Free The Mysterious Mr Quin by Agatha Christie Page B

Harwell and Mathias. When Harwell was at Kirtlington Mallet, Mathias was conveniently laid up with rheumatism, with Mrs Mathias to sustain the fiction. Her part was very necessary. Without her, someone might have suspected the truth. As you say, Harwell was hidden in Mathias’ cottage. He was Mathias. When at last the plans matured, and Ashley Grange was sold, he and his wife gave out they were taking a place in Essex. Exit John Mathias and his wife–for ever.’
    There was a knock at the coffee-room door, and Masters entered. ‘The car is at the door, sir,’ he said.
    Mr Satterthwaite rose. So did Mr Quin, who wentacross to the window, pulling the curtains. A beam of moonlight streamed into the room.
    ‘The storm is over,’ he said.
    Mr Satterthwaite was pulling on his gloves.
    ‘The Commissioner is dining with me next week,’ he said importantly. ‘I shall put my theory–ah!–before him.’
    ‘It will be easily proved or disproved,’ said Mr Quin. ‘A comparison of the objects at Ashley Grange with a list supplied by the French police–!’
    ‘Just so,’ said Mr Satterthwaite. ‘Rather hard luck on Mr Bradburn, but–well–’
    ‘He can, I believe, stand the loss,’ said Mr Quin.
    Mr Satterthwaite held out his hand.
    ‘Goodbye,’ he said. ‘I cannot tell you how much I have appreciated this unexpected meeting. You are leaving here tomorrow, I think you said?’
    ‘Possibly tonight. My business here is done…I come and go, you know.’
    Mr Satterthwaite remembered hearing those same words earlier in the evening. Rather curious.
    He went out to the car and the waiting Masters. From the open door into the bar the landlord’s voice floated out, rich and complacent.
    ‘A dark mystery,’ he was saying. ‘A dark mystery, that’s what it is.’
    But he did not use the word ‘dark’. The word he usedsuggested quite a different colour. Mr William Jones was a man of discrimination who suited his adjectives to his company. The company in the bar liked their adjectives full flavoured.
    Mr Satterthwaite reclined luxuriously in the comfortable limousine. His breast was swelled with triumph. He saw the girl Mary come out on the steps and stand under the creaking Inn sign.
    ‘She little knows,’ said Mr Satterthwaite to himself. ‘She little knows what I am going to do!’
    The sign of the ‘Bells and Motley’ swayed gently in the wind.

Chapter 4
The Sign in the Sky
    The Judge was finishing his charge to the jury.
    ‘Now, gentlemen, I have almost finished what I want to say to you. There is evidence for you to consider as to whether this case is plainly made out against this man so that you may say he is guilty of the murder of Vivien Barnaby. You have had the evidence of the servants as to the time the shot was fired. They have one and all agreed upon it. You have had the evidence of the letter written to the defendant by Vivien Barnaby on the morning of that same day, Friday, September 13th–a letter which the defence has not attempted to deny. You have had evidence that the prisoner first denied having been at Deering Hill, and later, after evidence had been given by the police, admitted he had. You will draw your own conclusions from that denial. This is not a case of direct evidence. You will have to come to your own conclusions on the subject of motive–of means,of opportunity. The contention of the defence is that some person unknown entered the music room after the defendant had left it, and shot Vivien Barnaby with the gun which, by strange forgetfulness, the defendant had left behind him. You have heard the defendant’s story of the reason it took him half an hour to get home. If you disbelieve the defendant’s story and are satisfied, beyond any reasonable doubt, that the defendant did, upon Friday, September 13th, discharge his gun at close quarters to Vivien Barnaby’s head with intent to kill her, then, gentlemen, your verdict must be Guilty. If, on the other hand, you have any