‘We are all mental cases, Inspector Curry.’
Tomfool answer, thought the Inspector. He knew quite well he wasn’t a mental case, whatever Dr Maverick might be!
‘Is he responsible for his actions? He knows what he is doing, I suppose?’
‘Perfectly.’
‘Then when he fired that revolver at Mr Serrocold it was definitely attempted murder.’
‘No, no, Inspector Curry. Nothing of that kind.’ ‘Come now, Dr Maverick. I’ve seen the two bullet holes in the wall. They must have gone dangerously near to Mr Serrocold’s head.’
‘Perhaps. But Lawson had no intention of killing Mr Serrocold or even of wounding him. He is very fond of Mr Serrocold.’
‘It seems a curious way of showing it.’
Dr Maverick smiled again. Inspector Curry found that smile very trying.
‘Everything one does is intentional. Every time you, Inspector, forget a name or a face it is because, uncons-ciously, you wish to forget it.’
Inspector Curry looked unbelieving.
‘Every time you make a slip of the tongue, that slip has a meaning. Edgar Lawson was standing a few feet away from Mr Serrocold. He could easily have shot him dead.
Instead, he missed him. Why did he miss him? Because he wanted to miss him. It is as simple as that. Mr Serrocold was never in any danger – and Mr Serrocold himself was quite aware of that fact. He understood Edgar’s gesture for exactly what it was – a gesture of defiance and resentment against a universe that has denied him the simple necessities of a child’s life security and affection.’ ‘I think I’d like to see this young man.’ ‘Certainly if you wish. His outburst last night has had a cathartic effect. There is a great improvement today.
Mr Serrocold will be very pleased.’ Inspector Curry stared hard at him, but Dr Maverick was serious as always.
Curry sighed.
‘Do you have any arsenic?’ he asked.
‘Arsenic?’ The question took Dr Maverick by surprise.
It was clearly unexpected. ‘What a very curious question.
Why arsenic?’ ‘Just answer the question, please.’ ‘No, I have no arsenic of any kind in my possession.’ ‘But you have some drugs?’ ‘Oh certainly. Sedatives. Morphia – the barbiturates.
The usual things.’ ‘Do you attend Mrs Serrocold?’ ‘No. Dr Gunter of Market Kimble is the family physician. I hold a medical degree, of course, but I practise purely as a psychiatrist.’ ‘I see. Well, thank you very much, Dr Maverick.’ As Dr Maverick went out, Inspector Curry murmured to Lake that psychiatrists gave him a pain in the neck.
‘We’ll get on to the family now,’ he said. ‘I’ll see young Walter Hudd first.’ Walter Hudd’s attitude was cautious. He seemed to be studying the police officer with a slightly wary expression.
But he was quite cooperative.
There was a good deal of defective wiring in Stony-gates – the whole electric system was very old-fashioned.
They wouldn’t stand for a system like that in the States.
‘It was installed, I believe, by the late Mr Gulbrandsen when electric light was a novelty,’ said Inspector Curry with a faint smile.’ ‘I’ll say so! Sweet old feudal English and never been brought up to date.’ The fuse which controlled most of the lights in the Great Hall had gone, and he had gone out to the fuse-box to see about it. In due course he got it repaired and came back.
‘How long were you away?’ ‘Why that I couldn’t say for sure. The fuse-box is in an awkward place. I had to get steps and a candle. I was maybe ten minutes – perhaps a quarter of an hour.’ ‘Did you hear a shot?’ ‘Why no, I didn’t hear anything like that. There are double doors through to the kitchen quarters and one of them is lined with a kind of felt.’ ‘I see. And when you came back into the Hall, what did you see?’ ‘They were all crowded round the door into Mr Serrocold’s study. Mrs Strete said that Mr Serrocold had been shot – but actually that wasn’t so. Mr Serrocold was quite all right. The boob had missed him.’ ‘You recognized the revolver?’ ‘Sure I recognized it! It was mine.’ ‘When did you see it last?’ ‘Two or three days ago.’ ‘Where did you keep it?’