Templett made a sudden movement, but said nothing.
“For four o’clock on Saturday afternoon,” said Alleyn, “none of you has an alibi that would stand up to five minutes’ cross-examination.”
“But—”
“I’ve told you — ”
“I explained yesterday — ”
“Do you want me to go into this? Wait a little and listen. At about half-past three, Mrs. Ross arrived at the hall. Dr. Templett got there a few minutes later. She had come to complete the supper arrangements, he to put his acting clothes in his dressing-room. They had both called at Pen Cuckoo in the morning. Mrs. Ross tells us that while Dr. Templett went into the house she remained in the car. I imagine there is no need to remind you all of the french window into the study at Pen Cuckoo.”
“I knew,” whispered Miss Prentice. “I knew, I knew!”
“You’re going beyond your duty, Mr. Alleyn,” said Mrs. Ross.
“No,” said Alleyn. “I merely pause here to point out how easy it would have been for any of you to come up Top Lane and slip into the study. To return to the 3.30 visit to the hall. Dr. Templett has given what I believe to be a true account of this visit. He has told us that he arrived to find Mrs. Ross already there and occupied with the supper arrangements. After a time they came here on to this stage. They noticed that the last window on the right, near the front door, was a few inches open. Mrs. Ross, who first noticed this, told Dr. Templett that she saw someone dodge down behind the sill. To reach the window this onlooker used a box.”
He turned the cloth farther back and the dilapidated soap-box was revealed. Miss Prentice giggled and covered her mouth with her hand.
“This is the box. It fits into the marks under the window. Do you recognise it, Dr. Templett?”
“Yes,” said Templett dully, “I remember that splash of white on the top. I saw it as I looked down.”
“Exactly. I should explain that when Dr. Templett reached the window he looked out to see if he could discover anybody. He saw nobody, but he noticed the box. He tells me it was not there when he arrived. Now Mrs. Ross said that she did not recognise this person. But I have experimented, and have found that if one sees anybody at all under the conditions she has described, one stands a very good chance of recognising them. One would undoubtedly know, for instance, whether it was a man or a woman whose image showed for a moment and disappeared behind the sill. It will be urged by the police that Mrs. Ross did, in fact recognise this person.” Alleyn turned to Templett.
“Mrs. Ross did not tell you who it was?”
“I didn’t know who it was,” said Mrs. Ross.
“Dr. Templett?”
“I believe Mrs. Ross’s statement.”
Alleyn looked at the squire.
“When you saw Mrs. Ross alone this afternoon, sir, did she refer to this incident?”
“I can’t answer that question, Alleyn,” muttered the squire. Henry raised his head and looked at his father with a sort of wonder.
“Very well, sir,” said Alleyn. “I must remind you all that you are free to refuse answers to any questions you may be asked. The police may not set traps, and it is my duty to tell you that we have established the identity of the eavesdropper.” He took the lid from a small box.
“One of those fragments of rubber,” he said, “was found on the point of a nail on the inside of the box. The others were caught behind projecting splinters also on the inside of the box.”
He opened an envelope and from it he shook a torn surgical finger-stall.
“The fragments of rubber,” he said, “correspond with the holes in this stall.”
Miss Prentice electrified the company by clapping her hands with great violence.
“Oh, inspector,” she cried shrilly, “how perfectly, perfectly wonderful you are!”
iii
Alleyn turned slowly and met her enraptured gaze. Her prominent eyes bulged, her mouth was open, and she nodded her head several times with an air of ecstasy.
“Then you acknowledge,” he said, “that you put this box outside the window on Saturday afternoon?”
“Of course!”
“And that you stood on it in order to look through the window?”
“Alas, yes!”
“Miss Prentice, why did you do this?”
“I was guided.”
“Why did you not admit you recognised the box when Inspector Fox asked you about it?”
With that unlovely air of girlishness she covered her face with her fingers.
“I was afraid he would ask me what I saw.”
“This is absolute nonsense!” said Templett angrily.
“And why,” continued Alleyn, “did you tell me you were indoors all Saturday afternoon?”
“I was afraid to say what I’d done.”
“Afraid? Of whom?”
She seemed to draw herself inwards to a point of venomous concentration. She stretched out her arm across the table. The finger pointed at Mrs. Ross.
“Of her. She tried to murder me. She’s a murderess. I can prove it. I can prove it.”
“No!” cried the squire. “No! Good God, Alleyn — ”
“Is there any doubt in your mind, Mr. Alleyn,” said Mrs. Ross, “that this woman is mad?”
“I can prove it,” repeated Miss Prentice.
“How?” asked Alleyn. “Please let this finish, Mr. Jernigham. We shall see daylight soon.”
“She knew I saw her. She tried to kill me because she was afraid.”
“You hear that, Mrs. Ross? It is a serious accusation. Do you feel inclined to answer it? I must warn you, first, that Dr. Templett has made a statement about this incident.”
She looked quickly at Templett.
He said, “I thought you hadn’t considered me over the other business. I told the truth.”
“You fool,” said Mrs. Ross. For the first time she looked really frightened. She raised her hands to her thin neck and touched it surreptitiously. Then she hid her hands in her lap.
“I do not particularly want to repeat the gist of Dr. Templett’s statement,” said Alleyn.
“Very well.” Her voice cracked, she took a breath and then said evenly, “Very well. I recognised Miss Prentice. I’ve nothing whatever to fear. One doesn’t kill old maids for eavesdropping.”
“Mr. Jernigham,” said Alleyn, “did Mrs. Ross tell you of this incident this afternoon?”
The squire was staring at Mrs. Ross as if she was a sort of Medusa. Without turning his eyes, he nodded.
“She suggested that Miss Prentice had come down to the hall with the intention of putting the automatic in the piano?”
“So she had. I’ll swear,” said Mrs. Ross.
“Mr. Jernigham?”
“Yes. Yes, she suggested that.”
“She told you perhaps, that you could trust her?”
“Oh, my God!” said the squire.
“I arrived too late at this place,” said Mrs. Ross, “to be able to do anything to the piano.” She looked at Dinah. “You know that.”
“Yes,” said Dinah.
“It was soon after that,” said Miss Prentice abruptly, “that she began to set traps for me, you know. Then I saw it all in a flash. She must have seen me through a glass darkly, and because I witnessed the unpardonable sin she will destroy me. You understand, don’t you, because it is very important. She is in league with The Others, and it won’t be long before one of them catches me.”
Templett said, “Alleyn, you must see. This has gone on long enough. It’s perfectly obvious what’s wrong here.”