Agatha Christie - They Do It With Mirrors

by Murder

  For the next twenty minutes the routine of police procedure was duly set in motion. The photographer took the necessary pictures. The police surgeon arrived and was joined by Dr Maverick. Half an hour later, the ambulance had taken away the mortal remains of Christian Gulbrandsen, and Inspector Curry started his official interrogation.

  Lewis Serrocold took him into the library, and he glanced keenly round the assembled people, making brief notes in his mind. An old lady with white hair, a middle-aged lady, the good looking girl he'd seen driving her car round the countryside, that sulky looking American husband of hers. A couple of young men who were mixed up in the outfit somewhere or other and the capable woman, Miss Believer, who'd phoned him and met him on arrival.

  Inspector Curry had already thought out a little speech and he now delivered it as planned.

  'I'm afraid this is all very upsetting to you,' he said, 'and I hope not to keep you too long this evening. We can go into things more thoroughly tomorrow. It was Miss Bellever who found Mr Gulbrandsen dead, and I'll ask Miss Believer to give me an outline of the general situation as that will save too much repetition. Mr Serrocold, if you want to go up to your wife, please do, and when I have finished with Miss Believer, I should like to talk to you. Is that all quite clear? Perhaps there is some small room where -'

  Lewis Serrocold said: 'My office, Jolly?'

  Miss Believer nodded, and said: 'I was just going to suggest it.'

  She led the way across the Great Hall, and Inspector Curry and his attendant Sergeant followed her.

  Miss Believer arranged them and herself suitably. It might have been she and not Inspector Curry who was in charge of the investigation.

  The moment had come, however, when the initiative passed to him. Inspector Curry had a pleasant voice and manner. He looked quiet and serious and just a little apologetic. Some people made the mistake of under-rating him. Actually he was as competent in his way as Miss Believer was in hers. But he preferred not to make a parade of the fact.

  He cleared his throat.

  'I've had the main facts from Mr Serrocold. Mr Christian Gulbrandsen was the eldest son of the late Eric Gulbrandsen, the founder of the Gulbrandsen Trust and Fellowships... and all the rest of it. He was one of the trustees of this place and he arrived here unexpectedly yesterday. That is correct?'

  'Yes.'

  Inspector Curry was pleased by her conciseness. He went on:

  'Mr Serrocold was away in Liverpool. He returned this evening by the 6.30 train.'

  'Yes.'

  'After dinner this evening, Mr Gulbrandsen announced his intention of working in his own room and left the rest of the party here after coffee had been served.

  Correct?'

  'Yes.'

  'Now, Miss Believer, please tell me in your own words how you came to discover him dead.'

  'There was a rather unpleasant incident this evening. A young man, a psychopathic case, became very unbal-anced and threatened Mr Serrocold with a revolver.

  They were locked in this room. The young man eventu-ally fired the revolver - you can see the bullet holes in the wall there. Fortunately Mr $errocold was unhurt. After firing the shots, this young man went completely to pieces. Mr Serrocold sent me to find Dr Maverick. I got through on the house phone but he was not in his room.

  I found him with one of his colleagues and gave him the message and he came here at once. On my own way back I went to Mr Gulbrandsen's room. I wanted to ask him if there was anything he would like - hot milk, or whisky, before settling for the night. I knocked, but there was no response, so I opened the door. I saw that Mr Gulbrandsen was dead. I then rang you up.' 'What entrances and exits are there to the house? And how are they secured? Could anyone have come in from outside without being heard or seen?' 'Anyone could have come in by the side door to the terrace. That is not locked until we all go to bed, as people come in and out that way to go to the College buildings.' 'And you have, I believe, between two hundred and two hundred and fifty juvenile delinquents in the College?' 'Yes. But the College buildings are well secured and patrolled. I should say it was most unlikely that anyone could leave the College unsponsored.' 'We shall have to check up on that, of course. Had Mr Gulbrandsen given any cause for - shall we say, rancour?

  Any unpopular decisions as to policy?' Miss Believer shook her head.

  'Oh no, Mr Gulbrandsen had nothing whatever to do with the running of the College, or with administrative matters.' 'What was the purpose of his visit?' 'I have no idea.' 'But he was annoyed to find Mr Serrocold absent, and immediately decided to wait until he returned?' 'Yes.' 'So his business here was definitely with Mr Serrocold?' 'Yes. But it would be - because it would be almost certainly business to do with the Institute.' 'Yes, presumably that is so. Did he have a conference with Mr Serrocold?'

  'No, there was no time. Mr Serrocold only arrived just before dinner this evening.'

  'But after dinner, Mr Gulbrandsen said he had important letters to write and went away to do so. He didn't suggest a session with Mr Serrocold?' Miss Believer hesitated.

  'No. No, he didn't.'

  'Surely that was rather odd - if he had waited on at inconvenience to himself to see Mr Serrocold?'

  'Yes, it was odd.'

  The oddness of it seemed to strike Miss Bellever for the first time.

  'Mr Serrocold did not accompany him to his room?' 'No. Mr Serrocold remained in the Hall.'

  'And you have no idea at what time Mr Gulbrandsen was killed?'

  'I think it is possible that we heard the shot. If so, it was at twenty-three minutes past nine.'

  'You heard a shot? And it did not alarm you?'

  'The circumstances were peculiar.'

  She explained in rather more detail the scene between Lewis Serrocold and Edgar Lawson which had been in progress.

  'So it occurred to no one that the shot might actually have come from within the house?'

  'No. No, I certainly don't think so. We were all so relieved, you know, that the shot didn't come from in here.'

  Miss Bellever added rather grimly:

  'You don't expect murder and attempted murder in the same house on the same night.'

  Inspector Curry acknowledged the truth of that.

  'All the same,' said Miss Believer, suddenly, 'you know, I believe that's what made me go along to Mr Gulbrandsen's room later. I did mean to ask him if he would like anything, but it was a kind of excuse to reassure myself that everything was all right.' Inspector Curry stared at her for a moment.

  'What made you think it mightn't be all right?' 'I don't know. I think it was the shot outside. It hadn't meant anything at the time. But afterwards it came back into my mind. I told myself that it was only a backfire from Mr Restarick's car ' 'Mr Restarick's car?' 'Yes. Alex Restarick. He arrived by car this evening he arrived just after all this happened.' 'I see. When you discovered Mr Gulbrandsen's body, did you touch anything in the room?' 'Of course not.' Miss Bellever sounded reproachful.

  'Naturally I knew that nothing must be touched or moved. Mr Gulbrandsen had been shot through the head but there was no firearm to be seen, so I knew it was murder.' 'And just now, when you took us into the room, everything was exactly as it had been when you found the body?' Miss Bellever considered. She sat back screwing up her eyes. She had Inspector Curry thought, one of those photographic memories.

  'One thing was different,' she said. 'There was nothing in the typewriter.' 'You mean,' said Inspector Curry, 'that when you first went in Mr Gulbrandsen had been writing a letter on the typewriter, and that that letter had since been removed?' 'Yes, I'm almost sure that I saw the white edge of the paper sticking up.'

  'Thank you, Miss Believer. Who else went into that room before we arrived?'

  'Mr Serrocold, of course. He remained there when I came to meet you. And Mrs Serrocold and Miss Marple went there. Mrs Serrocold insisted.'

  'Mrs Serrocold and Miss Marple,' said Inspector Curry. 'Which is Miss Marple?'

  'The old lady wi
th white hair. She was a school friend of Mrs Serrocold's. She came on a visit about four days ago.'

  'Well, thank you, Miss Believer. All that you have told us is quite clear. I'll go into things with Mr Serrocold now. Ah, but perhaps - Miss Marple's an old lady, isn't she? I'll just have a word with her first and then she can go off to bed. Rather cruel to keep an old lady like that up,' said Inspector Curry virtuously. 'This must have been a shock to her.'

  'I'll tell her, shall I?'

  'If you please.'

  Miss Bellever went out. Inspector Curry looked at the ceiling.

  'Gulbrandsen?' he said. 'Why Gulbrandsen? Two hundred odd maladjusted youngsters on the premises.

  No reason any of them shouldn't have done it. Probably one of them did. But why Gulbrandsen? The stranger within the gates.'

  Sergeant Lake said: 'Of course we don't know every-thing yet.'

  Inspector Curry said:

  'So far, we don't know anything at all.'

  He jumped up and was gallant when Miss Marple came in. She seemed a little flustered and he hurried to put her at her ease. know, I believe that's what made me go along to Mr Gulbrandsen's room later. I did mean to ask him if he would like anything, but it was a kind of excuse to reassure myself that everything was all right.' Inspector Curry stared at her for a moment.

  'What made you think it mightn't be all right?' 'I don't know. I think it was the shot outside. It hadn't meant anything at the time. But afterwards it came back into my mind. I told myself that it was only a backfire from Mr Restarick's car ' 'Mr Restarick's car?' 'Yes. Alex Restarick. He arrived by car this evening he arrived just after all this happened.' 'I see. When you discovered Mr Gulbrandsen's body, did you touch anything in the room?' 'Of course not.' Miss Bellever sounded reproachful.

  'Naturally I knew that nothing must be touched or moved. Mr Gulbrandsen had been shot through the head but there was no firearm to be seen, so I knew it was murder.' 'And just now, when you took us into the room, everything was exactly as it had been when you found the body?' Miss Bellever considered. She sat back screwing up her eyes. She had Inspector Curry thought, one of those photographic memories.

  'One thing was different,' she said. 'There was nothing in the typewriter.' 'You mean,' said Inspector Curry, 'that when you first went in Mr Gulbrandsen had been writing a letter on the typewriter, and that that letter had since been removed?' 'Yes, I'm almost sure that I saw the white edge of the paper sticking up.'

  'Thank you, Miss Believer. Who else went into that room before we arrived?' 'Mr Serrocold, of course. He remained there when I came to meet you. And Mrs Serrocold and Miss Marple went there. Mrs Serrocold insisted.' 'Mrs Serrocold and Miss Marple,' said Inspector Curry. 'Which is Miss Marple?' 'The old lady with white hair. She was a school friend of Mrs Serrocold's. She came on a visit about four days ago.' 'Well, thank you, Miss Believer. All that you have told us is quite clear. I'll go into things with Mr Serrocold now. Ah, but perhaps - Miss Marple's an old lady, isn't she? I'll just have a word with her first and then she can go off to bed. Rather cruel to keep an old lady like that up,' said Inspector Curry virtuously. 'This must have been a shock to her.' 'I'll tell her, shall I?' 'If you please.' Miss Believer went out. Inspector Curry looked at the ceiling.

  'Gulbrandsen?' he said. 'Why Gulbrandsen? Two hundred odd maladjusted youngsters on the premises.

  No reason any of them shouldn't have done it. Probably one of them did. But why Gulbrandsen? The stranger within the gates.' Sergeant Lake said: 'Of course we don't know everything yet.' Inspector Curry said: 'So far, we don't know anything at all.' He jumped up and was gallant when Miss Marple came in. She seemed a little flustered and he hurried to put her at her ease.

  'Now don't upset yourself, m'am.' The old ones like M'am, he thought. To them, police officers were definitely of the lower classes and should show respect to their betters. 'This is all very distressing, I know. But we've just got to get the facts clear. Get it all clear.' 'Oh yes, I know,' said Miss Marple. 'So difficult, isn't it? To be clear about anything, I mean. Because if you're looking at one thing, you can't be looking at another. And one so often looks at the wrong thing, though whether because one happens to do so or because you're meant to, it's very hard to say. Misdirection, the conjurers call it. So clever, aren't they? And I never have known how they manage with a bowl of goldfish - because really that cannot fold up small, can it?' Inspector Curry blinked a little and said soothingly: 'Quite so. Now, m'am, I've had an account of this evening's events from Miss Believer. A most anxious time for all of you, I'm sure.' 'Yes, indeed. It was all so dramatic, you know.' 'First this to-do between Mr Serrocold and' - he looked down at a note he had made - 'this Edgar Lawson.' 'A very odd young man,' said Miss Marple. 'I have felt all along that there was something wrong about him.' 'I'm sure you have,' said Inspector Curry. 'And then, after that excitement was over, there came Mr Gulbrandsen's death. I understand that you went with Mrs Serrocold to see the - er - the body.' 'Yes, I did. She asked me to come with her. We are very old friends.' 'Quite so. And you went along to Mr Gulbrandsen's room. Did you touch anything while you were in the room, either of you?'

  'Oh no. Mr Serrocold warned us not to.' 'Did you happen to notice, ma'm, whether there was a letter or a piece of paper, say, in the typewriter?' 'There wasn't,' said Miss Marple promptly. 'I noticed that at once because it seemed to me odd. Mr Gulbrandsen was sitting there at the typewriter so he must have been typing something. Yes, I thought it very odd.' Inspector Curry looked at her sharply. He said: 'Did you have much conversation with Mr Gulbrandsen while he was here?' 'Very little.' 'There is nothing especial - or significant that you can remember?' Miss Marple considered.

  'He asked me about Mrs Serrocold's health. In particular, about her heart.' 'Her heart? Is there something wrong with her heart?' 'Nothing whatever, I understand.' Inspector Curry was silent for a moment or two, then he said: 'You heard a shot this evening during the quarrel between Mr Serrocold and Edgar Lawson?' 'I didn't actually hear it myself. I am a little deaf, you know. But Mrs Serrocold mentioned it as being outside in the park.' 'Mr Gulbrandsen left the party immediately after dinner, I understand?' 'Yes, he said he had letters to write.' 'He didn't show any wish for a business conference with Mr Serrocold?' 'No.' Miss Marple added: 'You see, they'd already had one little talk.'

  'They had? When? I understood that Mr Serrocold only returned home just before dinner.' 'That's quite true, but he walked up through the park, and Mr Gulbrandsen went out to meet him and they walked up and down the terrace together.' 'Who else knows this?' 'I shouldn't think anybody else,' said Miss Marple.

  'Unless, of course, Mr Serrocold told Mrs Serrocold. I just happened to be looking out of my window - at some birds.' 'Birds?' 'Birds,' Miss Marple added after a moment or two: 'I thought, perhaps, they might be siskins.' Inspector Curry was uninterested in siskins.

  'You didn't,' he said delicately, 'happen to - er overhear anything of what they said?' Innocent china blue eyes met his.

  'Only fragments, I'm afraid,' said Miss Marple gently.

  'And those fragments?' Miss Marple was silent for a moment, then she said: 'I do not know the actual subject of their conversation, but their immediate concern was to keep whatever it was from the knowledge of Mrs Serrocold. To spare her - that was how Mr Gulbrandsen put it, and Mr Serrocold said, "I agree that it is she who must be considered." They also mentioned a "big responsibility" and that they should, perhaps, "take outside advice."' She paused.

  'I think you know, you had better ask Mr Serrocold himself about all this.' 'We shall do so, m'am. Now there is nothing else that struck you as unusual this evening?' Miss Marple considered.

  'It was all so unusual if you know what I mean ' 'Quite so. Quite so.' Something flickered into Miss Marple's memory.

  'There was one rather unusual incident. Mr Serrocold stopped Mrs Serrocold from taking her medicine. Miss Bellever was quite put out about it.' She smiled in a deprecating fashion.

  'But that,
of course, is such a little thing...' 'Yes, of course. Well, thank you, Miss Marple.' As Miss Marple went out of the room, Sergeant Lake said: 'She's old, but she's sharp...'

  CHAPTER 10

  Lewis Serrocold came into the office and immediately the whole focus of the room shifted. He turned to close the door behind him, and in doing so he created an atmosphere of privacy. He walked over and sat down, not in the chair Miss Marple had just vacated, but in his own chair behind the desk. Miss Bellever had settled Inspec-tor Curry in a chair drawn up to one side of the desk, as though unconsciously she had reserved Lewis Serro-cold's chair against his coming.

  When he had sat down, Lewis Serrocold looked at the two police officers thoughtfully. His face looked drawn and tired. It was the face of a man who was passing through a severe ordeal, and it surprised Inspector Curry a little because, though Christian Gulbrandsen's death must undeniably have been a shock to Lewis Serrocold, yet Gulbrandsen had not been a close friend or relation, only a rather remote connection by marriage.