock, and when he saw no evidence of it he could not but wonder at the manifestation of a one-track mind, unable to anticipate a trap. Here was a woman so sure of her power, made so vain by her victories, that even the subject of her mother’s jewellery did not, at this moment, disturb her, as she deftly renewed her make-up.

“Well, what about Mum’s bits and pieces?” she demanded, slipping the gold compact into the pocket of her skirt. Bony smiled ruefully, saying:

“I find this as irritating as you must do, Miss Fowler. Do you remember Lester giving your mother a gold brooch set with opals?”