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Chapter 4 |
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The police arrived very quickly. There were a lot of them. |
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Some of them with cameras went upstairs to Molly' s room. |
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Two detectives talked to Dr Pratt in the kitchen. |
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The family waited in the sitting room. |
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It was a hot day again and the windows were open. |
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The dogs sat quietly at Diane' s feet. Nobody talked. Jackie smoked. |
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They waited for a long time. |
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Suddenly the door opened and the two detectives came in. |
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' Good morning. I am Detective Inspector Walsh and this is Sergeant Foster.' |
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The Inspector did not smile. |
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He was a big man in an old black suit and a black hat and coat. |
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He wore a coat because he always felt cold. |
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' Last night someone put sleeping tablets in Mrs Clarkson' s hot milk. |
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We are going to question everybody, and we need a room, please.' |
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Roger stood up. ' I' m Roger Clarkson. You can have my father' s old office. |
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Come with me, it' s along here,' The office was not a very big room, |
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but there was a table and three or four chairs. Roger opened the window. |
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' I would like to talk first to your uncle, Albert King,' Inspector Walsh said. |
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He took off his hat and coat and sat down behind the table. |
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' Of course,' said Roger and left the room. Sergeant Foster waited by the door. |
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He was a very tall young man with black hair and a nice smile. |
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He was not very happy this morning because he usually played tennis on Sunday mornings. |
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He was one of the best players at the Cambridge Tennis Club. |
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Albert came in and sat down.' I' m going to ask some questions, Mr King,' |
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The Inspector said, ' and Sergeant Foster is going to write it all down.' |
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Albert looked at his feet. ' Yes, yes. It' s your job. I know that.' |
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' Tell me about last night,' Inspector Walsh asked quietly. |
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' You were angry with Mrs Clarkson.' |
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Albert looked at Inspector Walsh for the first time. ' Yes, I was. |
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Everyone was angry. Roger was angry. Diane wanted money to go to America. |
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Then there' s a man called Tom Briggs He wants half the garden for his farm. |
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Molly was a rich woman. I need money because my wife Annie Molly' s sister |
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is very ill. I told Molly this.' ' What happened next?' |
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' Well, Molly was angry with everyone and went upstairs. |
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We went into the kitchen for coffee. |
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Jackie wanted everyone to go up and say good night to Molly. |
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She lives here with Molly so she wanted Molly to be happy. At first Roger said no. |
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He was angry and didn' t want to see his mother.' |
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' And did you see Molly in her room?' ' Yes. I was tired and I went upstairs first. |
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I went to Molly' s room and asked her for money again. But no |
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there was no money for her sister.' Albert stopped and put his hand over his eyes. |
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Inspector Walsh watched Albert for a minute. |
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' Did you hear noises after you went to bed?' |
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' Everyone went into Molly' s room to say good night, I think. |
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Later, I heard someone He or she went downstairs. That was about midnight.' |
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' Very well, Mr King. Thank you, you can go now.' Albert left the room. |
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Inspector Walsh put his hands behind his head.' What time is it? I' m hungry. |
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We' re learning a lot, but I need some coffee.' |
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' Shall I go to the kitchen?' Sergeant Foster asked. |
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' Oh, no. Later. Let' s see Jackie Clarkson next.' Jackie came in and sat down. |
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She looked down at her hands and said nothing. |
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' We found the empty bottle of your mother' s sleeping tablets in Diane' s room,' |
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the Inspector said suddenly. Then he waited. |
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Jackie' s face did not change and she said nothing. |
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' Tell me, did your mother get her tablets from the shop in the village?' |
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' Yes. My mother usually took a sleeping tablet every night so she needed a lot of tablets. |
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Sometimes she got them from the shop, sometimes I did. |
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On Thursday, I asked Peter Hobbs to get them. |
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He lives in the house across the road, and he often goes to the village on his bicycle.' |
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' I see. Your mother wanted to stay in this house. |
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How about you? Did you want to move?' |
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Jackie looked up for a minute and then down at her hands again. |
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' This is Mother' s house. I loved my mother. She was good to me.' |
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' Did you see your mother in her room last night?' ' Yes, everyone did. |
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Diane made hot milk and took it to Mother. |
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She usually drank a cup of hot milk before she slept.' |
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Inspector Walsh put his hands behind his head. Jackie was very quiet. |
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' What did your mother say?' Jackie opened her bag and looked for a cigarette. |
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' Can I smoke?'' Of course. This is your house,' Inspector Walsh said. |
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He watched Jackie. ' What did your mother say?' he asked again. |
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' She wanted to go downstairs again. She remembered the dogs |
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she wanted to get some dinner for them. |
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I went to my room and she went downstairs.' ' What time was this?' |
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' I don' t remember. About midnight, I think.' ' And the cup of hot milk?' |
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' It was on the table by her bed.' ' Did you need your mother' s money?' |
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' No, Inspector. Money is not important to me. There are more important things,' |
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Jackie said quietly. ' Well, your uncle Albert wanted money. |
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Tom Briggs wanted the garden. You wanted nothing?' |
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Jackie finished her cigarette and looked up at the Inspector. |
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Her eyes were suddenly angry. ' Don' t forget Peter Hobbs. |
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He lost his job because of my mother. He wanted to kill her, you know. |
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And what about Diane? You found the empty bottle in her bag.' |
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Inspector Walsh listened carefully. ' We' re going to question everyone, Miss Clarkson.' |
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Jackie said nothing for a minute. |
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' Would you like some sandwiches and coffee, Inspector?' |
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' Ah! Yes, please!' Inspector Walsh said warmly. |
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' I would like sandwiches and coffee very much.' |
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Jackie left the room. Inspector Walsh thought about her. |
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Why was she suddenly angry? The room was quiet. |