“He lies!” she screamed, kicking in the direction of Poiret. “He lies!” Inspector Watkins let her rave for a while and then sat her down again. Poiret looked at her furiously. “Madame, you made many mistakes,” Poiret pointed at her, setting her off again. Poiret had to shout to make himself heard as he continued, “The empty toothpaste tube told to Poiret this was a murder long in the planning and long in the execution. You put the tube in the bathroom of Lady Malvern not on her birthday, but weeks ago. Lady Malvern, she discovers the half empty toothpaste tube after her trip to France and having always worked hard for her money she decides to use it. This is how the poison, it was administered.” Tulisa looked at Poiret and asked, “But why?” “Because your father, he discovered her affair with the chauffeur and tells to her he will leave her.”
Tulisa looked at her father. He didn’t say anything, but looked straight in front of him. Poiret looked around, his eyes gleaming. “Lady Malvern, she bought her tooth paste in France. You, Madame, are the only one, who was in France in the past few months. Only you could have bought toothpaste similar to the one used by your sister.”
Mrs. Damian was quiet now. Peter shook his head, still in disbelief. “But why?” he asked. “You tried to conceal your responsibility for the deed by planting the false evidence. Poiret, he sees through your lies, Madame. You feel ashamed for your weakness of the heart. You feel exposed, now that your husband, he is abandoning you without money. You ask your sister for help. That is how your love letters, they end up in her desk. It is your correspondence with the chauffeur Alfie, which your husband burns in the fireplace.”
Everyone looked at Mr. Damian. He did not move. “Your sister refuses to help you. And so you make the plan to help yourself. You murder her and steal her will, but you forget that she has made the copy.” “You lie,” Mrs. Damian whispered.
“Non, Madame, you lie! Constantly reminding Lady Malvern that her family does not approve of her behaviour. Reminding her always she was not living up to the rules and standards of honour everyone had been measuring her against. In the end, Madame you have been unmasked as having the immoral character. You, Madame!”
Inspector Watkins lifted Mrs. Damian up from the chair and said wearily, “Come on! It’s time.”
He took the handcuffs and led her out of the room. Tulisa looked at her father with tears in her eyes. She put her arms around him and cried. For the first time, he moved and embraced her. He then stood up and looked at Poiret. He raised his hands in the air and said, “What is there to say?” “Poiret, his work here, it is done,” Poiret said and turned to leave the room. Haven followed him.
The atmosphere in the house was now a strange one. It was as if all illusion of unity the family had tried to uphold had been shattered by the events of the morning. Mr. Archibald and Doctor Loomis had left already. Poiret and Haven packed their belongings and asked Peter to have them driven to the railway station.
As Alfie steered the car down the road, Poiret looked back. Haven knew Poiret felt the way he himself had felt sailing home just after the war. He had done his duty. He left it to the most concerned to arrange further proceedings.
THE END
The Jules Poiret Mystery Series
Jules Poiret in The Murder of Lady Malvern
Jules Poiret in Lord Hammershield dies
Jules Poiret in Sir Alexander dies
Jules Poiret and The Brighton Bounder
Jules Poiret in The Murder in Torquay
Silent Rivers Run Deep
The House of Cards Came Tumbling Down
Jules Poiret in Secrets
The Murder of Lady Malvern (A Jules Poiret Mystery Book 2) Page 7