Murder Killing
38
those letters and those murders were Franklin Clarke.” Suddenly Clarke laughed out loud. “Really clever! And what about our friend Cust who got caught off guard? What about the blood on his coat sleeve? And the knife hidden in his lodge? He could have denied having committed those murders ” Poirot cut. “You're mistaken. He admits it.” “What?” Clarke looked completely dumbfounded. “Yes, indeed,” soft Poirot said. “Not to mention I spoke to him, I already knew that Cust was sure he was guilty.” “And even that did not satisfy Mr. Poirot?” said Clarke.
“No. For so-and I went to see him, I knew that he could not be guilty He did not have that kind of courage and recklessness or, if I may add, he had no brains to plan it! All this time I've been aware of the killer's double personality. Now I see how the real. There are two people involved the real killer, slippery, resourceful, and reckless and a fake killer, moron, full of anxiety, and impressionable.
“Easy influenced in*this word lies the mystery of Mr. Cust! For you, Mr.
Clarke, not yet enough, to plot a spate of murders with the intent of dissipating people's attention to a single murder. You have to create a scapegoat.
“I think the idea first came to your mind when you sat in a coffee shop, where you meet people who have strange personalities and have this grandiose little name. At that moment in your brain there are various plans to kill your brother.” “Really? Then what's the reason?” “Because you are so afraid of facing the future. I don't know if you realize it, Mr. Clarke, but you showed it to me when you showed me a letter your brother wrote to you. In the letter he clearly expressed his affection and concern, which was centered on Miss Thora Grey. Maybe just a fatherly attitude or maybe he prefers to think of it that way. But there is a great danger, however, that with the death of your brother-in-law and in his loneliness, he may seek the sympathy and pleasure of living in this beautiful girl, and this can end as many middle-aged men do with marriage. Your worries add up after you get to know Miss Grey. I think you're good at guessing people's traits, albeit rather cynically. In your opinion, whether right or wrong, Miss Grey is a girl who is looking for a mate. You are sure, if there is a chance this girl will seize the position as Lady Clarke. Your brother is a very healthy and energetic person. Maybe they will have children and your chance to inherit your brother's wealth will be lost.
“In my opinion, basically you are an oiang who is always disappointed in your fate. You've worked hard but without any meaningful results. And, secretly you envy the wealth of your brother.
“I repeat again, that at the time of devising the plan in your mind, your meeting with Mr. Cust gives you an idea. His grandiose little name, his recognition as an epileptic who often has headaches, his whole personality - not prominent and full of flaws that make you think that the person is suitable to be used as your tool. The whole plan regarding the alphabet comes to mind in your abbreviation name Cust the fact that your sibling's name starts with the letter C and that he lives in Churston, it's all at the base of the plan. You've even gone so far as to signal Cust the possibility of his fate even though you don't expect it to actually work in reality! “Your plan is great. On behalf of Cust you request the delivery of a large amount of stocking to him. You yourself send out some ABC guidebooks in similar boxes. Then you write him a typed letter, with ⁇ claiming the letter came from the same company, offering him a large salary and commission. Your plan is so neatly organized, that you immediately type all the letters that will be sent in sequence, then gift the machine you use to type the letters. . “Then you just look for two victims with the name vang starting with the letters A and B, and who live in areas whose names also start with the same letter vang.
"You chose Andover as a suitable place and your previous observations were menen-? not the choice of Mrs Ascher's shop as the scene of the first murder. His name is clearly written on the door of the store and menuiut your observation, usually he seoiang himself in the store. To kill it takes courage, recklessness, and luck.
“For letter B you must change tactics. The women who keep the shop alone may already get a warning. I imagine you go to several cafeterias and coffee shops, laughing and joking with the girls there, then get those with names that start with the letter B and that are appropriate for your purpose.
“In Betty Barnard you find a girl with the personality you are looking for. You ask her out several times and explain you are married and therefore you both have to find a hidden dating spot.
“On the appointed day, you went to Andover and killed Mrs Ascher nothing happened, which could ruin your plans.
“The first murder was carried out successfully.
“For the second murder you take precautions by carrying it out, in fact, the day before. I believe Betty Barnard was murdered long before midnight, on July 24.
“Now we come to the third most important murder even, in your view it is a real murder.
“And here my gratitude I refer to Hastings, which includes a simple, clear comment, but I pay no attention at all. “He argues that the third letter was deliberately made wrong address
“And he was right!…
“In one simple fact that lies the answer to a question that has been confusing me for so long. First of all, why were the letters addressed to Hercule Poirot, the private detective, and not to the police?
“I mistakenly assume that there are personal reasons.
“Reacted no! The letters were addressed to me because the essence of your plan is that one of the letters must be spiked with the wrong address and left missing of course you can not arrange for the letter addressed to the Department of Investigation The crime at Scotland Yard is gone! You need a private address. You chose me because I'm a pretty famous person, and will definitely show the letters to the police and also, in your petty mind, you're happy to be able to taunt a stranger.
