# ■ 7 Chapter

On Monday morning Sergeant Foster went to Roger's office and asked some questions．And then he went to Albert's house and asked some more questions．Inspector Walsh sat in his office and telephoned．He made phone calls about Peter Hobbs and he made phone calls about Tom Briggs．And then he had some coffee and sandwiches．

At three o'clock the two detectives drove to the Clarksons' house．

I would like to see everyone，'he told Roger．

Everyone came into the sitting room and sat down．

Inspector Walsh stood in front of the windows and looked at them，one by one．'I want to talk to you Someone killed Molly Clarkson．Someone put sleeping tablets in her hot milk and killed her Nobody wanted to tell me the true story，but now I know the true story and I'm going to tell you．'

The two dogs came slowly into the room and sat down at Diane's feet．It was very quiet in the room．

The Inspector looked at Albert．'Mr King，your wife is very ill and needs a nurse．You told me this．You didn't tell me about your house．You're selling your house next month because you need the money．'

Albert was angry．'Last year I asked Molly's husband for some money，and he said yes．But then he died in an accident．'

Accident！'Diane cried．'That was no accident．Mother killed Daddy because she wanted his money！

Let's talk about you now，Diane，'said Inspector Walsh．You visited your mother every month and you took money from her．Last month she gave you money for your television．This month she gave you money for your telephone．Every month you told your mother：“It was no accident；you killed Daddy．I'm going to tell the police．”Your mother was afraid of the police and so she gave you the money．But in the end she wanted to stop you．She told Dr Pratt．No more money，she told Dr Pratt on Thursday；and on Saturday she died．You took the hot milk to your mother－what did she tell you？'

Diane began to cry．'I loved Daddy！He always gave money to me；he loved me．It was Mother－she didn't love Daddy and she didn't love me．Diane stopped．The dogs got up and went to the door．'It's true，I took a lot of money from Mother．On Saturday she told me—no more money．I wanted to kill her，but I didn't．'

The dogs came back and sat down again at Diane's feet．Inspector Walsh looked at Roger．'Mr Clarkson also needed money．'

Roger's face went red．'Don't tell them！Please！'

Mr Clarkson lost his job last month．He has no money．But he has an expensive house and an expensive car．He likes expensive things．'

His sisters looked at him，but Roger put his hand over his eyes．'Don't talk to me！'

It doesn't matter now！'Diane said．'Mother is dead and we have a lot of money．You don't need a job．'

Roger's face went red again．'Be quiet，Diane！'

Now，Inspector Walsh began again．'Peter Hobbs is a very angry young man．Mrs Clarkson was not very nice to him．He got the sleeping tablets from the shop．But did he put the tablets in the hot milk？I think not．Tom Briggs wanted half the garden for his farm．He was in the kitchen that night．Did he put sleeping tablets in the hot milk？I think not．'

Suddenly it began to rain．For a minute everyone watched it through the window．Jackie took a cigarette from her bag and began to smoke．

But someone wanted Peter Hobbs to come into the kitchen that night．She wanted everyone to see him，and listen to him，'Inspector Walsh said．

She…？I don't understand，'Roger began，and stopped．

Inspector walsh moved away from the window and sat down．'I'm going to tell you the true story now．Miss Clark-son，you wanted Peter Hobbs to come to the house that night．He was very angry with your mother because of that letter．He said：“I want to kill her．”And you wanted everyone to hear that． Why？'

Jackie's face went white．It's not true！What about Diane？You found the empty bottle in her bag！'

Diane stood up．'In my bag？Jackie！What are you talking about？'

Be quiet，please，and sit down，'Inspector Walsh said．He looked at Jackie．'It's true：we found the bottle in Diane's bag．But how do you know that？We didn't tell you．'

You did…before…you told me before！'

No．We found the empty bottle in Diane's room．We told you that．You talked about Diane's bag；we didn't tell you．Sergeant foster wrote it all down．'Inspector Walsh looked carefully at Jackie．'A long time ago，you knew Tom Briggs．He was the gardener here and you loved him．But your mother didn't like him．'

Jackie put her hands to her head．'No！No！'

We found your picture-an old one-in Mr Briggs'house．You were younger then，and your hair was long．Last year Tom Briggs came back，and you wanted him．He loved you，too，but he had no money．He wanted the garden for his farm，he wanted money，he wanted you．But your mother said no．In the end，you wanted to kill your mother…and you did kill her．Your mother went downstairs to see the dogs and you put the sleeping tablets in her hot milk．Later，you put the empty bottle in Diane's bag．

Jackie stood up．Her eyes were dark and afraid．'You don't understand！she cried．'Mother gave me nothing…all those years．I wanted to be happy…to be with Tom．That's all．I love Tom，and he loves me．But Mother said no．Always no．'Then she began to cry．Nobody looked at her．

Jackie left the house in a police car．Inspector Walsh watched and then walked slowly to his car．He felt tired and hungry．He stopped and looked back at the house．

Well，'he said to Sergeant Foster，'in the end，they go the money：Albert，Roger，Diane．They're all rich now．But are they going to be happy？'

He got into the car．'Let's go，'he said．'I'm hungry；need a sandwich．'

■ 7

星期一早上，福斯特警官去羅傑的辦公室，問了幾個問題，然後他去艾伯特家，問了些別的問題。沃爾什探長坐在辦公室打電話。他打電話找彼特·霍夫斯，然後又打電話找湯姆·布里格斯。接著他要了些咖啡和三明治。

3點鐘，兩名偵探開車去了克拉克森家。

“我想見見每個人，”他告訴羅傑。

大家都走進客廳坐下來。

沃爾什探長站在窗前輪流地看了每個人一眼。“我想和你們談談。有人殺死了莫利·克拉克森，有人把安眠藥放在她的熱牛奶裡殺了她。沒人願意告訴我實情，但現在我知道了事情真象，我將會告訴你們。”

兩條狗慢慢走進房間坐在黛安娜腳旁。房間裡非常安靜。

探長看著艾伯特。“金先生，你妻子病得很重需要一名護士，你告訴了我。你卻沒告訴我有關你的房子。因為你們需要錢，你們下個月就要賣了你們的房子。”

艾伯特生氣了。“去年我向莫利的丈夫要些錢，他答應了。可接著他死於一場事故。”

“事故！”黛安娜叫道。“那不是事故！媽媽想要他的錢，所以她殺了爸爸！”

“咱們現在談談你，黛安娜，”沃爾什探長說。“你每個月都來見你母親，然後從她那兒要走錢。上個月她給你錢買電視，這個月她又為你的電話付錢。每次你告訴你的母親：'那不是一場事故；你殺了爸爸。我要告訴警察。'你母親害怕警察，所以她給你錢。但是最後她想阻止你。她告訴了普拉特醫生，沒有太多的錢了，她是週四告訴普拉特醫生的。接著星期天她死了。你端熱牛奶給你母親——她給你說些什麼？”

黛安娜開始哭。“我愛爸爸！他總是給我錢，他愛我。就是媽媽——她不愛爸爸，也不愛我。”黛安娜停住了。狗站起來向門口走去。“是真的，我從母親那兒要了不少錢。我想殺了她，可我沒有。”

狗回來又坐在黛安娜腳旁。

沃爾什探長看著羅傑。“克拉克森先生也需要錢。”

羅傑的臉變紅了。“請你別告訴他們！”

“克拉克森先生上個月失業了，他沒有錢了。可他有一所昂貴的房子和一輛車。他喜歡昂貴的東西。”

他的姐妹看著他，可羅傑用手捂住眼睛。“別對我說這些！”“現在沒關係！”黛安娜說。“媽媽死了，我們有很多錢，你不需要一份工作。”

羅傑的臉又變紅了。“住嘴，黛安娜！”

“現在，”沃爾什探長又開始說了。“彼特·霍布斯是個非常忿怒的年輕人，克拉克森太太對他不太好。他從商店裡買到安眠藥，可他會把安眠藥放在熱牛奶裡嗎？我認為不會。湯姆·布里格斯想要半個花園當他的農場。他那晚在廚房，是他放安眠藥在熱牛奶裡了嗎？我認為沒有。”

突然天開始下雨了。好一會兒大家都看著窗外的雨。傑基從包裡拿了枝煙，開始抽。

“可有人要彼特·霍布斯那晚會廚房。她想要大家都看見他，並聽他說話，”沃爾什探長說。

“她……？我不明白，”羅傑說著，然後又停住了。

沃爾什探長從窗邊走過來坐下。“現在我將告訴你們事件的真象。克拉克森小姐，你那晚要彼特·霍布斯來家裡。他因為那封信很生你母親的氣。他說：'我要殺了她。'因而你想要大家都聽到這話。為什麼？”

傑基的臉變白了。“這不是真的！黛安娜呢？你們在她包裡發現了空瓶子！”

黛安娜站起來。“在我包裡？傑基！你在說什麼？”

“請安靜，坐下，”沃爾什探長說，看著傑基。

“沒錯，我們在黛安娜的包裡發現了瓶子。可你怎麼知道的？我們並沒有告訴你。”

“你們告訴了……先前……你們先前告訴了我！”

“沒有。我們在黛安娜的房間發現了空瓶，我們告訴了你這事。你說的是黛安娜的包，我們沒有告訴你。福斯特警官記下來了。”沃爾什探長仔細看著傑基。“很久以前，你認識了湯姆·布里格斯，他是這兒的園丁，你愛上了他，可你的母親不喜歡他。”

傑基把手放在頭上。“不！不！”

“我發現你的相片——一張舊的——在布里格斯家裡。你比現在年青，頭髮長長的。去年湯姆·布里格斯回來了，你想得到他，他也愛你，可他沒有錢。他想要花園當他的農場，他想要錢，他也想得到你。可你母親不同意。最後，你想殺了你母親……然後你真的殺了她。你母親下樓去看狗，然後你把安眠藥放在她的熱牛奶裡。隨後，你把空瓶子放進黛安娜的包裡。”

傑基站起來，她黑黑的眼睛帶著恐懼。“你們不知道！”她大聲道。“母親什麼也沒給我……這麼多年了。我想要幸福……和湯姆一起，就這些。我愛湯姆，他也愛我。可母親不同意，總是不同意。”然後她開始哭，沒人理睬她。

傑基走出房子上了警車。沃爾什探長注視著她，然後慢慢走向他的車。他覺得又累又餓。他停下來回頭看著那所房子。

“好了，”他對福斯特警官說，“最後，他們得到了錢：艾伯特，羅傑，黛安娜。他們現在都富有了。可他們會快樂嗎？”

他上了小車。“咱們走吧，”他說。“我餓了，我需要塊三明治。”