Agatha Christie - By the pricking of my thumbs

'Yes! She's your Aunt Ada.'

'Where does Aunt Ada come in? Mrs Lancaster is no aunt of mine.'

'But it's lawyers,' Tuppence insisted. 'It's a man's job always to deal with lawyers. They just think women are silly and don't pay attention.'

'A very sensible point of view,' said Tommy.

'Oh! Tommy - do help. You go and telephone and I'll find the dictionary and look how to spell contingency.'

Tommy gave her a look, but departed.

He returned at last and spoke firmly - 'This matter is now closed, Tuppence.'

'You got Mr Eccles?'

'Strictly speaking I got a Mr Wills who is doubtless the dogsbody of the firm of Partingford, Lockjaw and Harrison. But he was fully informed and glib. All letters and communications go via the Southern Counties Bank, Hammersmith branch, who will forward all communications. And there, Tuppence, let me tell you, the trail stops. Banks will forward things - but they won't yield any addresses to you or anyone else who asks. They have their code of rules and they'll stick to them. Their lips are sealed like our more pompous Prime Minister's.'

'All right, I'll send a letter care of the Bank.'

'Do that - and for goodness' sake, leave me alone - or I shall never get my speech done.'

'Thank you, darling,' said Tuppence. 'I don't know what I'd do without you.' She kissed the top of his head.

'It's the best butter,' said Tommy.

II

It was not until the following Thursday evening that Tommy asked suddenly, 'By the way, did you ever get any answer to the letter you sent care of the Bank to Mrs Johnson?'

'It's nice of you to ask,' said Tuppence sarcastically. 'No, I didn't.' She added meditatively, 'I don't think I shall, either.'

'Why not?'

'You're not really interested,' said Tuppence coldly.

'Look here, Tuppence - I know I've been rather preoccupied. It's all this I.U.A.S. It's only once a year, thank goodness.'

'It starts on Monday, doesn't it? For five days -'

'Four days.'

'And you all go down to a Hush Hush, top secret house in the country somewhere, and make speeches and read Papers and vet young men for Super Secret assignments in Europe and beyond. I've forgotten what I.U.A.S. stands for. All these initials they have nowadays...'

'International Union of Associated Security.'

'What a mouthful! Quite ridiculous. And I expect the whole place is bugged, and everybody knows everybody else's most secret conversations.'

'Highly likely,' said Tommy with a grin.

'And I suppose you enjoy it?'

'Well, I do in a way. One sees a lot of old friends.'

'All quite ga-ga by now, I expect. Does any of it do any good?'

'Heavens, what a question! Can one ever let oneself believe that you can answer that by a plain Yes or No?'

'And are any of the people any good?'

'I'd answer Yes to that. Some of them are very good indeed.'

'Will old Josh be there?'

'Yes, he will.'

'How is he, nowadays?'

'Deaf as a doorknob, almost blind, rheumatic... and you would be surprised with the things he notices...'

'I know.' Tuppence said. She thought a little. 'I wish I could go, too.'

Tommy looked cross.

'I'm sure you'll find something to do while I'm gone.'

'I might.' said Tuppence distractedly.

Her husband looked slightly worried at her.

'Tuppence... what are you plotting?'

'Up till now... nothing. Just an idea.'

'About what?'

'Sunny Ridge. And a nice old lady drinking milk and talking crazy about dead children and fireplaces. And I thought about having a closer look upon returning the next time... But there wasn't a next time because aunt Ada died... And when we went back to Sunny Ridge Mrs Lancaster was... gone!'

'You mean her family took her. This seems quite normal.'

'But she disappeared... no forwarding address... unanswered letters... it was planned. I am more sure of it now.'

'But...'

Tuppence cut him short.

'Listen, Tommy... suppose there really was a crime... seemingly safe and undiscovered. Imagine someone in the family knows something... someone old and gossipy... who talks to everyone... who could become dangerous? What would you do?'

'Arsenic in the cup?' suggested Tommy cheerfully. 'Bash them on the head. Push them down the staircase?'

'That would be exaggerated... Sudden deaths call attention. I would look for a simpler way... and find it. A nice respectable Home for Elderly Ladies. You'd pay a visit to it, calling yourself Mrs Johnson or Mrs Robinson - or you would get some unsuspecting third party to make arrangements. You'd fix the financial arrangements through a firm of reliable solicitors. You've already hinted, perhaps, that your elderly relative has fancies and mild delusions sometimes - so do a good many of the other old ladies. Nobody will think it odd if she cackles on about poisoned milk, or dead children behind a fireplace, or a sinister kidnapping; nobody will really listen. They'll just think it's old Mrs So-and-So having her fancies again - nobody will take any notice at all.'

'Except Mrs Thomas Beresford,' said Tommy.

'All right, yes,' said Tuppence. 'I've taken notice!'

'But why did you?'

'I don't quite know,' said Tuppence slowly. 'It's like the fairy stories. By the pricking of my thumbs/Something evil this way comes. I felt suddenly scared. I'd always thought of Sunny Ridge as such a normal happy place - and suddenly I began to wonder... That's the only way I can put it. I wanted to find out more. And now poor old Mrs Lancaster has disappeared. Somebody's spirited her away.'

'But why should they?'

'I can only think because she was getting worse - worse from their point of view - remembering more, perhaps, talking to people more, or perhaps she recognized someone - or someone recognized her - or told her something that gave her new ideas about something that had once happened. Anyway, for some reason or other she became dangerous to someone.'

'Look here, Tuppence, this whole thing is all somethings and someones. It's just an idea you've thought up. You don't want to go mixing yourself up in things that are no business of yours -'

'There's nothing to be mixed up in according to you,' said Tuppence. 'So you needn't worry at all.'

'You leave Sunny Ridge alone.'

'I don't mean to go back to Sunny Ridge. I think they've told me all they know there. I think that that old lady was quite safe whilst she was there. I want to find out where she is now. I want to get to her wherever she is in time - before something happens to her.'

'What on earth do you think might happen to her?'

'I don't like to think. But I'm on the trail. I'm going to be Prudence Beresford, Private Investigator. Do you remember when we were Blunt's Brilliant Detectives?'

'I was,' said Tommy. 'You were Miss Robinson, my private secretary.'

'Not all the time. Anyway, that's what I'm going to do while you're playing at International Espionage at Hush Hush Manor. It's the "Save Mrs Lancaster" that I'm going to be busy with.'

'You'll probably find her perfectly all right.'

'I hope I shall. Nobody would be better pleased than I should.'

'How do you propose to set about it?'

'As I told you, I've got to think first. Perhaps an advertisement of some kind? No, that would be a mistake.'

'Well, be careful,' said Tommy, rather inadequately.

Tuppence did not deign to reply.

III

On Monday morning, Albert, the domestic mainstay of the Beresfords' life for many long years, ever since he had been roped into anti-criminal activities by them as a carroty-haired lift-boy, deposited the tray of early morning tea on the table between the two beds, pulled back the curtains, announced that it was a nice day, and removed his now portly form from the room.

Tuppence yawned, sat up, rubbed her eyes, poured out a cup of tea, dropped a slice of lemon in it, and remarked that it seemed a nice day, but you never knew.