Sudden Death by Freeman Wills Crofts

Author:Freeman Wills Crofts [Crofts, Freeman Wills]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2020-06-19T17:00:00+00:00

12

Explanation

Further thought convinced both inspectors that this discovery of French’s did really prove that the case was one of murder. If Sybil Grinsmead had turned the tap off, someone else had turned it on, using great care first, that his own fingerprints should not be left, and second, that the prints already there should be preserved. With one object and with one object only could this have been done.

‘But hang it all, French,’ Kendal said, when they had discussed the thing for some time. ‘Even yet I don’t understand it. Why should the deceased have turned it off? Who turned it on?’

‘The murderer,’ French returned. ‘As I now visualise it, the murderer wanted Sybil Grinsmead’s fingerprints on the tap. Very well, how could he get them there? Only, surely, in one way. He would light the fire, wipe the tap, and let the lady turn it out again.’

‘But we’ve heard nothing about the fire having been lit.’

‘I know we’ve not. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t done. As a matter of fact it would be part of the murderer’s plan to keep it quiet.’

‘Naturally, so far as he was concerned himself. But how would he insure that the lady wouldn’t mention it?’

French shook his head. ‘I don’t know. Probably if he explained the thing so clearly to her as to leave no question in her mind, she would not think it worthwhile repeating.’

‘If it was Grinsmead he might have annoyed her at the same time so that she might not wish to repeat it.’

‘That’s so, Kendal. That’s a good notion. And there’s another thing. The tap must have been turned on with a tool; something like a spanner which would only grip the edges. That wouldn’t affect the fingerprints.’

Kendal ruefully agreed. He was evidently a good deal upset by the discovery.

‘Curse it all, French,’ he said. ‘This will be a feather in your cap all right, but it won’t do me much good. Here I’ve gone into the thing and given it as my considered opinion that it was suicide, and now it turns out that I was wrong! It’ll be some time before I live it down.’

‘Nonsense,’ French returned. ‘We’re in the same boat. Here was I about to report the same thing. I’ll tell that to the super, and that it was only chance at the last minute that prevented my putting it in writing. Don’t you worry, old man. It’ll be all right.’

‘Very decent of you and all that, French. But we can’t change facts. However, that’s not the point. What’ll you do next?’

‘Go out and have another shot at Frayle, I suppose. I don’t really know. Between this and tomorrow I’ll have to think up something. I suppose I’ll have to try and find out about that fire being turned on, though of course if only the murderer knows about it that won’t be easy.’

‘Won’t you tell the super what you’re doing?’

‘I don’t usually report till I’m sure of my ground. However, there would seem to be no doubt so far as it’s being murder goes.

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