Evil Under the Sun

‘Quite, quite,’ said Weston. ‘We’re not blaming you in any way, Mrs Castle.’

‘But it does so reflect upon an establishment,’ said Mrs Castle, her large bust heaving. ‘When ay think of the noisy gaping crowds. Of course no one but hotel guests are allowed upon the island-but all the same they will no doubt come andpoint from the shore.’

She shuddered.

Inspector Colgate saw his chance to turn the conversation to good account.

He said:

‘In regard to that point you’ve just raised. Access to the island. How do you keep people off?’

‘Ay ammost particular about it.’

‘Yes, but what measures do you take?What keeps ’em off? Holiday crowds in summer time swarm everywhere like flies.’

Mrs Castle shrugged slightly again.

She said:

‘That is the fault of the charabancs. Ay have seen eighteen at one time parked by the quay at Leathercombe Bay. Eighteen!’

‘Just so. How do you stop them coming here?’ 

‘There are notices. And then, of course, at high tide, we are cut off.’

‘Yes, but at low tide?’

Mrs Castle explained. At the island end of the causeway there was a gate. This said ‘Jolly Roger Hotel. Private. No entry except to Hotel.’ The rocks rose sheer out of the sea on either side there and could not be climbed.

‘Anyone could take a boat, though, I suppose, and row round and land on one of the coves? You couldn’t stop them doing that. There’s a right of access to the foreshore. You can’t stop people being on the beach between low and high watermark.’

But this, it seemed, very seldom happened. Boats could be obtained at Leathercombe Bay harbour, but from there it was a long row to the island, and there was also a strong current just outside Leathercombe Bay harbour.

There were notices, too, on both Gull Cove and Pixy Cove by the ladder. She added that George or William were always on the look out at the bathing beach proper which was the nearest to the mainland.

‘Who are George and William?’

‘George attends to the bathing beach. He sees to the costumes and the floats. William is the gardener. He keeps the paths and marks the tennis courts and all that.’ 

Colonel Weston said impatiently:

‘Well, that seems clear enough. That’s not to say that nobody could have come from outside, but anyone who did so took a risk-the risk of being noticed. We’ll have a word with George and William presently.’

Mrs Castle said:

‘Ay do not care for trippers-a very noisy crowd, and they frequently leave orange peel and cigarette boxes on the causeway and down by the rocks, but all the same ay never thought one of them would turn out to be a murderer. Oh dear! it really is too terrible for words. A lady like Mrs Marshall murdered and what’s so horrible, actually-er-strangled…’

Mrs Castle could hardly bring herself to say the word. She brought it out with the utmost reluctance.

Inspector Colgate said soothingly:

‘Yes, it’s a nasty business.’

‘And the newspapers.My hotel in the newspapers!’

Colgate said, with a faint grin.

‘Oh well, it’s advertisement, in a way.’

Mrs Castle drew herself up. Her bust heaved and whalebone creaked. She said icily:

‘That is not the kind of advertisement ay care about, Mr Colgate.’

Colonel Weston broke in. He said:

‘Now then, Mrs Castle, you’ve got a list of the guests staying here, as I asked you?’ 

‘Yes, sir.’

Colonel Weston pored over the hotel register. He looked over to Poirot who made the fourth member of the group assembled in the manageress’s office.

‘This is where you’ll probably be able to help us presently.’

He read down the names.

‘What about servants?’

Mrs Castle produced a second list.

‘There are four chambermaids, the head waiter and three under him and Henry in the bar. William does the boots and shoes. Then there’s the cook and two under her.’

‘What about the waiters?’

‘Well, sir, Albert, the Mater Dotel, came to me from the Vincent at Plymouth. He was there for some years. The three under him have been here for three years-one of them four. They are very naise lads and most respectable. Henry has been here since the hotel opened. He is quite an institution.’

Weston nodded. He said to Colgate:

‘Seems all right. You’ll check up on them, of course. Thank you, Mrs Castle.’

‘That will be all you require?’

‘For the moment, yes.’

Mrs Castle creaked out of the room.

Weston said: 

‘First thing to do is to talk with Captain Marshall.

IV

Kenneth Marshall sat quietly answering the questions put to him. Apart from a slight hardening of his features he was quite calm. Seen here, with the sunlight falling on him from the window, you realized that he was a handsome man. Those straight features, the steady blue eyes, the firm mouth. His voice was low and pleasant.

Colonel Weston was saying:

‘I quite understand, Captain Marshall, what a terrible shock this must be to you. But you realize that I am anxious to get the fullest information as soon as possible.’

Marshall nodded.

He said:

‘I quite understand. Carry on.’

‘Mrs Marshall was your second wife?’

‘Yes.’

‘And you have been married how long?’

‘Just over four years.’

‘And her name before she was married?’