Evil Under the Sun

‘Their contents, by the way, are strictly confidential. But when it’s a case of murder, one is forced to trust in the discretion of the police. They contain lists of figures and various financial statements. I think you will find that if you put one of your men on to type them out, he won’t do it in much under an hour.’

He paused.

‘Satisfied, I hope?’

Weston said smoothly.

‘It is no question of suspicion. Everyone on the island will be asked to account for his or her movements between a quarter to eleven and twenty minutes to twelve this morning.’

Kenneth Marshall said:

‘Quite.’

Weston said:

‘One more thing, Captain Marshall. Do you know anything about the way your wife was likely to have disposed of any property she had?’

‘You mean a will? I don’t think she ever made a will.’

‘But you are not sure?’

‘Her solicitors are Barkett, Markett amp; Applegood, Bedford Square. They saw to all her contracts, etc. But I’m fairly certain she never made a will. She said once that doing a thing like that would give her the shivers.’

‘In that case, if she has died intestate, you, as her husband, succeed to her property.’

‘Yes, I suppose I do.’

‘Had she any near relatives?’

‘I don’t think so. If she had, she never mentioned them. I know that her father and mother died when she was a child and she had no brothers or sisters.’

‘In any case, I suppose, she had nothing very much to leave?’

Kenneth Marshall said coldly:

‘On the contrary. Only two years ago, Sir Robert Erskine, who was an old friend of hers, died and left her most of his fortune. It amounted, I think, to about fifty thousand pounds.’

Inspector Colgate looked up. An alertness came into his glance. Up to now he had been silent. Now he asked:

‘Then actually, Captain Marshall, your wife was a rich woman?’

Kenneth Marshall shrugged his shoulders.

‘I suppose she was really.’

‘And you still say she did not make a will?’

‘You can ask the solicitors. But I’m pretty certain she didn’t. As I tell you, she thought it unlucky.’

There was a pause then Marshall added:

‘Is there anything further?’

Weston shook his head.

‘Don’t think so-eh Colgate? No. Once more, Captain Marshall, let me offer you all my sympathy in your loss.’

Marshall blinked. He said jerkily:

‘Oh-thanks.’

He went out.

V

The three men looked at each other.

Weston said:

‘Cool customer. Not giving anything away, is he? What do you make of him, Colgate?’

The Inspector shook his head.

‘It’s difficult to tell. He’s not the kind that shows anything. That sort makes a bad impression in the witness-box, and yet it’s a bit unfair on them really. Sometimes they’re as cut up as anything and yet can’t show it. That kind of manner made the jury bring in a verdict of Guilty against Wallace. It wasn’t the evidence. They just couldn’t believe that a man could lose his wife and talk and act so coolly about it.’

Weston turned to Poirot.

‘What do you think, Poirot?’

Hercule Poirot raised his hands.

He said:

‘What can one say? He is the closed box-the fastened oyster. He has chosen his role. He has heard nothing, he has seen nothing, he knows nothing!’

‘We’ve got a choice of motives,’ said Colgate. ‘There’s jealousy and there’s the money motive. Of course, in a way, a husband’s the obvious suspect. One naturally thinks of him first. If he knew his missus was carrying on with the other chap-’

Poirot interrupted.

He said:

‘I think he knew that.’

‘Why do you say so?’

‘Listen, my friend. Last night I had been talking with Mrs Redfern on Sunny Ledge. I came down from there to the hotel and on my way I saw those two together-Mrs Marshall and Patrick Redfern. And a moment or two after I met Captain Marshall. His face was very stiff. It says nothing-but nothing at all! It is almosttoo blank, if you understand me. Oh! he knew all right.’

Colgate grunted doubtfully.

He said:

‘Oh well, if you think so-’

‘I am sure of it! But even then, what does that tell us? What did Kenneth Marshallfeel about his wife?’

Colonel Weston said:

‘Takes her death coolly enough.’

Poirot shook his head in a dissatisfied manner.

Inspector Colgate said:

‘Sometimes these quiet ones are the most violent underneath, so to speak. It’s all bottled up. He may have been madly fond of her-and madly jealous. But he’s not the kind to show it.’

Poirot said slowly: 

‘That is possible-yes. He is a very interesting character this Captain Marshall. I interest myself in him greatly. And in hisalibi.’

‘Alibi by typewriter,’ said Weston with a short bark of a laugh. ‘What have you got to say about that, Colgate?’

Inspector Colgate screwed up his eyes. He said:

‘Well, you know, sir, I rather fancy that alibi. It’s not too good, if you know what I mean. It’s-well, it’snatural. And if we find the chambermaid was about, and did hear the typewriter going, well then, it seems to me that it’s all right and that we’ll have to look elsewhere.’

‘H’m,’ said Colonel Weston. ‘Where are you going to look?’

VI

For a minute or two the three men pondered the question.

Inspector Colgate spoke first. He said: