Chapter 4
The police arrived very quickly. There were a lot of them. Some of them with cameras went upstairs to Molly's room. Two detectives talked to Dr Pratt in the kitchen. The family waited in the sitting room. It was a hot day again and the windows were open. The dogs sat quietly at Diane's feet. Nobody talked. Jackie smoked. They waited for a long time. Suddenly the door opened and the two detectives came in.
'Good morning. I am Detective Inspector Walsh and this is Sergeant Foster.' The Inspector did not smile. He was a big man in an old black suit and a black hat and coat. He wore a coat because he always felt cold. 'Last night someone put sleeping tablets in Mrs Clarkson's hot milk. We are going to question everybody, and we need a room, please.'
Roger stood up. 'I'm Roger Clarkson. You can have my father's old office. Come with me, it's along here,'
The office was not a very big room, but there was a table and three or four chairs. Roger opened the window.
'I would like to talk first to your uncle, Albert King,' Inspector Walsh said. He took off his hat and coat and sat down behind the table.
'Of course,' said Roger and left the room.
Sergeant Foster waited by the door. He was a very tall young man with black hair and a nice smile. He was not very happy this morning because he usually played tennis on Sunday mornings. He was one of the best players at the Cambridge Tennis Club.
Albert came in and sat down.
'I'm going to ask some questions, Mr King,' the Inspector said, 'and Sergeant Foster is going to write it all down.'
Albert looked at his feet. 'Yes, yes. It's your job. I know that.'
'Tell me about last night,' Inspector Walsh asked quietly.
'You were angry with Mrs Clarkson.'
Albert looked at Inspector Walsh for the first time. 'Yes, I was. Everyone was angry. Roger was angry. Diane wanted money to go to America. Then there's a man called Tom Briggs…He wants half the garden for his farm. Molly was a rich woman. I need money because my wife Annie—Molly's sister—is very ill. I told Molly this.'
'What happened next?'
'Well, Molly was angry with everyone and went upstairs. We went into the kitchen for coffee. Jackie wanted everyone to go up and say good night to Molly. She lives here with Molly so she wanted Molly to be happy. At first Roger said no. He was angry and didn't want to see his mother.'
'And did you see Molly in her room?'
'Yes. I was tired and I went upstairs first. I went to Molly's room and asked her for money again. But no—there was no money for her sister.' Albert stopped and put his hand over his eyes.
Inspector Walsh watched Albert for a minute. 'Did you hear noises after you went to bed?'
'Everyone went into Molly's room to say good night, I think. Later, I heard someone…He—or she —went down-stairs. That was about midnight.'
'Very well, Mr King. Thank you, you can go now.' Albert left the room.
Inspector Walsh put his hands behind his head. 'What time is it? I'm hungry. We're learning a lot, but I need some coffee.'
'Shall I go to the kitchen?' Sergeant Foster asked.
'Oh, no. Later. Let's see Jackie Clarkson next.'
Jackie came in and sat down. She looked down at her hands and said nothing.
'We found the empty bottle of your mother's sleeping tablets in Diane's room,' the Inspector said suddenly. Then he waited. Jackie's face did not change and she said nothing.
'Tell me, did your mother get her tablets from the shop in the village?'
'Yes. My mother usually took a sleeping tablet every night so she needed a lot of tablets.
Sometimes she got them from the shop, sometimes I did. On Thursday, I asked Peter Hobbs to get them. He lives in the house across the road, and he often goes to the village on his bicycle.'
'I see. Your mother wanted to stay in this house. How about you? Did you want to move?'
Jackie looked up for a minute and then down at her hands again. 'This is Mother's house. I loved my mother. She was good to me.'
'Did you see your mother in her room last night?'
'Yes, everyone did. Diane made hot milk and took it to Mother. She usually drank a cup of hot milk before she slept.'
Inspector Walsh put his hands behind his head. Jackie was very quiet. 'What did your mother say?'
Jackie opened her bag and looked for a cigarette. 'Can I smoke?'
'Of course. This is your house,' Inspector Walsh said. He watched Jackie. 'What did your mother say?' he asked again.
'She wanted to go downstairs again. She remembered the dogs—she wanted to get some dinner for them. I went to my room and she went downstairs.'
'What time was this?'
'I don't remember. About midnight, I think.'
'And the cup of hot milk?'
'It was on the table by her bed.'
'Did you need your mother's money?'
'No, Inspector. Money is not important to me. There are more important things,' Jackie said quietly.
'Well, your uncle Albert wanted money. Tom Briggs wanted the garden. You wanted nothing?'
Jackie finished her cigarette and looked up at the Inspector. Her eyes were suddenly angry. 'Don't forget Peter Hobbs. He lost his job because of my mother. He wanted to kill her, you know. And what about Diane? You found the empty bottle in her bag.'
Inspector Walsh listened carefully. 'We're going to question everyone, Miss Clarkson.'
Jackie said nothing for a minute. 'Would you like some sandwiches and coffee, Inspector?'
'Ah! Yes, please!' Inspector Walsh said warmly. 'I would like sandwiches and coffee very much.'
Jackie left the room. Inspector Walsh thought about her. Why was she suddenly angry? The room was quiet.
4
警察很快就到了,來了許多人,一些人帶著相機(jī)上樓到莫利的房間。兩個(gè)偵探在廚房和普拉特醫(yī)生談話。家人在客廳等著。這又是個(gè)熱天,窗戶開著狗安靜地坐在黛安娜腳旁。沒人說話。杰基抽著煙。他們等了很長時(shí)間。突然門開了,兩名偵探走了進(jìn)來。
“早上好。我是沃爾什探長,這是福斯特警官。”探長沒有笑。他是個(gè)高大的男人,穿件黑色的舊衣服,披著件黑色外套,戴著頂黑色的帽子。
他總覺得冷所以穿了件外套。“昨晚有人把安眠藥放在克拉克森太太的熱牛奶里,我們會(huì)問每個(gè)人。勞駕,我們需要一個(gè)房間。”
羅杰站起來。“我是羅杰·克拉克森。你們可以用我父親過去的辦公室。跟我來,就在這兒。”
辦公室不是很大,但有一張桌子和三四把椅子羅杰打開了窗戶。
“我想先和你的姨父艾伯特·金談?wù)劊?rdquo;沃爾什探長說。他脫下帽子和外套,坐在桌旁。
“當(dāng)然可以,”羅杰說,然后離開了。
福斯特警官等在門邊。他是個(gè)高個(gè)子、黑頭發(fā), 有著迷人微笑的年青人。他通常在周日早上打網(wǎng)球因而今早他有些不高興。他是劍橋網(wǎng)球俱樂部最好的隊(duì)員之一。
艾伯特走進(jìn)來坐下。
“金先生,我想問你幾個(gè)問題,”探長說,“然后福斯特警官會(huì)把你說的話都記錄下來。”
艾伯特看著自己的腳。“好,好的。這是你們的工作。我理解。”
“告訴我有關(guān)昨晚的事。”沃爾什探長平靜地問。
“你對(duì)克拉克森太太生氣了。”
艾伯特這才直視著沃爾什探長。“是的,我生氣了。每個(gè)人都生氣了,羅杰生氣了,黛安娜想要錢去美國。然后有個(gè)叫湯姆·布里格斯的男人……
他想要一半花園當(dāng)他的農(nóng)場。莫利是個(gè)富有的女人。我需要錢,因?yàn)槲业钠拮影材?mdash;—莫利的姐姐——病得很重。我把這些告訴了莫利。”
“接著發(fā)生了什么?”
“嗯,莫利沖大家生氣,然后上了樓。我們進(jìn)廚房去喝咖啡。杰基希望每人都上去對(duì)莫利道晚安。她和莫利住在一塊,所以她想讓莫利快樂些。開始羅杰不同意,他在生氣,不想見他的媽媽。”
“接著你去莫利的房間見她了?”
“是的。我累了,我先上了樓。我去莫利的房間又向她要錢。但是不行——她沒有錢給她的姐姐。”艾伯特停下來并用手蒙住了眼睛。
沃爾什探長看了會(huì)艾伯特。“你上床后聽到什么聲音嗎?”
“我想,每人都到莫利的房間對(duì)他道晚安。隨后,我聽到有人……他——或則她——下了樓。那時(shí)大概是午夜了。”
“很好,金先生,謝謝。你現(xiàn)在可以走了。”艾伯特離開了房間。
沃爾什探長把手放在腦后。“幾點(diǎn)了?我餓了。我們了解了不少東西,但我需要點(diǎn)咖啡。”
“要我去廚房嗎?”福斯特警官問。
“哦,不,呆會(huì)兒。咱們接下來見見杰基·克拉克森。”
杰基走進(jìn)來坐下,她低頭看著手沒說話。
“我們在黛安娜的房間發(fā)現(xiàn)了你媽媽安眠藥的空瓶子。”探長突然說,然后他等著。杰基臉色沒變她一言不發(fā)。
“告訴我,你的媽媽是從村里的商店買到藥的嗎?”
“對(duì)。媽媽通常每晚都要服一片安眠藥,所以她要許多藥片。有時(shí)她去商店買,有時(shí)是我去。周四我請(qǐng)彼特·霍布斯去買。他住在馬路對(duì)面的那幢房子,他經(jīng)常騎自行車去村里。”
“明白了。你母親想留在這幢房子里。你呢?你想搬家嗎?”
杰基抬頭看了會(huì)然后又低下頭看著她的手。
“這是我媽媽的房子。我愛我的媽媽,她對(duì)我很好。”
“昨晚你去她的房間見她了嗎?”
“去了,每人都去了。黛安娜煮了熱牛奶并端給了媽媽。她通常在睡前要喝杯熱牛奶。”
沃爾什探長把手放在腦后。杰基很平靜。“你的媽媽說些什么?”
杰基打開包找了枝煙。“我可以抽嗎?”
“當(dāng)然,這是你的家,”沃爾什探長說,他看著杰基。“你的媽媽說了些什么?”他又問。
“她又想下樓。她想起了狗——她想給它們弄點(diǎn)東西吃。我走回我的房間然后她下了樓。”
“這時(shí)幾點(diǎn)了?”
“我記不清了。我想大概是午夜。”
“那么那杯熱牛奶呢?”
“它在她床邊的桌上。”
“你需要你母親的錢嗎?”
“不,探長。錢對(duì)我不重要。有比錢更重要的東西,”杰基平靜地說。
“嗯,你的艾伯特姨父要錢,湯姆·布里格斯想要花園。你什么也不想要?”
杰基抽完煙抬頭看著探長。她的眼里突然冒著火氣。“別忘了彼特·霍布斯。是我媽媽使他丟了工作。你知道,他想殺她。還有黛安娜呢?你們在她包里發(fā)現(xiàn)了空瓶子。”
沃爾什探長仔細(xì)聽著。“我們會(huì)對(duì)每個(gè)人提問克拉克森小姐。”
杰基沉默了一會(huì)。“探長,你們要些三明治和咖啡嗎?”
“哈!好,麻煩了!”沃爾什探長溫和地說。“我非常想要三明治和咖啡。”
杰基離開了房間。沃爾什探長想,她為什么突然生氣了?房間靜悄悄的。