Ne'er Do Well (20 page)

“I left the matter there
–
as well I might. To my great relief, he gave no sign of connecting the questions I'd asked with St Amant's death. But he's getting on, of course: and he is so quiet and gentle that I can well believe that murder is one of those things upon which he dislikes to dwell. So I guided him on to his friendship with Lord St Amant's father.

“‘I knew him well,' he said. ‘We used to fish together. His wife was a very sweet woman. I had a lodge in Scotland, and they used to come to stay. Neither got over the shock of Joris' death. The tragedy being, of course, that he wasn't dead. He got back in time to see them, but the damage was done. Lady St Amant was failing, and he was aged. But for that, I think he'd have been alive now. Still, he's been spared this tragedy.' He sighed. ‘It's beyond me, Superintendent. To my mind, only a maniac could have desired to put such a man to death. But I mustn't interfere. It's nothing to do with me. And I'm perfectly sure that you'll see that justice is done. Sir George spoke so nicely of you. He said I should enjoy our meeting
–
and he was perfectly right. I do hope you'll stay to luncheon.'

“‘That's very kind of you sir; but I've got to get on.'

“‘Very well. I'm not going to press you. You know your business best. A glass of sherry and a biscuit, before you go.'

“‘Thank you. I should like that.'

“‘I didn't really want it: but I felt that I couldn't refuse…

“As we shook hands
–

“‘I know you'll forgive me, Sir Evelyn, for saying this. What has passed between us is secret. I'm sure I can count upon you.'

“‘Indeed, you can. Not a word of what has been said will pass my lips.'

“I should have liked to lunch at
The Lygon Arms
. But I couldn't do that: so I stopped at a wayside inn about ten miles off. After a little persuasion, they gave me something to eat.

“And then I drove on here.

“As I went, I surveyed the position.

“The most formidable jump had been cleared. Fortune, for some strange reason, had played clean into my hands. She had given me full measure
–
far more than I had dreamed that I should ever receive.”

“You went out and got it, Falcon.”

“I followed a line, Colonel Mansel. The moment I learned that Madame St Hermine was the Mother Superior's niece, I was sure that it was her mother that passed the stuff. And when I found that she'd entered just after the fall of France…

“I felt very badly about keeping you in the dark. But I wasn't ready to disclose the terribly sinister path down which I was being led. I felt I must tread it alone. I didn't even tell Rogers. To tell you the truth, I was most deeply shocked. And I think perhaps you'll agree that I had no right to talk, until I could prove what I said.”

“When you say you felt badly,” I said, “I feel ashamed. If ever it helped you to talk, well and very good. But we respected your silence. It's very handsome of you to tell us now.”

“So long as you understand…

“Well, I wasn't home yet. A very great deal was depending on Sister Geneviève. What had Sister Josephine told her? And then
–
worst of all
–
I must see Sister Helena. I truly dreaded that: but it had to be done. On what I learned from those two, was depending the completion of my case. And I wanted to see the reports which Paterson made: for they had a certain importance. All the same, things seemed to be working out.

“Well, I got back here, as you know on Wednesday afternoon. And that evening I told you of Curfew and Berryman.

“The next day I went to the Home at eleven o'clock. (From this time on, I shall cut out the routine stuff.) Before I did anything else, I went to see the Mother Superior.

“The woman was very cordial. I hope I may be forgiven for playing up.

“‘I'm glad to see you back, Superintendent.'

“‘Thank you, madam. I hope you haven't been bothered, while I was away.'

“‘In no way. I trust your visit to London was not paid in vain.'

“‘Not altogether, madam. But a case like this takes time. So many exhaustive inquiries have to be made. And I have a request to make.'

“‘Pray make it, Superintendent.'

“‘You have, of course, a record of the patients who enter this home. I should very much like to see it.'

“‘Of course. Ask Dr Paterson. The porteress has one, too. But his is the record to which I always refer.'”

Falcon stopped there and looked round.

“Pure camouflage, of course. But it was of the greatest importance that she should get no ideas.

“We talked for a few minutes more, and I took my leave.

“Then I found Paterson.

“‘What would be a good time,' I said, ‘for me to visit your house?'

“‘Between four and five, Superintendent. I'm seldom wanted then. Will you come this afternoon?'

“‘Yes, if you please. I'll be with you soon after four.'

“‘Very well. I'll give you tea.'

“‘That's very kind of you.'

“Then I went in search of Sister Geneviève.

“I encountered her in the corridor. As soon as she saw me, she gave me her charming smile.

“‘I'd very much like to have a few words with you. What time would you suggest?'

“‘I'm off between two and four. What about half past three
–
in B consulting-room?'

“‘I shall be there,' I said.

“And so I was.

“‘Well, Sister Geneviève, did you see Sister Josephine?'

“She nodded.

“‘Poor girl,' she said, ‘she didn't know what to do. She said you'd spoken so nicely and begged her so earnestly not to keep anything back. And yet she did. I'm afraid it's of no importance, because, you see, it happened on Monday night. But you had begged her not to keep
anything
back. But she didn't like to tell you, with the Mother Superior there. You asked about the visits she'd had. And she told you as best she could. But she didn't mention the Mother Superior's visit. She felt it was for the Mother Superior to tell you that.'

“I smiled.

“‘I think that was very natural.'

“‘I was sure you'd understand. The Mother Superior came in on Monday night.'

“‘I don't think I asked about Monday.'

“‘No, but you said “everything”. And that was enough for Sister Josephine. Just about half past eleven, on Monday night, the window curtains parted and the Mother Superior came in. She didn't speak. She looked at the patient and then at the patient's chart. Then she knelt and prayed for a moment, and then she rose and went out.'

“‘One of her routine visits.'

“‘Yes. I don't do night duty now, but it used to be one of her ways of keeping us up to the mark.'

“‘You never knew when to expect her.'

“‘That's right. But, as I say, it was Monday
–
not Tuesday night.'

“‘Exactly. Had it been Tuesday, the Mother Superior would naturally have told me herself.'

“‘Of course.'

“‘And that is all she was withholding?'

“‘I'm afraid so, Superintendent. She's painfully conscientious: but reason is not her strong point.'

“‘Never mind,' I said. ‘I'm glad to have cleared it up. For I knew she was holding back something. And now I've another
–
another favour to ask. It's very, very important that I should see Sister Helena quite alone.'

Sister Genèvieve bit her lip.

“‘You mean there was trouble last time?'

“‘Yes. The Mother Superior was very much displeased.'

“‘Need she know, St Geneviève? You see, the thing is this. The first time I saw Sister Helena, I saw her alone. And after a little, she talked quite naturally. The second time I saw her was in the presence of the Mother Superior. And both of us were constrained. Nice as she is to me, the Mother Superior's personality takes precedence of that of anyone else. When she is present, I can't get on terms with the witness. And the witness, of course, is more embarrassed than I.'

“‘Yes, I see that. But, if it got round to her… I mean, it did last time.'

“‘Can't I see her by night?'

“‘She's on duty then. From eight to eight you know.'

“‘A quarter of an hour…on the terrace…'

“Sister Geneviève appeared to reflect.

“‘It might be arranged. It would have to be late, Superintendent.'

“‘At any time during the night.'

“‘This very night?'

“‘If you please.'

“She glanced at her watch.

“‘Will you come to see me again about half past five?'

“‘Without fail.'

“I left her then and went for a stroll in the meadows. I had ten minutes to spare before I saw Paterson.”

Falcon sat back and looked round.

“‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings,' he said. Poor, foolish Sister Josephine had furnished the very best evidence I had.

“First, the Mother Superior had told me a downright lie.

“Secondly, what was she doing on the terrace on Monday night? And why did she enter Number Three?

“Thirdly
–
and this is rather intricate
–
when did Sister Josephine first give me cause to think that she was concealing something which I should know?”

“It was quite early on,” said Mansel. “Before you dealt with the visits.”

“You're right, Colonel Mansel. It was. Let me give you the questions and answers
–
I looked them up.

‘
Tuesday night, between half past ten and two. Can you remember hearing any unusual sound – a sound, for instance, which you had not heard the night before
?'

‘
Oh, no, indeed.'

‘
‘Quite sure?'

‘
‘Yes, I'm quite sure.'”

Falcon leaned forward.

“So she was. She had heard no sound,
which she had not heard the night before
. But she did hear that. The same sound as she had heard on Monday.

“And now for the other two questions.

‘
‘I'm almost sure that a sound was made or that a light was shown on the terrace on Tuesday night.'

‘
She shook her head.

‘
‘Does that mean you can't help me?'

‘
‘Yes.'

“Those were the answers I suspected.

“And now for the truth, of which Sister Josephine had told exactly one half.

“On Monday night, greatly to her surprise, the Mother Superior entered from the terrace about half past eleven o'clock. Bolton saw the curtains parted. If you remember, he saw ‘a flicker of light'. On Tuesday night, the girl was on the alert. Sure enough, she heard the step she had heard on Monday night. And she knew whose it was, although she didn't come in. And that was at a quarter to two…when Dallas saw the flash of a torch.”

“That's very fine, Falcon. A beautiful piece of deduction. And because of what happened that very Tuesday night, she was afraid to tell even Sister Geneviève.”

“That's my belief.

“Well, I went to see Paterson. I asked to see the record
–
just for the look of the thing. When I had studied that, I asked to see the reports.” Falcon took out two sheets. “These are the two that matter
–
copies, of course.

 

Saturday

Terrace, Number Four

Lord St Amant.

 

Physical condition Excellent

Mental condition Excellent

Penicillin

A first-rate patient. Curiously reluctant to take any drug, either to induce sleep or to relieve pain.

 

Sunday

Terrace, Number Four

Lord St Amant.

 

Physical condition Excellent

Mental condition Excellent

Should be fit to leave on Friday. Has given me his word to take japonica, if in pain.

Wakes in pain every morning at four a.m. (Curiously enough, so does Mr Dallas, the patient in Number Five.) Insists that some atmospheric change takes place precisely at that hour. I had not noticed this and think it unlikely.”

 

Falcon laid down the sheets.

“Those reports were made out in the evening and rendered to the Mother Superior at eight a.m. the next day. She, therefore, knew that St Amant would take two japonica tablets at four a.m.

“Paterson gave me tea and showed me the house.

“Then I walked back to the Home, to see Sister Geneviève.

“As I entered the corridor, she came out of a room.

“‘At midnight,' she said. ‘Come by the meadows, please. She will be waiting at the foot of the terrace steps.'

“‘God bless you,' I said.

“As you know, I kept the appointment.

“I'd brought a rug from the car: so we sat on the steps.

“Then I spoke very low.

“‘Supposing your bell should go.'

“‘Sister Geneviève is on the terrace, in case the light comes on. If it does, she'll flash my torch.'

“‘Good. Sister Helena, before I ask any questions, I'll tell you what I know. And please put your trust in me. If I could have helped it, I'd never have broken this ground.' I could see that she was trembling. ‘I know that in 1939 you and Lord St Amant were secretly engaged.' I heard her catch her breath. ‘And I know that you took the veil because you thought he was dead.' She was breathing most hard and fast. But I thought it best to go on. ‘Policemen aren't supposed to have feelings: but when I found these things out, they tore my heart.' She put out a hand, as a child in search of comfort: I took it in mine. ‘Tell me, did he know you were here?'