Murder Killing
30. The Scotland Yard II
There's a list of people he offers stocking. He did it carefully. Stay at Pitt, a small hotel near Torre Station. Back to the hotel at 22:30 on the night of the murder. Probably take the train from Churston at 22:05, get to Paignton at 22:15. No one saw the person depicted on the train or station, but Thursday was the day the Dartmouth Regatta and the train returning from Kingswear was overcrowded.
”Di Bexhill is the same. Stay in the Globe under his own name. Offers stocking to approximately a dozen addresses, including Mrs. Barnard and Ginger Cat.
Leaving the hotel before night. Arrive back in London at about 11:30 the next day. Andover will do the same. Stay at Feathers. Offering stocking to Mrs. Fowler, Mrs's close neighbor. Ascher, and to half a dozen other people on the street. A pair of stockings belonging to Mrs. The Ascher I got from his (named Drower) is identical to the item Cust.” sells
”Until now everything is in order,” said Assistant Komi-saris.
”Acting according to the information received,” said the Inspector, ”I came to the address given to me by Hartigan, but Cust had already left home about half an hour earlier. I was told he was getting a call. The first time she received a phone call since she lived in that house, so the landlord told me.”
”There are his accomplices?” The Assistant Commissioner suspected.
”Definitely not,” Poirot said. ”What a weird thing except”
We all looked at him question mark the moment he kept silent.
But he shook his head, and the inspector continued, ”I researched carefully the space he was wearing. The search removed doubt. I found a stack of paper similar to the writing paper used for the letters, socks in large quantities and in the back of the closet where the socks were stored a package that was almost the same shape and size, but it turned out that the contents were not socks, but it was, but eight books pane duan ABC train that is still new!”
”Proven to be right,” said Assistant Commissioner.
”I found other items too,” said the inspector his voice suddenly became triumphant pride. ”New found it this morning, sir. Haven't been able to report it. No daggers found in his room”
”A stupid deed when he brought her home,” Poirot said.
”But he is a man who is not sane,” said the inspector. ”But in my opinion, maybe he has brought it home, but realize the danger if he keeps the thing (as Mr. said. Poirot), then look for another place to hide it. Where is the chance that he's keeping it? I knew right away. The coat hanger in the front room nobody moved the coat hanger. It was a bit difficult, but I managed to retrieve it from the wall and it was there!”
”The knife?”
”Yes, knives. Dry blood still sticks.”
”Good work, Crome,” said Assistant Commissioner satisfied. ”Lack one more task we.”
”What is it?”
”Person itself.”
”We'll catch him, sir. Don't worry.” The inspector's tone of voice was reassuring. ”How, Mr. Poirot?”
Poirot flinched from his daydream. ”Sorry?”
”We say only about time. We'll definitely catch that guy. You agree?”
”Oh, that's yes. No doubt about it.”
His tone was so blurry that others noticed him in surprise.
”There is a distraction to your mind, Mr. Poirot?” ”There's something I'm really worried about. Res
wh why? Motive.”
”But, buddy, that guy is crazy,” said the Assistant Commissioner impatiently.
”I understand Mr. Poirot,” says Crome helps with friendliness. ”He's right. There must be an obsession. I think we will find the root of the problem, which is a strong sense of inferiority. There may also be mental disorders, fond of persecution, and if so he may connect Mr. Poirot with it. Maybe he fantasized that Mr. Poirot is a detective who gets paid to hunt him down.”
”Hm,” said Assistant Commissioner. ”That's the term used today. In my day, when a person is crazy, he is completely crazy and we do not look for scientific terms to smooth it out. I think a conscientious modern doctor would suggest that someone like ABC be placed in a hospice, and for forty-five days praise him as a good person, then release him as a responsible member of society.”
Poirot smiled, but did not answer. The meeting broke up.
”Well,” said Assistant Commissioner, ”according to you, Crome, it's only a matter of time to catch him.” ”We must have caught him by now,” said the inspector, ”if only he did not seem so ordinary. We have been making the ordinary public anxious all this time.”
”I was thinking, where is he at the moment,” said the Assistant Commissioner.
He looked across the street. Yeah, there he is. Mrs. Aschers. Newspaper agents and sellers...
In the empty window there is a sign. Rentable.
Blank... Not life... ”Excuse me, Sir.”
The vegetable seller's wife wants to pick up oranges.
Mr. Cust apologized and moved aside.
Slowly he walked dragging his feet back to the main street of the city...
It is difficult because now he has no money...
If you do not eat all day people can feel strange and dizzy...
He looked at the poster outside the newspaper agent's shop.
Case ABC. Killer Still Riding. Wagner way with Mr. Hercule Poirot's.
Mr. Cust said to himself, ”Hercule Poirot. Did you know..”.
He walked again.
There's no point in standing looking at the poster... He thought, ”I can't walk much longer..”.
Legs step in front of feet... Walking is weird...
Feet in front of feet weird. Absolutely peculiar...
But that man is a strange animal...
And he himself, Alexander Bonaparte Cust, is even stranger...
He's always...
People always laugh at him... He can't blame them...
Where's he going? He doesn't know. It will arrive at one end point. He no longer looked anywhere but at his feet.
Feet in front of feet.
It looked. The lights in front of him. And letters...
Police Station.
”Funny,” said Mr. Custs. He chuckles.
Then he stepped in. He suddenly staggered and collapsed forward.
A beautiful day in November. Dr. Thompson and Chief Inspector Japp stopped by to inform Poirot of the results of the Rex trial. V. Alexander Bonaparte Cust's.
Poirot personally had a disorder of his throat that he was unable to attend. Fortunately, he did not urge me to accompany him.
”Hold with trial period,” Japp said. ”That's.”
”Isn't it a bit strange,” ask, ”to offer defense at this stage? I think the prisoners always choose the defense first.”
