‘Of course. He was shot deliberately by someone, then?’
‘Oh yes.’ Lewis Serrocold looked a little surprised that the question had even been asked. ‘I thought – you knew that?’
‘I did really. Christian would not commit suicide, and he was such a competent person that it could not possibly have been an accident. That only leaves’ – she hesitated a moment – ‘murder.’
She walked up behind the desk and stood looking down at the dead man. There was sorrow and affection in her face.
‘Dear Christian,’ she said. ‘He was always good to me.’ Softly, she touched the top of his head with her fingers.
‘Bless you and thank you, dear Christian,’ she said.
Lewis Serrocold said with something more like emo-tion than Miss Marple had ever seen in him before: ‘I wish to God I could have spared you this, Caroline.’ His wife shook her head gently.
‘You can’t really spare anyone anything,’ she said.
‘Things always have to be faced sooner or later. And therefore it had better be sooner. I’ll go and lie down now.
I suppose you’ll stay here, Lewis, until the police come?’ ‘Yes.’
Carrie Louise turned away and Miss Marple slipped an arm round her.
CHAPTER 9
Inspector Curry and his entourage found Miss Bellever alone in the Great Hall when they arrived.
She came forward efficiently.
‘I am Juliet Believer, companion and secretary to Mrs Serrocold.’ ‘It was you who found the body and telephoned to us?’ ‘Yes. Most of the household are in the library through that door there. Mr Serrocold remained in Mr Gulbrandsen’s room to see that nothing was disturbed.
Dr Maverick, who first examined the body, will be here very shortly. He had to take a – case over to the other wing. Shall I lead the way?’ ‘If you please.’ ‘Competent woman,’ thought the Inspector to himself.
‘Seems to have got the whole thing taped.’ He followed her along the corridor.
For the next twenty minutes the routine of police procedure was duly set in motion. The photographer took the necessary pictures. The police surgeon arrived and was joined by Dr Maverick. Half an hour later, the ambulance had taken away the mortal remains of Christian Gulbrandsen, and Inspector Curry started his official interrogation.
Lewis Serrocold took him into the library, and he glanced keenly round the assembled people, making brief notes in his mind. An old lady with white hair, a middle-aged lady, the good looking girl he’d seen driving her car round the countryside, that sulky looking American husband of hers. A couple of young men who were mixed up in the outfit somewhere or other and the capable woman, Miss Believer, who’d phoned him and met him on arrival.
Inspector Curry had already thought out a little speech and he now delivered it as planned.
‘I’m afraid this is all very upsetting to you,’ he said, ‘and I hope not to keep you too long this evening. We can go into things more thoroughly tomorrow. It was Miss Bellever who found Mr Gulbrandsen dead, and I’ll ask Miss Believer to give me an outline of the general situation as that will save too much repetition. Mr Serrocold, if you want to go up to your wife, please do, and when I have finished with Miss Believer, I should like to talk to you. Is that all quite clear? Perhaps there is some small room where -‘
Lewis Serrocold said: ‘My office, Jolly?’
Miss Believer nodded, and said: ‘I was just going to suggest it.’
She led the way across the Great Hall, and Inspector Curry and his attendant Sergeant followed her.
Miss Believer arranged them and herself suitably. It might have been she and not Inspector Curry who was in charge of the investigation.
The moment had come, however, when the initiative passed to him. Inspector Curry had a pleasant voice and manner. He looked quiet and serious and just a little apologetic. Some people made the mistake of under-rating him. Actually he was as competent in his way as Miss Believer was in hers. But he preferred not to make a parade of the fact.
He cleared his throat.
‘I’ve had the main facts from Mr Serrocold. Mr Christian Gulbrandsen was the eldest son of the late Eric Gulbrandsen, the founder of the Gulbrandsen Trust and Fellowships… and all the rest of it. He was one of the trustees of this place and he arrived here unexpectedly yesterday. That is correct?’