The Complete Miss Marple Collection by Agatha Christie Page B

asked.
    â€œNo.”
    She gave a sudden shiver and shook her shoulders impatiently.
    â€œLen, I’ve been thinking. How badly someone must have hated Anne Protheroe!”
    â€œHated her?”
    â€œYes. Don’t you see? There’s no real evidence against Lawrence—all the evidence against him is what you might call accidental. He just happens to take it into his head to come here. If he hadn’t—well, no one would have thought of connecting him with the crime. But Anne is different. Suppose someone knew that she was here at exactly 6:20—the clock and the time on the letter—everything pointing to her. I don’t think it was only because of an alibi it was moved to that exact time—I think there was more in it than that—a direct attempt to fasten the business on her. If ithadn’t been for Miss Marple saying she hadn’t got the pistol with her and noticing that she was only a moment before going down to the studio—Yes, if it hadn’t been for that …” She shivered again. “Len, I feel that someone hated Anne Protheroe very much. I—I don’t like it.”

Twelve
    I was summoned to the study when Lawrence Redding arrived. He looked haggard, and, I thought, suspicious. Colonel Melchett greeted him with something approaching cordiality.
    â€œWe want to ask you a few questions—here, on the spot,” he said.
    Lawrence sneered slightly.
    â€œIsn’t that a French idea? Reconstruction of the crime?”
    â€œMy dear boy,” said Colonel Melchett, “don’t take that tone with us. Are you aware that someone else has also confessed to committing the crime which you pretend to have committed?”
    The effect of these words on Lawrence was painful and immediate.
    â€œS-s-omeone else?” he stammered. “Who—who?”
    â€œMrs. Protheroe,” said Colonel Melchett, watching him.
    â€œAbsurd. She never did it. She couldn’t have. It’s impossible.”
    Melchett interrupted him.
    â€œStrangely enough, we did not believe her story. Neither, I maysay, do we believe yours. Dr. Haydock says positively that the murder could not have been committed at the time you say it was.”
    â€œDr. Haydock says that?”
    â€œYes, so, you see, you are cleared whether you like it or not. And now we want you to help us, to tell us exactly what occurred.”
    Lawrence still hesitated.
    â€œYou’re not deceiving me about—about Mrs. Protheroe? You really don’t suspect her?”
    â€œOn my word of honour,” said Colonel Melchett.
    Lawrence drew a deep breath.
    â€œI’ve been a fool,” he said. “An absolute fool. How could I have thought for one minute that she did it—”
    â€œSuppose you tell us all about it?” suggested the Chief Constable.
    â€œThere’s not much to tell. I—I met Mrs. Protheroe that afternoon—” He paused.
    â€œWe know all about that,” said Melchett. “You may think that your feeling for Mrs. Protheroe and hers for you was a dead secret, but in reality it was known and commented upon. In any case, everything is bound to come out now.”
    â€œVery well, then. I expect you are right. I had promised the Vicar here (he glanced at me) to—to go right away. I met Mrs. Protheroe that evening in the studio at a quarter past six. I told her of what I had decided. She, too, agreed that it was the only thing to do. We—we said good-bye to each other.
    â€œWe left the studio, and almost at once Dr. Stone joined us. Anne managed to seem marvellously natural. I couldn’t do it. I went off with Stone to the Blue Boar and had a drink. Then I thought I’d go home, but when I got to the corner of this road, I changed mymind and decided to come along and see the Vicar. I felt I wanted someone to talk to about the matter.
    â€œAt the door, the maid told me the Vicar was out, but would be in shortly,