Free A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie Page B

“who might have poisoned your father?”
    â€œGood lord, no. I expect the old man’s made a lot of enemies in business, lots of people who’d like to skin him alive, do him down financially—all that sort of thing. But poisoning? Anyway I wouldn’t be in the know. I’ve been abroad for a good many years and have known very little of what’s going on at home.”
    â€œThat’s really what I wanted to ask you about, Mr. Fortescue. I understand from your brother that there was an estrangement between you and your father which had lasted for many years. Would you like to tell me the circumstances that led to your coming home at this time?”
    â€œCertainly, Inspector. I heard from my father, let me see it must be about—yes, six months ago now. It was soon after my marriage. My father wrote and hinted that he would like to let bygones be bygones. He suggested that I should come home and enter the firm. He was rather vague in his terms and I wasn’t really sure that I wanted to do what he asked. Anyway, the upshot was that I came over to England last—yes, last August, just about three months ago. I went down to see him at Yewtree Lodge and he made me, I must say, a very advantageous offer. I told him that I’d have to think about it and I’d have to consult my wife. He quite understood that. I flew back to East Africa, talked it over with Pat. The upshot was that I decided to accept the old boy’s offer. I had to wind up my affairs there, but I agreed to do so before the end of last month. I told him I would wire to him the date of my actual arrival in England.”
    Inspector Neele coughed.
    â€œYour arrival back seems to have caused your brother some surprise.”
    Lance gave a sudden grin. His rather attractive face lit up with the spirit of pure mischief.
    â€œDon’t believe old Percy knew a thing about it,” he said. “He was away on his holiday in Norway at the time. If you ask me, the old man picked that particular time on purpose. He was going behind Percy’s back. In fact I’ve a very shrewd suspicion that my father’s offer to me was actuated by the fact that he had a blazing row with poor old Percy—or Val as he prefers to be called. Val, I think, had been more or less trying to run the old man. Well, the old man would never stand for anything of that kind. What the exact row was about I don’t know, but he was furious. And I think he thought it a jolly good idea to get me there and thereby spike poor old Val’s guns. For one thing he never liked Percy’s wife much and he was rather pleased, in a snobbish way, with my marriage. It would be just his idea of a good joke to get me home and suddenly confront Percy with the accomplished fact.”
    â€œHow long were you at Yewtree Lodge on this occasion?”
    â€œOh, not more than an hour or two. He didn’t ask me to stay the night. The whole idea, I’m sure, was a kind of secret offensive behind Percy’s back. I don’t think he even wanted the servants to report upon it. As I say, things were left that I’d think it over, talk about it to Pat and then write him my decision, which I did. I wrote giving him the approximate date of my arrival, and I finally sent him a telegram yesterday from Paris.”
    Inspector Neele nodded.
    â€œA telegram which surprised your brother very much.”
    â€œI bet it did. However, as usual, Percy wins. I’ve arrived too late.”
    â€œYes,” said Inspector Neele thoughtfully, “you’ve arrived too late.” He went on briskly: “On the occasion of your visit last August, did you meet any other members of the family?”
    â€œMy stepmother was there at tea.”
    â€œYou had not met her previously?”
    â€œNo.” He grinned suddenly. “The old boy certainly knew how to pick them. She must be thirty years younger than him at least.”
    â€œYou will