Fourteen
I
“Don’t suppose you got anything?” said the Chief Constable¹.
“Nothing definite, sir,” said Huish. “And yet—the time wasn’t altogetherwasted.”
“Let’s hear about it all.”
“Well, our main times and premises² are the same. Mrs. Argyle was alivejust before seven, talked with her husband and Gwenda Vaughan, wasseen afterwards downstairs by Hester Argyle. Three people can’t be in ca-hoots. Jacko Argyle is now accounted for, so it means that she could havebeen killed by her husband, any time between five past seven and halfpast, by Gwenda Vaughan at five minutes past seven on her way out, byHester just before that, by Kirsten Lindstrom when she came in later—justbefore half past seven, say. Durrant’s paralysis³ gives him an alibi⁴, but hiswife’s alibi depends on his word. She could have gone down and killed hermother if she wanted to between seven and half past if her husband wasprepared to back her up. Don’t see why she should, though. In fact, as faras I can see, only two people have got a real motive⁵ for the crime. LeoArgyle and Gwenda Vaughan.”
“You think it’s one of them—or both of them together?”
“I don’t think they were in it together. As I see it, it was an impulsivecrime—not a premeditated one. Mrs. Argyle comes into the library, tellsthem both about Jacko’s threats and demands for money. Put it that, later,Leo Argyle goes down to speak to her about Jacko, or about somethingelse. The house is quiet, nobody about. He goes into her sitting room.
There she is, her back to him, sitting at the desk. And there’s the poker⁶,still perhaps where Jacko threw it down after threatening her with it.
Those quiet, repressed men do break out sometimes. A handkerchief overhis hand so as not to leave prints, up with the poker, down with it on herhead and it’s done. Pull out a drawer or two to suggest a search for money.
Then upstairs again till someone finds her. Or put it that Gwenda Vaughanon her way out looks into the room, and the urge comes over her. Jackowill be the perfect

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