开云体育下载What did you expect to happen, Aunt Jane

would offer Mitzi money to hold hertongue—and Sergeant Fletcher would be a witness to that offer, or else—or else I thought she’d try to kill Mitzi.”

“But she couldn’t hope to get away with that? She’d have been suspectedat once.”

“Oh, my dear, she was past reasoning. She was just a snapping terrifiedcornered rat. Think what had happened that day. The scene between MissHinchcliffe and Miss Murgatroyd. Miss Hinchcliffe driving off to the sta-tion. As soon as she comes back Miss Murgatroyd will explain that LetitiaBlacklock wasn’t in the room that night. There’s just a few minutes inwhich to make sure Miss Murgatroyd can’t tell anything. No time to makea plan or set a stage. Just crude murder. She greets the poor woman andstrangles her. Then a quick rush home, to change, to be sitting by the firewhen the others come in, as though she’d never been out.

“And then came the revelation of Julia’s identity. She breaks her pearlsand is terrified they may notice her scar. Later, the Inspector telephonesthat he’s bringing everyone there. No time to think, to rest. Up to her neckin murder now, no mercy killing—or undesirable young man to be put outof the way. Crude plain murder. Is she safe? Yes, so far. And then comesMitzi—yet another danger. Kill Mitzi, stop her tongue! She’s beside herselfwith fear. Not human any longer. Just a dangerous animal.”

“But why were you in the broom cupboard, Aunt Jane?” asked Bunch.

“Couldn’t you have left it to Sergeant Fletcher?”

“It was safer with two of us, my dear. And besides, I knew I could mimicDora Bunner’s voice. If anything could break Charlotte Blacklock down—that would.”

“And it did …!”

“Yes … She went to pieces.”

There was a long silence as memory laid hold of them and then, speak-ing with determined lightness, to ease the strain, Julia said:

“It’s made a wonderful difference to Mitzi. She told me yesterday thatshe was taking a post near Southampton. And she said (Julia produced avery good imitation of Mitzi’s accent):

“‘I go there and if they say to me you have to register with the police—you are an alien, I say to them, “Yes, I will register! The police, they knowme very well. I assist the police! Without me the police never would theyhave made the arrest of a very dangerous criminal. I risked my life be-cause I am brave—brave like a lion—I do not care about risks.” “Mitzi,”