Free Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie Page B

see. I persuaded him to let me give him a sedative and I put him to bed in the dressing room. Then I had a good look round. I found a note that Helen had left crumpled up in the wastepaper basket in the drawing room. It was quite clear. She had written something like this: ‘This is Good-bye. I’m sorry—but our marriage has been a mistake from the beginning. I’m going away with the only man I’ve ever loved. Forgive me if you can. Helen.’
    â€œEvidently Kelvin had come in, read her note, gone upstairs, had a kind of emotional brainstorm and had then come over to me persuaded that he had killed Helen.
    â€œThen I questioned the housemaid. It was her evening out and she had come in late. I took her into Helen’s room and she wentthrough Helen’s clothes, etc. It was all quite clear. Helen had packed a suitcase and a bag and had taken them away with her. I searched the house, but there was no trace of anything unusual—certainly no sign of a strangled woman.
    â€œI had a very difficult time with Kelvin in the morning, but he realized at last that it was a delusion—or at least he said he did, and he consented to go into a nursing home for treatment.
    â€œA week later I got, as I say, a letter from Helen. It was posted from Biarritz, but she said she was going on to Spain. I was to tell Kelvin that she did not want a divorce. He had better forget her as soon as possible.
    â€œI showed the letter to Kelvin. He said very little. He was going ahead with his plans. He wired out to his first wife’s people in New Zealand asking them to take the child. He settled up his affairs and he then entered a very good private mental home and consented to have appropriate treatment. That treatment, however, did nothing to help him. He died there two years later. I can give you the address of the place. It’s in Norfolk. The present Superintendent was a young doctor there at the time, and will probably be able to give you full details of your father’s case.”
    Gwenda said: “And you got another letter from your sister—after that again?”
    â€œOh yes. About six months later. She wrote from Florence—gave an address poste restante as ‘Miss Kennedy.’ She said she realized that perhaps it was unfair to Kelvin not to have a divorce—though she herself did not want one. If he wanted a divorce and I would let her know, she would see that he had the necessary evidence. I took the letter to Kelvin. He said at once that he did notwant a divorce. I wrote to her and told her so. Since then I have never heard anymore. I don’t know where she is living, or indeed if she is alive or dead. That is why I was attracted by your advertisement and hoped that I should get news of her.”
    He added gently: “I’m very sorry about this, Gwennie. But you had to know. I only wish you could have left well alone….”

Nine
U NKNOWN F ACTOR?
    I
    W hen Giles came back from seeing Dr. Kennedy off, he found Gwenda sitting where he had left her. There was a bright red patch on each of her cheeks, and her eyes looked feverish. When she spoke her voice was harsh and brittle.
    â€œWhat’s the old catchphrase? Death or madness either way? That’s what this is—death or madness.”
    â€œGwenda—darling.” Giles went to her—put his arm round her. Her body felt hard and stiff.
    â€œWhy didn’t we leave it all alone? Why didn’t we? It was my own father who strangled her. And it was my own father’s voice I heard saying those words. No wonder it all came back—no wonder I was so frightened. My own father.”
    â€œWait, Gwenda—wait. We don’t really know—”
    â€œOf course we know! He told Dr. Kennedy he had strangled his wife, didn’t he?”
    â€œBut Kennedy is quite positive he didn’t—”
    â€œBecause he didn’t find a body. But there was a body—and I saw