Murder Killing
14 (Not from Captain Hastings' Personal Story)
Mr. Alexander Bonaparte Cust came out with the rest of the Torquay Pavillion audience, after watching a very emotional film, titled Not A Sparrow...
He blinked for a moment because he was glared by the afternoon sunlight and watched his surroundings in a daze, which was already his trademark.
He muttered to himself, ”An idea..”.
Some newsboy passing by while yelling, ”Last news... Cold-blooded killer in Churston.”.
They carried posters that read: CHURSTON MURDERS. LAST NEWS.
Mr. Cust fumbled his pockets, found coins, and bought newspapers. He did not open it immediately.
He entered Princess Gardens and slowly walked into the shade overlooking the port of Torquay. He sat down and opened the newspaper.
The main news is written in capital letters:
SIR CARMICHAEL CLARKE WAS KILLED
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY IN CHURCHON
HE WAS A COLD-BLOODED KILLER
And below it:
Just a month ago England was shocked and shaken by the murder of a young girl, Elizabeth Barnard in Behill. You may remember, however, that an ABC train guide book was published in that case. An ABC was also found near Sir Carmichael Clarke's body, and police have alleged that both murders were committed by the same person. Could a cold-blooded killer be lurking in the seaside tourist areas?...
A young man in flannel and in bright blue clothes was sitting next to Mr. Cust commented,
”Cruel performance hm?” Mr. Cust surprised.
”Oh, very very cruel”
The young man saw Mr.'s hand. Cust trembled so much that he could barely hold onto the newspaper.
”You will not be able to understand the mentally ill,” said the young man, who looked eager to chat. ”They don't always look crazy. Many times they look the same as you or me.”.
”Betul,” said Mr. Custs.
”Crue. Sometimes wars cause it and since then they never recover.”
”I think you're right.”
”I do not agree to war,” said the young man.
His chatter friend looked at him. ”I don't like any disease outbreaks, diseases
sleep, and hunger, and cancer...
but it all happened too.”
”War can be prevented,” said the young man sure. Mr. Cust laughs. He kept laughing for a while.
The young man was a little horrified.
”His own cup is a little crazy,” thought.
Then he said rather loudly, ”Sorry, Sir, I think you've been involved in the war.”
”Betul,” said Mr. Custs. ”War has shaken me. Since then my head has never been good. Sick often. Extremely sick.”
”Oh! I'm sympathetic to you,” said the young man awkwardly.
”Sometimes I don't know what I do..”
”Really? Well, I have to go,” said the young man and rushed up from there. He knows how
someone who started talking about his health.
Mr. Cust sat down while holding his newspaper. He read and repeated it...
People walk in front of him.
Most of them talked about the murder...
”It happened on the golf course..” ”I heard on the beach..”
”but, dear, just yesterday we had tea in Elbury.”.
”police sure will be able to catch him..” ”maybe he will be caught soon...” ”most likely he is in Torquay.
the other one killed, what's his name.”.
Mr. Cust folded the newspaper neatly and placed it on the seat. Then he got up and walked dazedly towards the city.
Girls go through it, they wear white, pink, and blue dresses, summer dresses, trousers or shorts. They laugh cheerfully. Their eyes looked at the men who were passing by them.
Not once did their eyes look at Mr.
Custs.
He sat down at a small table and asked for Devonshire tea and cream...
With the murder of Sir Carmichael Clarke, the mystery of the ABC became the lips of society.
The newspapers are just full of this case. All sorts of ”hintup” reported to have been found. It was announced that the detention of several people was immediately carried out. Photographs of every person or place that could be attributed to the murder were published. Interviews are conducted with anyone who wants to be questioned. Questions were raised in Parliament.
Andover's murder is now linked to both other murders.
Scotland Yard argued that the massive publication would give them a chance to frame the killer. The British population has been turned into an amateur spy force.
Daily Flicker newspaper gets great inspiration to use the title:
WHO KNOWS IF HE'S IN YOUR TOWN!
Poirot, of course, was fully involved in all of that busyness. The letters sent to him were published and reproduced. He was accused of not trying to prevent the killings. Poirot's defense is based on the fact that he is also hunting the killer.
The reporters urged him for an interview.
What M Says. Poirot Today.
That's usually followed by half a column of bullshit reports.
M. Poirot Reveals His View of The Situation.
M. Poirot on the Brink of Success.
Captain Hastings, best friend M. Poirot, tell our reporter...
”Poirot,” seruku. ”Trust me. I never said such things.”
My best friend will answer patiently, ”I know, Hastings I know. Oral and written words there is an astonishing gap between them. There are only ways to reverse the sentences of the actual intent.”
”I don't want you to assume I've said”
”Do not worry. All of that is not important. All that nonsense might actually help.”
”In what way?”
”Eh bien,” said Poirot grimly. ”If the madman reads what I should have told the Daily Flicker
today, he definitely would no longer appreciate me as his enemy!”
Maybe I gave the impression that nothing practical was done in the examination. In turn, Scotland Yard and the local police from various districts followed in the footsteps of every clue no matter how small, tirelessly.
The hotels, the people who run the inns, the places of cost all that fall within the vast radius of the crime are questioned every minute.
Hundreds of stories that people told with full imagination, that they had ”looked at a man whose attitude was very strange and his eyes were restless looking back and forth, and,” or ”see a man with a menacing view sneak away,” everything investigated long-wide. Not a single piece of information is ignored, although its nature is very vague. Railway workers, buses, trams, conductors, bookstores, bookstores all got their turn to be questioned and asked for an explanation, tirelessly.
At least a few people were arrested and examined
until they can come up with a satisfactory explanation to the police of what they did the night of the murder.
The overall result was not in vain. Certain statements continue to be remembered and recorded as valuable clues, but when there is no concrete evidence, they are of no use.
