Murder Killing
11. Donald Fraser and the Meeting
I immediately felt sorry for the young man. His pale face was concave and his bewildered eyes showed the shock of his soul.
He was an athletic young man with a clean face, medium height, not handsome, but his face was pleasant, mottled, his cheekbones were high, and his hair was red.
”What do you mean, Megan?” abugn. ”Why in here? For God's sake, let's say I just heard Betty..”.
His voice vibrates.
Poirot shoved a chair and the young man dropped himself there.
Then my best friend took a small bottle out of his pocket, poured a little of its contents into the nearest cup hanging from the cupboard, then he said, ”Drink a little, Mr. Frasers. Will make you feel good.”
The young man complied. The brandy gave a little color to his face. He sat a little straighter and turned his head once more towards Megan. His attitude was rather calm.
”Really?” abugn. ”Betty killed?”
”True, Don.” Then he spoke again, like an automatic
only, ”Have you just come from London?”
”Yes. My dad called me.”
”With train at 09:20, I guess,” said Donald Fraser.
His brain was disinclined to face reality, therefore he dodged it with that pleasantry conversation.
”Ya.”
Silent for a while, then Fraser said, ”Police?
Have they acted?”
”They above are now checking Betty's stuff maybe.”
”They don't know who? Did you know?” He stopped talking.
He is very sensitive and like every shy person, does not like to express the facts of violence in words.
Poirot came forward a little and asked something. He spoke in a formal manner and voice, as if his questions were unimportant details.
”Did Miss Barnard tell you where she was going last night?”
Fraser answered the question without thinking.
”She told me to go with a girlfriend to St. Leonards.”
”Do you trust him?”
”I” Sekonyong-konyong automatic machine it's on. ”What do you mean, Satan?”
Then his face looked threatening, trembling with the sudden lust of anger. This made me understand why a girl would be afraid to make her angry.
Poirot quickly said, ”Betty Barnard was killed by a cold-blooded killer. Just by telling the truth, you can help us find his trail.”
For a moment, his gaze turned to Megan.
”Betul, Don,” Megan said. ”This is not the time to consider the feelings of yourself or the feelings of others. You must be free of charges.”
Donald Fraser looked suspiciously at Poirot. ”Who Are You? You're not from the Police?”
”I'm better than the police,” said Poirot. He said that without any intention of bragging. To him, it was just a simple statement about a fact.
”Tell him,” Megan said. Donald Fraser has surrendered.
”I'm not sure,” said. ”I trusted him the moment he said it. Never thought of doing anything. Then, maybe there is something odd in his attitude, me, me, well, I started to suspect.”
”Ya?” Poirot.
He's in front of Donald Fraser. His eyes looked at the young man's eyes straight, as if he were applying a magic spell.
”I am so ashamed of myself for being so suspicious. However, I am suspicious... I had the idea of going to the front of the cafeteria and paying attention to it as I left the place. I was going there. Then I felt I shouldn't have done that. Betty's gonna see me and she's gonna be mad. She will definitely know soon that I'm stalking her.”
”What do you do?”
”I went to St. Leonards and get there before eight. Then I looked at the buses passing by to see if he was on one of the buses... But there was no sign of him being around.”.
”Then?”
”I... I am very upset. I'm sure he went with a man. My guess is, maybe the guy took her by car to Hastings. I kept going there, watching the hotels and restaurants, waiting around the movie theater, going to the pier. What a stupid deed. Although he may have been there, it must have been difficult for me to find him, and again there are many other places where the man can take him other than to Hastings.”
She's quiet. In his definite tone of voice at the time of describing it, emanated pain and anger that was stifled within him.
”Finally I gave up going home.” ”What time?”
”I don't know. I walk. It may be midnight or past midnight when I arrive home.”.
”Lalu”
The kitchen door opens.
”Oh, apparently you are here,” Inspector Kelsey said. Inspector Crome urged past him, throwing a sharp glance at Poirot, then at the two men
the stranger was there.
”Miss Megan Barnard and Mr. Donald Fraser,” said Poirot, introducing them.
”This is Inspector Crome from London,” Pirot explained.
Turning to the inspector, he said, When you had the examination above, I had a conversation with Miss Barnard and Mr. Fraser, try if you can, dig up information that can illuminate this issue.”
”Oh, yes?” inspector Crome said his thoughts were not on Poirot, but on the two newcomers.
Poirot moved into the living room. Inspector Kelsey said kindly time passed it, ”Successfully get something?”
But the inspector's attention was interrupted by his colleague and he did not wait for Poirot's answer.
I followed Poirot to the living room.
”Is something troubling you, Poirot?” my many.
”Only the nobility of our great killer, Hastings.
I didn't dare tell her that I didn't understand her point at all.
First off!
My memory of the ABC case has been filled with more meetings.
The meeting at Scotland Yard. In Poirot's room. Official meeting. The unofficial meeting.
This meeting was held to decide whether the facts related to the canned letters need to be published through the press or not.
The Bexhill killings are more attention-grabbing than the Andover case.
Obviously because in this case more factors of its popularity. The victim was an attractive-faced young girl, this was just the beginning. And also, the scene is a seaside resting area.
All the details of the crime were reported in full and every day there was a somewhat disguised repetition of the report. The ABC train guide also received attention. The most popular theory is that the ABC guidance was purchased in the local area by the perpetrator and was a valuable clue to his identity. It also shows that he came to the place by train and intended to continue his journey to London.
”We must take certain discretion,” said Assistant Commissioner. ”The problem, which one will give the best results? Whether we will reveal the facts to the public invite them to cooperate however, the help of several thousand people we will get, to find one crazy”
”He won't resemble a madman,” Dr. Thompson interrupts.
”search for ABC sales places, and so on. On the contrary, I think there is a good thing about working in the dark not giving information about what we do, but in fact the person knows very well that we already know. He deliberately drew our attention through his letters. Hey, Crome, what do you think?”
”I saw it from this angle, Sir. When you make a publication about it, it means you are involved in the ABC game. That's what he wanted the publication to be famous for. That's what he wants to get. Am I right, Doctor? He wants to cause an uproar.”
hompson nodded.
The Assistant Commissioner said in thought, ”So you don't approve of it. Refusing the publications he was pursuing. How about you, Mr. Poirot?”
Poirot did not say a word for a while. The next time he opened his voice, he was very careful in choosing his words.
”Difficult for me, Sir Lionel,” he said. ”I'm among those who, as you know, are interested in the case. The challenge was directed at me. When I say, ’Hide all the facts do not be published,’ will not later be mistaken that I am thirsty for praise? Or am I afraid my reputation will fall? It's hard! But by announcing it, revealing everything there are also aspects that lead. At least it could be a warning...
On the other hand, I'm as sure as Inspector Crome, that that's what the killer wants us to do.”
”Hm!” said the Assistant Commissioner while rubbing
his chin. His eyes were on Dr. Thompson. ”For example, we refuse to satisfy the craziness of the madman to obtain publication, what will he do?”
”Kill again,” said the doctor quickly. ”Challenging us.”
”And if we load it as the headlines, what's the reaction?”
”The answer is the same. On the one hand you satisfy the madman respectfully, on the other you reject him. Same result. One more murder.”
”How do you think, Mr. Poirot?”
”I agree with Doctor hompson.”'s opinion ”Bract stick term eh? It's pointless.
How many crimes do you think are in that crazy guy's plan?”
Dr. Thompson looked at Poirot. ”It looks like from A to Z,” he said in tone
cheerfully.
”Of course he won't get there,” he continued. ”Still far. You must have managed to crush it long before that. It would be interesting if we knew what he would do if he came to the letter X.” He stopped talking, feeling guilty, for having expressed speculation just for sheer pleasure. ” But you can definitely catch it long before that. Put G or H.” The Assistant Commissioner hit the table with his fist. ”Yes God, you mean we will face
five more murders?”
”T won't be that much, sir,” Inspector Crome said. ”Trust me.”
He said it with certainty.
”Until what letter do you think, Inspector?” ask Poirot.
There was a bit of ironic tone in his voice. I think Crome looked at her with displeasure, although this was covered by her prominent calmness.
”We can definitely catch him, Mr. Poirot's. Anyway I guarantee we'll catch it before it gets to the letter F.”
He turned to the Assistant Commissioner.
”I think I know the psychological state of the case clearly. Dr. Thompson will correct me if I'm wrong. My guess is that every time he commits a crime, his belief in himself increases by about a hundred percent. Every time he'll think, ’I'm clever they won't be able to catch me!’ His confidence would become too strong, so he would become a teledor. He overestimated his ingenuity and the stupidity of others. Soon she won't even care to be careful. Right is it, Doctor?”
hompson nodded.
”Usually the case is so. When described in nonmedical terms it cannot be that clear. You know things like that, Mr. Poirot's. Do you mean to?”
I don't think Crome likes Dr. Thompson's approach to Poirot. According to Crome only he is, and he is the only expert in that field.
”Remain as Inspector Crome said,” said Poirot gave his approval.
”Paranoia,” murmured the doctor. Poirot turned towards Crome.
”Are the facts to consider in the case of Bexhill?”
”Nothing is certain. A waiter at Eastbourne's Splendide Restaurant identified the victim as the girl who had dinner there with a middle-aged man wearing glasses. Also known is a roadside inn outside the city, called Scarlet Runner, between Bexhill and London.
There they saw him with a man who looked like a Navy officer. Both are not necessarily true, but one of them may also be true. Of course there is a lot of identification, but most of it is useless. We haven't found any trace of ABC.”
”Well, you have apparently done what can be done, Crome,” said the Assistant Commissioner. ”How, Mr. Poirot's? Is there an investigative line that gives you a clue?”
Poirot said slowly, ”I think there is one important clue the motive should be found.”
”Isn't it clear? Mental disorders related to the alphabet. Isn't that the term you used, Doctor?”
”Ca, oui yes, indeed,” Poirot said. ”There are mental disorders as mentioned earlier. A madman always has a compelling reason for every crime he commits.”
”Back of it, Mr. Poirot,” Crome said. ”See Stoneman's case in 1929. He ended it by trying to destroy everyone who irritated him.”
Poirot looked at him.
”Betul so. But if You are a person who is quite domicile and important, You are not likely to avoid small aggravations. When a fly hangs on your forehead many times, irritating you with its tickle, what will it do
You did? You tried to kill him. You don't regret it. You're an important person, the fly isn't. You kill the fly and the irritation clears. For you the deed is sane and justifiable. You also kill flies if you put your health first. Flies are a potential source of danger that threatens the fly community it must be expelled. That's how the brain of mentally ill criminals works. But consider this, if the victims are chosen alphabetically, they are not removed because they are a source of aggravation for the killer. Too many things happen when we combine the two.”
”One more point,” says Dr. Thompson. ”I remember one case where a woman's husband was put to death. The women then killed the jurors, one after another. Long before the murders were found. It looks like the murder was done haphazardly. But, as Mr. Poirot, no one who kills will commit a random murder. He will either get rid of the person who stands in his way (though not so important), or because of a personal conviction. He got rid of the priests, or the police, or the prostitutes, because he was absolutely convinced that they should be killed. As far as my vision goes, this theory cannot be applied in this case. Mrs. Ascher and Betty Barnard cannot be linked as members of the same class. Of course there is the possibility of mental disorders in terms of se. Both victims were women. We're gonna
better understand after the following murder-his”
”For God's sake, hompson. Don't be too nervous to talk about the next murder,” said Sir Lionel riled. ”We will do anything to avoid the next murder.”
Dr. Thompson fell silent and threw out his snot loudly.
”Terdenah,” sounds like saying so. ”If you don't want to face reality”
The Assistant Commissioner turned to Poirot.
”I know the direction of your thinking, but for me it is not yet clear right.”
”I asked myself,” said Poirot, ”what comes to mind of the killer? Judging from his letters, he kills solely pour le sport to exercise for personal pleasure. Is this true? And if so, on what basis did he choose his victims, other than those based on alphabetical order? If he kills for personal pleasure, he will not advertise the fact, for, on the contrary, he can now kill at will without punishment. But not so. As we all know, it turns out he deliberately made a stir in public to accentuate himself. In what ways does his personality feel pressured so that people can draw a connection between the two victims he chose to date? The final guess is that his motive is directly related to a personal grudge against me, against Hercule Poirot? Did he challenge me in public because I had (unbeknownst to me) subjugated him at some time in my duties? Or is his grudge not against a certain person but directed at a stranger? And if so, again it must be questioned what caused it? What did he suffer caused by a stranger?”
”All those questions are possibilities,” says Dr. Thompson.
Inspector Crome gulped.
”Oh, yes? Maybe at this time a bit difficult to answer.” ”However, Friend,” said Poirot while looking directly at him, ”whether the solution lies in that question. Had we known the exact reason that might have been fantastic for us but which also had to make sense for him was what the madman was doing these murders, perhaps we should have known, he said, who will be the next victim.”
Crome shook his head.
”He carelessly chose his victims. That's my opinion.”
”Si a generous killer,” Poirot said. ”What do you say?”
”Si a generous killer! Franz Ascher could be arrested on charges of murdering his wife, and Donald Fraser could be arrested on charges of killing Betty Barnard if there were no ABC warning letters. Then was he so tender-hearted that he could not bear to see others suffer for something they did not do?”
”I know more strange things that have happened,” said Dr. Thompson. ”I know there are people who have killed half a dozen of his victims but then stopped, because one of his victims did not die immediately and had to suffer pain. But I don't think that's the reason for our character. He wants to earn praise through his crimes. That's the most suitable an-explanator.”
”We have not arrived at a decision regarding publication,” said Assistant Commissioner.
”If I may propose, Sir,” Crome said. ”Why not wait until the next letter is received? Publish at that time a special edition, and so on. It will panic the residents of the city mentioned, but everyone whose name starts with the letter C will be vigilant, and this will make the ABC more excited. He must have wanted to succeed. That's when we'll ambush him.”
Man is helpless and does not know what will happen tomorrow.
