Mrs Flack answers some questions

 

К sat in Sir Michael's chair in the study and spoke to Mrs Flack.

'So they all had dinner and talked, Mrs Flack?' К asked.

'Yes, miss,' Mrs Flack said.

'Did they laugh, too, Mrs Flack?'

'Oh, yes, miss. They're all good friends.'

'Good friends, Mrs Flack?'

'Yes - well, er - Sir Michael and Lady Elizabeth, well - they often..."

'They often had disagreements, Mrs Flack?'

'Yes, miss, but not this evening at dinner. After dinner Sir Michael and Lady Elizabeth went to the library. Just the two of them. I knew they were fighting. I could hear them. I was in the kitchen. They shouted and shouted. We all heard them.'

'Then what?'

'Then Sir Michael went to his study.'

'What time was that?'

'It was nine o'clock.'

'Did Sir Michael always go to his study at nine o'clock?'

'Yes, always, miss. He worked in his study from 9.00 until 1.00 or 2.00 in the morning. Sometimes his secretary went to his study with him,' Mrs Flack said.

'Sometimes? Did she go there this evening?'

'No, miss. I took Sir Michael a cup of coffee at 9.30. I always take him a cup of coffee at 9.30.1 knocked at the study door but he didn't answer. I knocked again and again. I shouted but he didn't answer. So I called Lady Elizabeth, Colonel Fawcett and Mr Cavell.'

'And Miss Everett?'

'No, miss. She was in the garden. Colonel Fawcett and Mr Cavell broke down the door and we found him — Sir Michael — we found him on the floor - dead! Oh, miss!' Mrs Flack cried. She was very sad.

Thank you, Mrs Flack,' К said quietly.

Lady Elizabeth's story

Mrs Flack left the study and К wrote her report. Then there was a knock at the door. It was very quiet.

'Come in,' К said softly. The door opened. 'You wanted to see me,' Lady Elizabeth said. 'Yes, Lady Elizabeth. Come in and sit down, please. Would you like a drink?'

'No, thank you, Inspector.'

'How are you?' К asked quietly.

'How can you ask? Mike's gone. He's dead. Dead! It ism true, is it, Inspector? It can't be true!' 'Sshh!' К said. 'Tell me about him.'

'Mike? He was a good husband. We married twenty-five years ago. That's a long time, isn't it? He was just out of the army then. He loved me and I loved him. We didn't have any children and Mike was sorry about that. But he was always a good husband to me.'

'Always?'

'Yes, always!' Lady Elizabeth shouted. 'Well - there were...'

'Yes?' К asked quietly.

'Other women. All these secretaries!' Lady Elizabeth cried. 'Mike liked young secretaries — and they liked him. For his money! Look at this new one. This... this... What's her name? This Angela Everett. The little...!' Lady Elizabeth's voice was quiet but her face was red and her eyes were angry.

 

'Oh,' she continued, 'I hated Mike's secretaries. They were always young, always pretty and they took him away from me. But I really hate this secretary. This Angela Everett. She comes into my house every day. She comes with Mike. "I'm sorry, Lady Elizabeth," she says in her pretty little voice. "I must take Sir Michael from you. We have work to do." Mike loved me. I know it! I know it! But he liked other women. He was rich, so women liked him. Yes, I loved Mike, but sometimes I hated him. I hated him! Perhaps he's in this room now. Perhaps he can hear me. I loved him and I hated him. He knew that well.'

'What happened this evening?' К asked.

‘I’ ll tell you,' Lady Elizabeth said.

 

'So Sir Michael went to his study at nine o'clock. What did you jo?' К asked.

'I went to the living room because I wanted to speak to my brother, Andrew. We sat and talked. I told him about Mike and about that woman, Everett. Andrew knows all about it.'

'Sir Michael was in the study. Did you hear him?'

'No. At 9.30 I heard Nancy shouting. Andrew and I ran to the study. The door was locked. Andrew and Colonel Fawcett broke down the door. Then I saw Mike's body on the floor. He was dead! I telephoned the police.'

'Where was Miss Everett?' К asked.

'In the garden. She often went to the study after dinner.'

'But not tonight?'

'No. Not tonight. She was in the garden. Why did Mike die? He didn't kill himself, so perhaps she knows. Perhaps she can tell you. A woman like that can't bring good to this house. Can I go now?' Lady Elizabeth asked suddenly.

'Of course,' К said. 'Thank you, Lady Elizabeth.'

 

Colonel Fawcett's story

 

The time was 10.45.There was a knock at the study door.

'Can I come in?' a voice asked. It was a man's voice.

'Yes,' К said.

The door opened and Colonel Fawcett came in. 'You want to see all of us tonight, Inspector?'

'Yes,' К said. 'A drink, Colonel Fawcett?'

'Yes, please.'

'Shall I get you a whisky?'

'Yes, please. I need one!'

'Would you like some ice?'

'Ice? Er - er - no, thank you. I don't want any ice. Just water, please. Thank you.'

'He was your friend,' К said.

'Yes. A very good friend, too,' the Colonel said, putting his head between his hands.'Dead! Michael Gray dead! I can't believe it.'

'It's sad,' К said, 'but it's true. Tell me about him.'

'We were in the army together. That was twenty-five years ago. Then Michael left the army, married Elizabeth and went into Cavell and Company. That's Lady Elizabeth's family business. She was a Cavell. I left the army five years ago. I'm not in the army now but people still call me "Colonel". I needed work so I went to my °ld fri^end, Michael. He helped me.'

'Helped you? How?' К asked.

'Oh - er - um. Money. You know.'

'I don't know,' К said.

'He gave me money.'

'Gave you?'

'Lent me.'

'How much did he lend you?'

'Well - £50,000.'

'Mm. And what did you do with it?'

'I put it into my business.'

'What is your business, Colonel Fawcett?'

'Well, it isn't really a business... horses... you know.'

'You gambled the money,' К said.

'Yes, I gambled and lost,' the Colonel said. 'Michael knew about this. He was very angry with me. He said, "I lent you this money and now you must pay it back to me." I said, "I can't. I haven't any money!" He said, "Then you must sell your house!" I didn't want to sell my house. We couldn't agree about that.'

'He's dead now,' К said. 'Are you really sorry?'

'Sorry? Of course I'm sorry. We couldn't agree about money, but we were friends. Good friends. Army friends are always good friends.'

'What did you do in the army, Colonel?'

'I was with the engineers. Michael was with the engineers, too.'

‘Are you an engineer?'

‘I was- an engineer.'

‘And now you gamble with other people's money,' К said. 'I gambled and lost.'

‘So you had a fight with Sir Michael about money. Tell me ^about it.'

'Tell me about tonight.'

'Tonight? After dinner I went to the living room. I went with Andrew. Michael and Elizabeth went to the library. They were fighting. We heard them from the living room. They often had fights, Michael and Elizabeth. Michael - you know - he liked women. And Angela, well, she's a pretty little thing.' The Colonel smiled. 'Just like you, Inspector. A pretty little thing.'

'Thank you, Colonel,' К said coldly and smiled. 'What did you do after dinner?'

'Well, Michael went to his study. Elizabeth came to the living room and I went to the library. I sat in the library and read.'

'Alone?'

'Yes, alone. The housekeeper, Mrs Flack, brought me some coffee at 9.30. Then she took some coffee to Michael. His door was locked. Then I heard her shouting. I ran to the study. You know the story.'

'Yes, but not all the story — yet!' К said. 'You can go now, Colonel, and please call Miss Everett for me.'

 

Angela Everett's story

 

'I don't like this room,' Miss Everett said as she came in. 'Mick died in here. Only two hours ago — Mick died in here. Why do you use this room?'

'I have my reasons,' К said. 'Sit down, Miss Everett. Can I offer you a drink?'

'Yes, please. I'd like a very large whisky and a lot of ice, please.'

К went to the fridge.

She opened it, then she opened the freezer and took out the ice-tray. She put some ice in Miss Everett's drink and then put the ice-tray back in the freezer. К looked into the freezer, then she looked at Miss Everett.

'Why are you looking at me like that?' Miss Everett asked
suddenly.

'Colonel Fawcett calls you "a pretty little thing". Are you?' К asked.

'Are you?' Miss Everett asked. She spoke coldly, too.

'I'm asking the questions,' К answered. 'Here's your drink.'

'Thanks.'

'Sir Michael loved you.'

'Of course he did. Didn't she tell you?'

'She?'

'That woman. His wife. She didn't love him. She had fights with him. All the time. She had fights with my Mick.'

'Mick?'

'Yes, he was "Mick" to me. "Mike" to her. "Michael" to other people. My Mick loved me. She always shouted at him. So he came to me. She gave him hate. I gave him love.'

'You really loved him?'

'Of course. I loved him deeply. And she knew it. I hate her. I hate that woman,' Miss Everett shouted. 'She hated my Mick. That's why I hate her. She murdered him. I know it. I know it.'

'Sir Michael was fifty-five. And you are twenty-five.'

'What are you suggesting?' Miss Everett asked. 'Don't you know any nice men of fifty-five? Mick was nice. Really nice.'

'And rich,' К said. 'He left a lot of money to you, in his will.'

'I'm asking the questions. You're here to answer them,' К said. 'Didn't you know about the money?'

'Yes,' Miss Everett answered.

'How much did he leave you?'

'I don't know.'

'You know very well. Tell me,' К said.

'Mick changed his will two weeks ago. He left a lot of money to her, of course. She doesn't need money. She's rich. But he left £100,000 to me. He told me about it.'

'Sir Michael's death is a good thing for you, isn't it?'

'Good for me? What are you suggesting? I loved him. Don't you understand?'

'Oh, I understand, but perhaps you're rich now. Perhaps you have £100,000.'

'Are you jealous?' Miss Everett asked K. 'Listen, policewoman, I love money. That's true. But I loved Mick. Do you hear? I loved Mick. Why did the police send a woman detectives? Miss E veren. asked.

'Why don't you ask them?' К answered.

'You're pretty,' Miss Everett said. 'My Mick liked pretty women. His wife was a pretty woman years ago, but she isn't now.'

'I must tell her that,' К said.

'Yes.Tell her. Please tell her I said so!'

'You often went to the study with Sir Michael after dinner.'

'Yes.We worked together.We usually went to the study at 9.00. I had a whisky with Mick. Then we worked. The housekeeper usually brought us a cup of coffee at 9.30.1 worked until 11.00, then I went home.'

'But you didn't go to Sir Michael's study tonight?'

'No, I didn't. It's strange.'

'Strange?'

'Yes, Mick didn't want me to go. He wanted to be alone.'

'Tell me about it.'

'And where were you tonight — at the time of the murder?'

'In the garden.'

'Where, in the garden?'

'Outside Mick's study.'

'Why?'

'I wanted to walk. It's a cold night but it's fine. I needed air. Mick was in his study. I wanted to be with him and I was alone. I didn't want to stay in the house.'

'You were afraid,' К said.

'Afraid? Why?'

'Perhaps Sir Michael wanted to change his will again.You were afraid of that. You didn't want that, did you?'

'That's not true. I only wanted to be with him. It wasn't the money.'

'You want to be a rich woman.'

'Quiet!' Miss Everett shouted. 'I'm pretty and you hate me. You like her. Well, listen. I didn't do it. I didn't do it!' Miss Everett ran out of the room.

 

Andrew Cavell's story

 

'Can I come in?' a voice said. The voice was calm, cold, upper-class.

'Yes, and shut the door please,' К said. She looked up.

'It's me. Andrew Cavell. Miss Everett has left — I think.'

К looked at this proud man in his fine suit.

'Miss Everett has left — you think,' К said.

'I heard her. We all heard her,' Mr Cavell laughed.

'A little whisky, Mr Cavell?' К asked.

'Yes, please.'

'Shall I get you some ice?'

'Er - no, thanks. Just water, please. Thank you.'

'What can you tell me about Sir Michael?'

'A lot.What do you want to know?'

'A lot.'

'Well, I didn't like him. I can tell you that. He was my sister's husband, but I didn't like Michael Gray at all. I never liked him.

'Michael Gray married my sister twenty-five years ago. He wasn't a rich man then -just out of the army. We - the family -took him into the company. My father, Lord Cavell, liked him. He worked hard and before long he became the boss of Cavell and Company. Cavell and Company is the family business. Michael was a hard worker, but he married into money.'

'You never liked him. Why?'

'For a number of reasons. He often had fights with Eli/abeth and I didn't like that at all. He liked women and he spent a lot of money on them. But he spent money like water. I didn't like that. It's our money, the family's. He changed his will. My sister told me about it. He wanted to leave.£100,000 to that silly girl, Angela Everett.'

'His secretary.'

'Yes — his secretary.'

'Why did you come to "Flanders", Mr Cavell?'

'I wanted to speak to Michael. We had a talk before dinner.'

'Tell me about it.'

'Well, he's dead now, so that's good for Cavell and Company.'

'Yes, it's excellent.'

'And you're glad?'

'Yes. He's dead and I'm glad. The family business is more important to me than Michael Gray. Of course, I'm sorry for my sister. She really loved him.'

'Did Sir Michael leave £100,000 to Miss Everett?'

'I don't know. I haven't seen the will. He talked about it.'

'Perhaps Miss Everett is a rich woman now.'

'Perhaps she is.'

'You're a cold man, Mr Cavell.'

'Cold?'

'Yes. He's dead and you're glad. Perhaps he has left £100,000 to his secretary, but you don't even look angry. You really hated Sir Michael, didn't you? Behind that calm face, you hated him.'

'True, madam, but I didn't murder him.'

'Sir Michael died at 9.25. Where were you at the time?'

'Hasn't my sister told you? I was in the living room. She spoke to me about Everett. Then we heard Nancy - Mrs Flack. We ran outside. We ran to the study door. Colonel Fawcett and I broke down the door. We saw the body on the floor — just there. Elizabeth immediately telephoned the police.'

'Did you touch the body?'

'No. Michael was dead. We all saw that and we didn't touch the body. We just waited for the police.'

'And the police sent me'.

'Yes, madam. The police sent you!

'Thank you, Mr Cavell.'

'Excuse me, but can we all go to bed now?'

'No, I'm sorry. It's late, but I must speak to all of you. But first I must speak to Mrs Flack again.'

'I'll send her to you.'

'Thank you, Mr Cavell.'

Nancy Flack's story

 

'Whisky, Mrs Flack?'

'Oh, yes, please, miss. I'd like a large one.'

'You like whisky, Mrs Flack?'

'Er... well, miss... I...'

'You often drink Sir Michael's whisky...?'

'I... well... I...'

'Ice?'

'No, no, thank you. Well, yes, please.'

К took the ice-tray out of the freezer. She took a piece of ice out of it and put it in the whisky. 'Look at this tray, Mrs Flack.'

'What about it, miss? I filled it this morning.'

'Well, Sir Michael died here - in front of the fridge. He had a glass of whisky in his hand. He wanted some ice, so he went to the fridge. He didn't get any ice.'

'How do you know, miss?'

'Only you and Miss Everett have had ice in your whisky.That's two pieces. Sir Michael didn't have any. That's strange, isn't it?'

'Yes, miss, it's very strange.'

'How long have you been with the family?'

'Forty years.'

'That's a long time.'

'Yes, miss. Lady Elizabeth was a little girl then — eight years old. Mr Andrew was a baby. I worked for Lord and Lady Cavell. They're dead now.'

'You like the family?'

'Yes, miss. I love them all. They're all very kind to me. I love my Lady Elizabeth.'

'And Sir Michael? Did you love him?'

'Yes, miss. I loved him, too. They married twenty-five years ago. I remember it well. I've worked for them since then. Sir Michael was a good man. A kind man.'

'He and Lady Elizabeth often had fights.'

'Yes, miss. But he loved her deeply and she loved him.'

'But he liked pretty girls.'

'He was a man, miss.'

'And Miss Everett? What about her?'

'Oh, I don't like her, miss. I was always afraid of her.'

'Afraid?'

'Yes, miss. She wasn't like the other girls. Sir Michael listened to her. "Perhaps they'll run away and leave Lady Elizabeth," I thought, and I didn't like that.'

'You were afraid of it.'

'Yes.'

'Why?'

'Well... I clean this study every day, miss and...'

'And you always read Sir Michael's letters?'

'I... er... yes, miss.'

'Tell me about it.'

'Now they can't run away together. Aren't you glad, Mrs Flack?'

'No, miss.'

'No?'

'No, because Sir Michael's dead. I didn't want Sir Michael to run away with Miss Everett. But I didn't want him to die. I looked after him for twenty-five years, miss.'

'You're very loyal to this family, Mrs Flack.'

'Yes, miss. That's the word, "loyal". I don't know why.You see, I haven't got a family, miss. This is my family. Now I want to be with Lady Elizabeth. Always. I want to help her and look after her. Miss Everett is a bad woman. Sir Michael is dead. She's taken Sir Michael from us. She's really bad, miss.'

'Tell me about tonight, Mrs Flack.'

'Well, miss. Dinner was at 8.00. After dinner I made some coffee for Colonel Fawcett and some coffee for Sir Michael. I always take — er — took — coffee to Sir Michael after dinner. Lady Elizabeth and Mr Andrew were in the living room. They didn't want any coffee. I took the coffee to Colonel Fawcett in the library. Then I went to the study with Sir Michael's coffee. I knocked at the door but he didn't answer. I tried to open the door, but it was locked — you know the story, miss.'

'Yes. You shouted and three of the others came. Miss Everett didn't come.'

'No, miss. She says she was in the garden.'

'She was in the garden, Mrs Flack. Then Colonel Fawcett and Mr Andrew broke down the door. And you saw Sir Michael. He was right there,' К said, pointing, 'right there, just behind you. On the floor. Dead!'

Mrs Flack looked behind her and jumped. 'Yes, miss. Just there!' She put her head between her hands and cried.

'You can go now, Mrs Flack. Thank you.'

Who did it? You decide!

1 Lady Elizabeth murdered her husband because:

a) she was jealous of Angela Everett.

b) she hated him.

c) her brother wanted it.

2 Colonel Fawcett murdered Sir Michael because:

a) he was afraid of him.

b) he didn't want to pay back the £50,000.

c) he gambled.

 

3 Angela Everett murdered Sir Michael because:

a) she was jealous of Lady Gray.

b) she wanted £100,000.

c) she hated him.

 

4 Andrew Cavell murdered Sir Michael because:

a) he didn't like him.

b) he wanted to save his company.

c) he wanted to save his sister.

 

5 Nancy Flack murdered Sir Michael because:

a) she always read his letters.

b) she drank a lot.

c) she didn't want him to run away with Angela Everett.

 

Who do you choose? X is:

a) Lady Elizabeth.

b) Colonel Fawcett.

c) Angela Everett.

d) Andrew Cavell.

e) Nancy Flack.

 

K's notes

All these people had a reason to kill Sir Michael. Lady Elizabeth Reason: Jealousy Notes: Lady Gray really loved her husband and he loved her. But he liked women and Lady Gray was very jealous. She was jealous of all Sir Michael's secretaries, but she was very jealous of Angela Everett. She wanted to punish her husband, so she murdered him. Colonel Fawcett Reason: Money Notes: Sir Michael really wanted his money back and Colonel Fawcett didn't want to pay it. He didn't want to sell his house. He gambled and lost the money in a silly way. He was afraid, so he murdered Sir Michael. Angela Everett Reason: Money Notes: She didn't love Sir Michael and he didn't love her. She only wanted his money. Did Sir Michael leave money to her in his new will? Yes, Angela thought. She wanted £100,000, so she murdered Sir Michael. Andrew Cavell Reason: Loyal to his family and to the business, Cavell and Company. Notes: He's a cold man. He really didn't like Sir Michael. Sir Michael 'spent money like water' and he was worried about this. He wanted to save the company, so he murdered Sir Michael. Nancy Flack Reason: Loyal to Lady Elizabeth Notes: She has looked after the Cavells and the Grays for 40 years. She really loves Lady Gray and she loved Sir Michael, but she hated Angela Everett. This question worried her: Is Sir Michael going to run away with Everett? She wanted to stop this and to punish Sir Michael. So she murdered him.

In the study

 

'It's very late. I know and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all this trouble. You're all tired. Please sit down. Mrs Flack has brought us some coffee. That's very kind, Mrs Flack. Thank you. It's late and we all want to go to bed, but I must speak to you. Of course, I've spoken to you alone, one by one. There are three questions which I must answer:

1 Who murdered Sir Michael? One of you murdered him. You are sitting there. You are looking at me and there is murder in your heart. Perhaps I know your name, perhaps I don't. I can't tell you yet.

2 Why did X murder Sir Michael? You all have reasons. Perhaps you were jealous, perhaps you wanted money, perhaps you were loyal. I can't answer this question yet.

3 How did X murder Sir Michael? Don't tell me. I can save you the trouble. I know the answer to this question now. I can tell you.'