}It was the second entry in the electrician book. The first ran:}
}"Dr R. called out on case last night. Direction of Kilchester. Could have been at Kilchester Central Station at time indicated. Mrs R. alone all evening in house (?)}
}MRS. McGinty's }DEAD 119}
After taking coffee in, Mrs Scott, housekeeper, did not see her again that night. Has small car of her own."
}2}
At Laburnums collaboration was in process.
Robin Upward was saying earnestly:
"You do see, don't you, what a wonderful line that is? And if we really get a feeling of sex antagonism between the chap and the girl it'll pep the whole thing up enormously!"
}Sadly, Mrs Oliver ran her hands through her windswept grey hair, causing it to look as though swept not by wind but by a tornado.}
}"You do see what I mean, don't you, Ariadne darling?"}
}"Oh, I see what you }mean" }said Mrs Oliver gloomily.}
}"But the main thing is for you to feel really happy about it."}
}Nobody but a really determined self-deceiver could have thought that Mrs Oliver looked happy.}
}Robin continued blithely:}
}"What I feel is, here's that wonderful young man, parachuted down—"}
}Mrs Oliver interrupted:}
"He's sixty."
}"Oh }no!"}
}"He is."}
}"I don't }see }him like that. Thirty five—not a day older."}
}"But I've been writing books about him for thirty years and he was at least thirty five in the first one."}
}"But, darling, if he's sixty, you can't have the tension between him and the girl—what's her name? Ingrid. I mean, it would make him just a nasty old man!"}
}120 MRS. McGlNTY'S DEAD}
}"It certainly would."}
}"So, you see, he }must }be thirty five," said Robin triumphantly,}
}"Then he can't be Sven Hjerson. Just make him a Norwegian young man who's in the Resistance movement."}
}"But darling Ariadne, the whole }point }of the play is Sven Hjerson. You've got an enormous public who simply }adore }Sven Hjerson, and who'll flock to see Sven Hjerson. He's }box office, }darling!"}
}"But people who read my books }know }what he's like! You can't invent an entirely new young man in the Norwegian Resistance movement and just }call }him Sven Hjerson."}
}"Ariadne darling, I }did }explain all that. It's not a }book, }darling, it's a }play. }And we've just got to have glamour! And if we get this tension, this antagonism between Sven Hjerson and this—what's-her-name?— Ingrid—you know, all against each other and yet really frightfully attracted—"}
}"Swen Hjerson never cared for women," said Mrs Oliver coldly.}
}"But you }can't }have him a }pansy, }darling! Not for }this }sort of play. I mean, it's not green bay trees or anything like }that. }It's thrills and murders and clean open air fun—"}
}The mention of open air had its effect.}
}"I think I'm going out," said Mrs Oliver abruptly. "I need air. I need air }badly."}
}"Shall I come with you?" asked Robin tenderly.}
}"No, I'd rather go alone." }
}"Just as you like, darling. Perhaps you're right. I'd better go and whip up an egg nog for Madre. The poor sweet is feeling just a teeny weeny bit left out of things. She }does }like attention, you know. And you'll think about that scene in the cellar, won't you? The whole}
}MRS. McGINTY'S DEAD 121
thing is coming really wonderfully well. It's going to be
the most tremendous success. I }know }it is!"}
}Mrs Oliver sighed.}
}"But the main thing," continued Robin, "is for you to feel happy about it!"}
}Casting a cold look at him, Mrs Oliver threw a showy military cape which she had once bought in Italy about her ample shoulders and went out into Broadhinny.}
}She would forget her troubles, she decided, by turning her mind to the elucidation of real crime. Hercule Poirot needed help. She would take a look at the inhabitants of Broadhinny, exercise her Woman's Intuition which had never failed, and tell Poirot whc the murderer was. Then he would only have to get the necessary evidence.}
}Mrs Oliver started her quest by going down the hill to the post office and buying two pounds of apples. During the purchase, she entered into amicable conversation with Mrs Sweetiman.}
}Having agreed that the weather was very warm for the time of year Mrs Oliver remarked that she was staying with Mrs Upward at Laburnums.}
}"Yes, I know. You'll be the lady from London that writes the murder books? Three of them I've got here now in Penguins."}
}Mrs Oliver cast a glance over the Penguin display. It was slightly overlaid by children's waders.}
}"The Affair of the Second Goldfish," }she mused, "that's quite a good one. }The Cat It Was Who Died}— that's where I made a blowpipe a foot long and it's really }six }feet. Ridiculous that a blowpipe should be that size, but someone wrote from a Museum to tell me so. Sometimes I think there are people who only read books in the hope of finding mistakes in them. What's the other one of them? Oh! }Death of a Debutante}— that's frightful tripe! I made sulphonal soluble in water}
}122 MRS. McGINTY'S DEAD
and it isn't, and the whole thing is wildly impossible
from start to finish. At least eight people die before
Sven Hjerson gets his brainwave."}
}"Very popular they are," said Mrs Sweetiman, unmoved by this interesting self-criticism. "You wouldn't believe! I've never read any myself, because I don't really get time for reading."}
}"You had a murder of your own down here, didn't you?" said Mrs Oliver.}
}"Yes, last November that was. Almost next door here, as you might say."}
}"I hear there's a detective down here, looking into it."}
}"Ah, you mean the little foreign gentleman up at Long Meadows? He was in here only yesterday and—"}
}Mrs Sweetiman broke off as another customer entered for stamps.}
}She bustled round to the post office side.}
}"Good morning, Miss Henderson. Warm for the time of year, to-day."}
}"Yes, it is."}
}Mrs Oliver stared hard at the tall girl's back. She had a Sealyham with her on a lead.}
}"Means the fruit blossom will get nipped later!" said Mrs Sweetiman, with gloomy relish. "How's Mrs Weth-erby keeping?"}
}"Fairly well, thank you. She hasn't been out much. There's been such an east wind lately."}
}"There's a very good picture on at Kilchester this week, Miss Henderson. You ought to go."}
}"I thought of going last night, but I couldn't really bother."}
}"It's Betty Grable next week—I'm out of 5/—books of stamps. Will two 2/6 ones do you?"
As the girl went out, Mrs Oliver said:
"Mrs Wetherby's an invalid, isn't she?'}
}MRS. McGINTY'S DEAD 123}
}"That's as may be," Mrs Sweetiman replied rather acidly. "There's }some }of us as hasn't the time to lay by."}
}"I do so agree with you," said Mrs Oliver. "I tell Mrs Upward that if she'd only make more of an effort to use her legs it would be better for her."}
Mrs Sweetiman looked amused.
}"She gets about when she wants to—or so I've heard."}
}"Does she now?"}
}Mrs Oliver considered the source of information.}
"Janet?" she hazarded.
"Janet Groom grumbles a bit," said Mrs Sweetiman. "And you can hardly wonder, can you? Miss Groom's not so young herself and she has the rheumatism cruel bad when the wind's in the East. But archititis, it's called, when it's the gentry has it, }and }invalid chairs and what not. Ah well, I wouldn't risk losing the use of my legs, I wouldn't. But there nowadays even if you've got a chilblain you run to the doctor with it so as to get your money's worth out of the National Health. Too much of this Health business we've got. Never did you any good thinking how bad you feel."
}"I exp
ect you're right," said Mrs Oliver.}
}She picked up her apples and went out in pursuit of Deirdre Henderson. This was not difficult, since the Sealyham was old and fat and was enjoying a leisurely examination of tufts of grass and pleasant smells.}
}Dogs, Mrs Oliver considered, were always a means of introduction.}
"What a darling!" she exclaimed.
}The big young woman with the plain face looked gratified.}
}"He }is }rather attractive," she said. "Aren't you, Ben?"}
}Ben looked up, gave a slight wiggle of his sausage-}
}124 MRS. McGinty's DEAD
like body, resumed his nasal inspection of a tuft of
thistles, approved it and proceeded to register approval
in the usual manner.}
}"Does he fight?" asked Mrs Oliver. "Sealyhams do very often."}
}"Yes, he's an awful fighter. That's why I keep him on the lead."}
}"I thought so."}
}Both women considered the Sealyham.}
}Then Deirdre Henderson said with a kind of rush:}
}"You're—you're Ariadne Oliver, aren't you?"}
}'Yes. I'm staying with the Upwards."}
}"I know. Robin told us you were coming. I must tell you how much I enjoy your books."}
}Mrs Oliver, as usual, went purple with embarrassment.}
}"Oh," she murmured unhappily. "I'm very glad," she added gloomily.}
}"I haven't read as many of them as I'd like to, because we get books sent down from the Times Book Club and Mother doesn't like detective stories. She's frightfully sensitive and they keep her awake at night. But I adore them."}
}"You've had a real crime down here, haven't you?" said Mrs Oliver. "Which house was it? One of these cottages?"}
}"That one there."}
}Deirdre Henderson spoke in a rather choked voice.
Mrs Oliver directed her gaze on Mrs McGinty's former dwelling, the front doorstep of which was at present occupied by two unpleasant little Kiddles who were happily torturing a cat. As Mrs Oliver stepped forward to remonstrate, the cat escaped by a firm use of the claws.
The eldest Kiddle who had been severely scratched set up a howl.}
}"Serves you right," said Mrs Oliver, adding to}
}MRS. McGINTY'S DEAD 125
Deirdre Henderson, "It doesn't }look }like a house where there's been a murder, does it?"}
"No, it doesn't."
}Both women seemed to be in accord about that}
Mrs Oliver continued:
}"An old charwoman, wasn't it, and somebody robbed} }her?"}
}"Her lodger. She had some money—under the floor."}
}"I see."}
}Deirdre Henderson said suddenly:
"But perhaps it wasn't him after all. There's a funny little man down here—a foreigner. His name's Hercule}
Poirot—"
}"Hercule Poirot? Oh yes, I know all about him."}
"Is he really a detective?"
}"My dear, he's frightfully celebrated. And terribly}
clever."
}"Then perhaps he'll find out that he didn't do it after}
}all."
"Who?"
"The—the lodger. James Bentley. Oh, I do hope he'll} }get off."}
}"Do you? Why?"}
}"Because I don't want it to be him. I never wanted}
}it to be him."}
}Mrs Oliver looked at her curiously, startled by the}
passion in her voice.
"Did you know him?"
}"No," said Deirdre slowly, "I didn't }know }him. But once Ben got his foot caught in a trap and he helped me to get him free. And we talked a little...."}
"What was he like?"
}'He was dreadfully lonely. His mother had Just died. He was frightfully fond of his mother."}
}"And you are very fond of yours?" said Mrs Oliver acutely.}
}126 MRS, McGinty's DEAD}
}"Yes. That made me understand. Understand what he felt, I mean. Mother and I—we've just got each other, you see."}
}"I thought Robin told me that you had a stepfather."}
Deirdre said bitterly; "Oh yes, I've got a }stepfather."}
}Mrs Oliver said vaguely: "It's not the same thing, is} }it, as one's own father. Do you remember your own} }father?"}
}"No, he died before I was born. Mother married Mr Wetherby when I was four years old. I—I've always hated him. And Mother—" She paused before saying, "Mother's had a very sad life. She's had no sympathy or understanding. My stepfather is a most unfeeling man, hard and cold."}
}Mrs Oliver nodded, and then murmured:
"This James Bentley doesn't sound at all like a criminal."}
}"I never thought the Police would arrest }him. }I'm sure it must have been some tramp. There are horrid tramps along this road sometimes. It must have been one of them."}
}Mrs Oliver said consolingly:
"Perhaps Hercule Poirot will find out the truth."
"Yes, perhaps—"}
}She turned off abruptly into the gateway of Hunter's Close.}
}Mrs Oliver looked after her for a moment or two, then drew a small notebook from her handbag. In it she wrote }"Not }Deirdre Henderson" and underlined the }not }so firmly that the pencil broke.}
}3}
Halfway up the hill she met Robin Upward coming down it with a handsome platinum haired young woman.}
}MRS. McGINTY'S DEAD 127}
}Robin introduced them.}
}"This is the wonderful Ariadne Oliver, Eve," he said. "My dear, I don't know }how }she does it. Looks so benevolent, too, doesn't she? Not at all as though she wallowed in crime. This is Eve Carpenter. Her husband is going to be our next Member. The present one, Sir George Cartwright, is quite gaga, poor old man. He jumps out at young girls from behind doors."}
}"Robin, you mustn't invent such terrible lies. You'll discredit the Party."}
}"Well, why should }I }care? It isn't my Party. I'm a Liberal. That's the only Party it's possible to belong to nowadays, really small and select, and without a chance of getting in. I adore lost causes."}
}He added to Mrs Oliver:}
}"Eve wants us to come in for drinks this evening. A sort of party for you, Ariadne. You know, meet the lion. We're all terribly terribly thrilled to have you here. Can't you put the scene of your next murder in Broad-hinny?"}
}"Oh do, Mrs Oliver," said Eve Carpenter.}
}"You can easily get Sven Hjerson down here," said Robin. "He can be like Hercule Poirot, staying at the Summerhayes' Guest House. We're just going there now because I told Eve Hercule Poirot is just as much a celebrity in his line as you are in yours, and she says she was rather rude to him yesterday, so she's going to ask him to the party too. But seriously, dear, do make your next murder happen in Broadhinny. We'd all be so thrilled."}
}"Oh do, Mrs Oliver. It would be such fun," said Eve Carpenter.}
}"Who shall we have as murderer and who as victim?" asked Robin.}
"Who's your present charwoman?" asked Mrs Oliver.
}'Oh my dear, not }that }kind of murder. So dull. No, I}
}128 MRS. McGinty's }DEAD}
}think Eve here would make rather a nice victim. Strangled, perhaps, with her own nylon stockings. No, that's been done."}
}"I think }you'd }better be murdered, Robin," said Eve. "The coming playwright, stabbed in country cottage."}
}"We haven't settled on a murderer yet," said Robin. "What about my mamma? Using her wheeled chair so that there wouldn't be footprints. I think that would be lovely."}
}"She wouldn't want to stab you, though, Robin."}
}Robin considered.}
}"No, perhaps not. As a matter of fact I was considering her strangling }you. }She wouldn't mind doing that half as much."}
}"But I want }you }to be the victim. And the person who kills you can be Deirdre Henderson. The repressed plain girl whom nobody notices."}
}"There you are, Ariadne," said Robin. "The whole plot of your next nov
el presented to you. All you'll have to do is work in a few false clues, and—of course—do the actual writing. Oh goodness, what terrible dogs Maureen does have."}