Read Online 4.50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Agatha Christie
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Do be a sport, sir.”
“Who are you two?”
“I'm Alexander Eastley, and this is my friend James Stoddart-West.”
“Have you ever seen a blonde woman wearing a light-coloured dyed squirrel coat anywhere about the place?”
“Well, I can't remember exactly,” said Alexander astutely. “If I were to have a look - ”
“Take 'em in, Sanders,” said Inspector Bacon to the constable who was standing by the barn door. “One's only young once!”
“Oh, sir, thank you, sir.” Both boys were vociferous. “It's very kind of you, sir.”
Bacon turned away towards the house.
“And now,” he said to himself grimly, “for Miss Lucy Eyelesbarrow!”
4.50 From Paddington
III
After leading the police to the Long Barn, and giving a brief account of her actions, Lucy had retired into the background, but she was under no illusion that the police had finished with her.
She had just finished preparing potatoes for chips that evening when word was brought to her that Inspector Bacon required her presence. Putting aside the large bowl of cold water and salt in which the chips were reposing, Lucy followed the policeman to where the Inspector awaited her. She sat down and awaited his questions composedly.
She gave her name - and her address in London, and added of her own accord:
“I will give you some names and addresses of references if you want to know all about me.”
The names were very good ones. An Admiral of the Fleet, the Provost of an Oxford College, and a Dame of the British Empire. In spite of himself Inspector Bacon was impressed.
“Now, Miss Eyelesbarrow, you went into the Long Barn to find some paint. Is that right? And after having found the paint you got a crowbar, forced up the lid of this sarcophagus and found the body. What were you looking for in the sarcophagus?”
“I was looking for a body,” said Lucy.
“You were looking for a body - and you found one! Doesn't that seem to you a very extraordinary story?”
“Oh, yes, it is an extraordinary story. Perhaps you will let me explain it to you.”
“I certainly think you had better do so.”
Lucy gave him a precise recital of the events which had led up to her sensational discovery.
The inspector summed it up in an outraged voice.
“You were engaged by an elderly lady to obtain a post here and to search the house and grounds for a dead body? Is that right?”
“Yes.”
“Who is this elderly lady?”
“Miss Jane Marple. She is at present living at 4 Madison Road.”
The Inspector wrote it down.
“You expect me to believe this story?”
Lucy said gently: “Not, perhaps, until after you have interviewed Miss Marple and got her confirmation of it.”
“I shall interview her all right. She must be cracked.”
Lucy forbore to point out that to be proved right is not really a proof of mental incapacity. Instead she said:
“What are you proposing to tell Miss Crackenthorpe? About me, I mean?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Well, as far as Miss Marple is concerned I've done my job, I've found the body she wanted found. But I'm still engaged by Miss Crackenthorpe, and there are two hungry boys in the house and probably some more of the family will soon be coming down after all this upset. She needs domestic help. If you go and tell her that I only took this post in order to hunt for dead bodies she'll probably throw me out. Otherwise I can get on with my job and be useful.”
The Inspector looked hard at her.
“I'm not saying anything to anyone at present,” he said. “I haven't verified your statement yet. For all I know you may be making the whole thing up.”
Lucy rose.
“Thank you. Then I'll go back to the kitchen and get on with things.”
4.50 From Paddington
Chapter 7
“We'd better have the Yard in on it, is that what you think, Bacon?”
The Chief Constable looked inquiringly at Inspector Bacon. The inspector was a big solid man - his expression was that of one utterly disgusted with humanity.
“The woman
“Who are you two?”
“I'm Alexander Eastley, and this is my friend James Stoddart-West.”
“Have you ever seen a blonde woman wearing a light-coloured dyed squirrel coat anywhere about the place?”
“Well, I can't remember exactly,” said Alexander astutely. “If I were to have a look - ”
“Take 'em in, Sanders,” said Inspector Bacon to the constable who was standing by the barn door. “One's only young once!”
“Oh, sir, thank you, sir.” Both boys were vociferous. “It's very kind of you, sir.”
Bacon turned away towards the house.
“And now,” he said to himself grimly, “for Miss Lucy Eyelesbarrow!”
4.50 From Paddington
III
After leading the police to the Long Barn, and giving a brief account of her actions, Lucy had retired into the background, but she was under no illusion that the police had finished with her.
She had just finished preparing potatoes for chips that evening when word was brought to her that Inspector Bacon required her presence. Putting aside the large bowl of cold water and salt in which the chips were reposing, Lucy followed the policeman to where the Inspector awaited her. She sat down and awaited his questions composedly.
She gave her name - and her address in London, and added of her own accord:
“I will give you some names and addresses of references if you want to know all about me.”
The names were very good ones. An Admiral of the Fleet, the Provost of an Oxford College, and a Dame of the British Empire. In spite of himself Inspector Bacon was impressed.
“Now, Miss Eyelesbarrow, you went into the Long Barn to find some paint. Is that right? And after having found the paint you got a crowbar, forced up the lid of this sarcophagus and found the body. What were you looking for in the sarcophagus?”
“I was looking for a body,” said Lucy.
“You were looking for a body - and you found one! Doesn't that seem to you a very extraordinary story?”
“Oh, yes, it is an extraordinary story. Perhaps you will let me explain it to you.”
“I certainly think you had better do so.”
Lucy gave him a precise recital of the events which had led up to her sensational discovery.
The inspector summed it up in an outraged voice.
“You were engaged by an elderly lady to obtain a post here and to search the house and grounds for a dead body? Is that right?”
“Yes.”
“Who is this elderly lady?”
“Miss Jane Marple. She is at present living at 4 Madison Road.”
The Inspector wrote it down.
“You expect me to believe this story?”
Lucy said gently: “Not, perhaps, until after you have interviewed Miss Marple and got her confirmation of it.”
“I shall interview her all right. She must be cracked.”
Lucy forbore to point out that to be proved right is not really a proof of mental incapacity. Instead she said:
“What are you proposing to tell Miss Crackenthorpe? About me, I mean?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Well, as far as Miss Marple is concerned I've done my job, I've found the body she wanted found. But I'm still engaged by Miss Crackenthorpe, and there are two hungry boys in the house and probably some more of the family will soon be coming down after all this upset. She needs domestic help. If you go and tell her that I only took this post in order to hunt for dead bodies she'll probably throw me out. Otherwise I can get on with my job and be useful.”
The Inspector looked hard at her.
“I'm not saying anything to anyone at present,” he said. “I haven't verified your statement yet. For all I know you may be making the whole thing up.”
Lucy rose.
“Thank you. Then I'll go back to the kitchen and get on with things.”
4.50 From Paddington
Chapter 7
“We'd better have the Yard in on it, is that what you think, Bacon?”
The Chief Constable looked inquiringly at Inspector Bacon. The inspector was a big solid man - his expression was that of one utterly disgusted with humanity.
“The woman
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