Murder Killing
7. Second Letter
”Bag Where?” demand me excited.
We were sitting in a first-class carriage, no one else. This express train just left Andover.
”The crime,” said Poirot, ”was committed by a man of medium height, red hair, and a slightly squint left eye. His right leg is slightly lame and there is a lump just below his shoulder blade.”
”Poirot?” my tukas.
For a moment I believed his words. Then the blink of my friend's eyes made me realize.
”Poirot!” again, this time as if to accuse him. ”Mon ami, what do you want? You look at me like a loyal dog demanding me to say a Sherlock Holmes statement! The truth is I don't know what the killer looks like, or where
his stay, or how to catch him.” ”If only he left a clue,” murmured me.
”Betul, clues are always clues that catch your attention. Unfortunately he did not smoke a cigarette and left his ashes, then stepped on them with shoes that wore a strange pattern. No he's not careless. But at least, man, you have an ABC train guidebook. That's the lead for you!”
”So your guess she accidentally left him?”
”Thereverse. He left it intentionally. Fingerprints will prove it.”
”But in fact there is no fingerprint on the book.” ”That's what I mean. How was the weather last night? It was a warm June night. Is it worth it when someone walks around wearing gloves in such weather? It'll definitely attract attention. Because no fingerprints were found on the ABC book, it must have been carefully removed. Innocent people must have left the fingerprints of innocent people. So, our killer deliberately left her there so that's the clue.
That ABC bought someone brought someone there is a possibility so.”
”You think we'll find something in terms of that?”
”To be frank, Hastings, I wasn't so hopeful. This X male was clearly proud of his abilities. It seems that he left no trace that can be traced immediately.”
”So the ABC book did not help.” ”No, if as you mean.” ”Absolutely not?”
Poirot did not immediately answer. Then he said slowly, ”The answer, yes. Here we are faced with a character we do not know. People who are still in the dark and want to stay in the dark. But considering the things that happened, inevitably he would not be able to continue standing in a dark place. On the one hand we know nothing about him on the other hand we already know him a lot. I began to look dimly at the personal form of someone with clear and good writing, who was able to buy high-grade paper that really needed to express his personality. I suspect, he looks like a child who is not cared for and ignored. Maybe he grew up with a sense of inferiority, and always acted against it. I saw the urge within him to reveal himself to focus his attention on himself to make him look stronger, but events and circumstances had destroyed him, so that the urge was piling up, maybe he even felt more humiliated. Then without realizing it the urge had exploded.”.
”That was just a guess,” my protest. ”Don't give you a practical hint.”
”You prefer practical-practical cigarette ash and riveted boots! Your attitude has always been that. But at least we can ask ourselves practical questions. Why ABC? Why Mrs. The ascher? Why Andover?”
”The woman's past life is quite simple,” my thoughts. ”Interview with the two men
disappointingly. They cannot reveal more than we already know.”
”To be honest, I did not expect much from that interview. But we can't ignore the two other possible suspects in the murder.”
”Definitely mean not”
”There is at least no possibility of the culprit staying in Andover or around it. That's likely the answer to our question ’Why Andover?’ Two people were known to have gone to the store at about the same time. One of them could be the killer. And there has been no evidence to suggest that they are not the culprit.”
”Maybe the jerk Riddell,”.
”Oh, I'm inclined to acquit Riddell of the charges. He's a bully, speaking rudely, and definitely not a quiet person.”
”But, doesn't it even show” ”Basic properties are usually diametrically opposite
with what is shown in the letter ABC. Those arrogant and confident traits are what we should be looking for.”
”Someone who wastes all his energy?”
”Maybe. But there are also those who bully and do not assert themselves, who have hidden arrogance and complacency.”
”You don't consider Mr. That little partridge?”
”Tipya more likely to match. People can't
said more than that. He acted as the author of the letter would do immediately report to the police showing himself in general enjoying his position.”
”Do you really think?”
”No, Hastings. Personally, I'm sure it wasn't Andover. And although I have always considered the culprit to be male, but we must consider the possibility that she is a woman.”
”Ah...where is possible!”
”I agree that looking at the way of his attack, it is likely that the culprit is a male. But canned letters are written more by women than men. We have to remember that.”
I shut up for a moment, then I said, ”What can we do now?”
”No.”
”Not exist?” I clearly showed my disappointment. ”Am I a magician? A sorcerer? What
you want me to do it?”
Taking that into consideration, it is now difficult for me to give an answer. But I am sure that something must be done and that we must not delay our actions.
I said, ”There are ABCs and letter papers and coverings”
”All checks are carried out based on it. The police have every means to conduct the inspection. If anything can be traced in that sense, surely the police have found it.”
With that explanation, I had to be satisfied. It was strange, because a few days later I noticed that Poirot was reluctant to talk about the matter. When I tried to open the conversation about it he moved his hand, showing his impatience.
In my heart, I thought I could guess the reasons for his attitude.
About Mrs' murder. Ascher, Poirot has failed. ABC has challenged him and ABC has won. Being used to constantly succeeding, my best friend became sensitive to his failures so quickly that he could not even bear to talk about them. Maybe this is a sign of pettiness in a big figure. But even the simplest among us can be a big head because of success. In the case of Poirot, this ”big head” process has been going on for years. It is not surprising that the consequences are visible at last.
I understandingly accepted my friend's weakness and no longer touched on it. I read the report on the examination in the newspaper. The explanation is very brief, not mentioned about the letter ABC, and the perpetrator of the murder is stated as one or several people who are not known to be identified. The crime did not attract the attention of the press. There is no special or spectacular. The murder of an elderly woman in a suburban area is soon overlooked by the press, sinking among more sensational topics.
Frankly, the case is also disappearing
from my memory, one of the reasons I guess is because I don't want to link Poirot to failure. On July 25, however, the case warmed again.
”Come too,” said.
I looked at him not understanding. ”What's coming?”
”Bab second case ABC.”
For a minute I looked at him without understanding.
It's completely gone from my memory. ”Read,” Poirot said as he reached out
those.
As before, the letter was written on a good quality paper.
^^^Mr. Poirot How was your impression? That was my first game. Andover's case went well, didn't it?^^^
^^^But the joy has just begun. Watch what happens on Bexhill Beach on the 25th.^^^
^^^We will enjoy the joy together!^^^
Salam, ABC^^^
”Good, good, Poirot,” I shouted. ”Does this mean this demon will try to commit one more crime?”
”Of course, Hastings. What else do you expect? Do you consider Andover's case a tung-gal case? Don't you remember what I said, ’This is just the beginning’?”
But this is really terrible.” ”Ya, really terrible.”
”We are dealing with a cold-blooded killer.”
”Betul.”
His silence impressed me more than his heroic demeanor. I returned the letter with a shudder.
The next morning we were involved in the trial of the great figures. Sussex Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner C.I.D., Inspector Glen of Andover, Police Inspector Carter of Sussex Police, Japp, and a young inspector named Crome, and Dr. hompson, a famous psychiatrist all gathered together. The postmark was from Hampstead, but according to Poirot the fact was not so important in this case.
The case was discussed in depth. Dr. Thompson, a nice middle-aged man. Although very skilled, he chose to use simple language, and avoid technical terms.
”Virtually no doubt,” said Assistant Commissioner, ”both letters came from the same hand. Both written by the same person.”
”And we can suspect the person was responsible for the murder in Andover.”
”Betul. We now have a clear warning of a second crime plot on the 25th of tomorrow at Bexhill. What steps can we take?”
The Sussex Police Chief looked at his Police Inspector.
”How, Carter?”
The inspector shook his head with a grim face. ”Difficult, Sir. There's no hint of anything about
who the victim is likely. Honestly speaking, what steps can we take?”
”I have a suggestion,” murmured Poirot.
Their faces turned to look at him.
”I think there is a possibility that the prospective victim has a surname that starts with the letter B.” ”Wah, may be,” said Police Inspector, although
somewhat doubtful.
”Aphabetic-related psychiatric disorder,” says Dr. Thompson attentively.
”I just revealed another possibility not. It occurred to me at the time of seeing Ascher's name written clearly on the door of the poor lady's shop that was killed last month. When I received a letter calling Bexhill, I thought, maybe the victim and the place were chosen with the alphabet system.”
”Maybe,” said the doctor. ”Instead, the name Ascher can also be just a coincidence that the victim this time, whatever the name, could be an old woman who has a shop. Remember, we're dealing with a madman. So far he has not given any clues as to his motives.”
”Does a madman have a motive, Mister?” ask the Police Inspector cynically.
”Of course, Dude. Death-carrying logic is one of the special characteristics of acute manic patients. One can be sure that he was created for the task of killing priests, or doctors, or old women who had a tobacco shop and there are always perfect and reasonable reasons behind it. We must not allow this alphabetical affair to run rampant. Bexhill after Andover, it could be just a coincidence.”
”At the very least we can take some precautions, Carter, and note down all the names that start with the letter B, especially the owners of small shops, the, it also oversees tobacco sellers and simple newspaper agents run by people with no family. I don't think there's anything else we can do except that. Of course as much as possible we will be wary of all foreigners.”
The police inspector filed a complaint.
”With the schools being stopped its activities and the start of the holidays? People will definitely flood the place this week.”
”We have to do what we can do,” the scathing Police Chief said.
Now it's Inspector Glen's turn to speak.
”I will keep an eye on anyone who has anything to do with the Ascher case. Two witnesses, Partridge and Riddell, and of course Ascher himself. When they show signs of leaving Andover, they will be trailed.”
The meeting was dissolved after some erratic proposals and small conversations.
”Poirot,” I said at the time we walked to the river, ”this crime is certainly preventable, is not it?”
She's staring. Face tired.
”Health of the soul of a city full of men against the madness of one man? I'm worried, Hastings I'm so worried. Remember the success of Jack the Ripper that goes on constantly over a long period of time.”
”What a horrible,” I said.
”Crazy is terrible, Hastings... I'm concerned... I'm very worried..”
