The Murders near Mapleton by Flynn Brian

Author:Flynn, Brian
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: amazon

CHAPTER XIV

THE MAYOR OF MAPLETON IS UNUSUALLY RETICENT

When the study door had closed upon Morris and Ruby Trentham, plain husband and beautiful wife, at the conclusion of the interview, Inspector Craig approached Sir Austin Kemble deferentially and disconsolately. “It seems very plain to me, sir, that we’re very little ‘forrader’ as you might say. After all these people’s stories we’re no nearer knowing who the woman in the dark dress was—and it seems to me that we’re no nearer knowing what caused Sir Eustace to decide on committing suicide. I agree with Mr. Bathurst, there’s something we’ve missed. I think, in all probability, that I shall have to start on fresh lines all over again.”

The Commissioner grunted. It would be difficult to assert if the grunt were in assent or dissent. Perhaps its best description would be “non-committal.” It was a grunt that occupied a comfortable seat upon the mental fence. Anthony Bathurst thrust his hands deep into his trousers pockets and paced the floor of the room . . . backwards and forwards . . . two or three times. “In some respects, Sir Austin,” he declared, “I’m disposed to agree with Inspector Craig. We are still very much in the dark, undoubtedly. There is so much in the story that has been presented to us that seems impossible of explanation—that is to say, with our present knowledge. From some points of view it appeals to me as the most difficult case of my career. On the other hand, we’ve been able to establish two or three facts at least. Any one of which may well prove to be our starting-point.” He paused suddenly in one of his brief promenades. “A starting-point is a great thing, Inspector. When I get a starting-point, I invariably progress. And I’ve known it come from something that in its inception appeared to be absolutely infinitesimal or seemingly irrelevant. A chance word spoken—a stray remark here or there—a phrase in a written letter—an apparently insignificant incident—any one of these may put the investigator on the track that leads to ultimate success. In that pretty little problem at Considine Manor, for instance, it was the disposition of the bedclothes that established my previously purely tentative theory as absolutely definite, while in the very intriguing case of ‘The Peacock’s Eye’ an even more trifling matter became the foundation-stone of the case that I eventually constructed. You see what I mean—don’t you?” His grey eyes—eagerly interrogative—embraced both Sir Austin and Craig as he put his question to them. Without waiting for a reply from either—he continued upon the elaboration of his argument. “For example—consider just three things that we’ve been fortunate enough to establish this afternoon. Three points of definite progress. Palmer, the maid, is prepared to swear that she heard a third person in conversation with Sir Eustace Vernon and his butler—Purvis—both of whom are dead, mark you—and—more important still—that the voice was—she feels sure—the voice of a man who is familiar to her. You can’t

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