"TASTE OF FEAR" "Miss Appleby?" " Yes." "My name's Robert." "I'm your father's chauffeur." "I'm afraid your father couldn't come." "Oh, I'll do that." "Do you know why my father didn't come to meet me?" "He's away, miss." " He's not at the house?" "No, he went away four days ago." " Where to?" "I didn't even know he was going until your mother told me he had left." "She's my stepmother." "I've never met her." "Oh, you haven't?" "What's she like?" "Well, miss, it's hardly my position" " Please." "She's my employer's wife, miss." " What's she like as a person?" "I don't know her as a person." "You must know something about her." "You drive her, don't you?" "." "Only occasionally." "She usually drives herself or has Dr. Gerrard drive her." "Who's he?" " He's your father's doctor." "He's always up at the house." " I didn't know my father was ill." "I'm sorry, I shouldn't" " What's wrong with him?" "I thought you'd have known that." " No, I didn't know anything." "Oh, he's been ill for some time now." "That's what surprised me when" "When what?" " Oh, it doesn't matter, miss." "You haven't been to France for a long time, I understand." "Ten years." "What's wrong with my father?" "I don't know, miss." "But whatever it was, he must be all right now, otherwise, he wouldn't have gone away." " When will he be back?" "Mrs. Appleby didn't say." "Hello, Penny." "Welcome home." "Jane?" " You sound surprised." "Aren't I as you imagined?" " I'm sorry." "I must sound rude." "Not a bit." "Oh, take it through to the hall, Robert and then come back for Miss Appleby." "Was your journey terribly tiring?" " Not very." "It must've been quite a strain." "You haven't travelled much, have you?" "No, I haven't." "But it was exciting." " Good." "Careful, Robert." "The steps are quite a problem, I'm afraid." "But we put ramps down wherever we can." "I didn't think you'd want to use the front door much." "We've put you in one of your father's rooms." "He uses it as a sitting room and a study." "Fetch the cases, Robert." "It's very convenient, though." "It has its own bathroom." "Up we go." "It looks nice." "I made your father buy new curtains and a couple of extra chairs." "You've no idea how dark everything was." "Men always want to furnish their studies like Victorian mausoleums." "Jane, where is father?" "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, darling." "It was unavoidable." "He simply had to go away on this business deal that he's working on." "I tried to stop him, but you know what your father is." "No, I'm afraid I don't." "I haven't seen him for 10 years." "I don't know if I'd recognise him if I saw him." "Well, I've taken care of that." "Look, taken a month ago." "Yes, I would've recognised him." " Of course you would." "Oh, bring the cases in, Robert." "Where do you want them, darling?" " On the bed, please." "Would you like me to unpack for you?" " No, I can manage myself, thank you." "Is there anything more, madam?" "No, that will be all, thank you." "I shan't need you again." "Well, I expect you want to be alone now." "Dinner's at 8." "I'll come and fetch you." "Oh, and, Penny, if you want anything this bell here rings down to the kitchen and up to my room as well." "Wonderful having you here." "Means so much to me." "Then when mother died, there was only Maggie Frensham." "I know she was just my nurse, but she was much more than that really." "We were the same age, like sisters." "People said we even looked alike." "I think I loved her as much as I did my mother." "Is that why you didn't come home after your mother died?" "This isn't my home." "I'm sorry." "I don't mean to sound rude." "It's just that" "Well, I'd never met you, and I hadn't seen father for 10 years ever since mother took me to Italy to live after they were divorced." "Well, Italy was my home." "I was brought up there." "As long as Maggie was with me, I was happy." "And what actually happened?" "She drowned." "Nobody knows how." "She was a good swimmer." "They said she must have gotten cramped." "I nearly killed myself, Jane." "I didn't know what to do, who to turn to." "For two years since mother died, Maggie was all I had, everything." "And then, suddenly." "she just wasn't there anymore." "It seems like yesterday it all happened." "These things take time to sort themselves out, darling." "After all, it was only three weeks." "You can't have got over it yet." "No, of course not." "Then, when father wrote asking me to come here to live, I" "But of course he did." "You're his daughter." "But this is your house, and I wasn't sure if you" "But it was I who suggested that he write to you, darling." "Believe me, having you here makes me very happy." "You're very kind." " Nonsense." "Did you expect me to be like the wicked stepmother in the fairy stories?" "Honestly, I don't know what I expected." "It's a pity father couldn't be here." "I was so cross when he said he had to go away." "He was ill." "The chauffeur, Robert, he said that father was ill." "Well, I wonder why he said that." "There was nothing wrong with him, nothing at all." "He said something about a doctor." "Doctor...?" "Oh, yes, he meant Pierre Gerrard." "He's the doctor in the village." "He comes up and plays chess with your father." "I must speak to Robert." "He shouldn't" " No, please." "Don't let him get into trouble on my account." "All right, darling, if you want it that way." "Do you want some more coffee?" "No, thank you." "Jane, would you excuse me if I went to bed now?" "Of course." "You must be dead." "Look at me, behaving like an old hen with one of her chicks." "Jane, thank you." "Thank you for everything." "I hope you can sleep, Penny." "The crickets make rather a noise." "That's all right, I like crickets." " Sometimes they're deafening." "Father?" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "My darling, how do you feel?" " You're all right now." "Relax, young lady, there's nothing to get excited about." "Pierre." "Pierre." "It's all right, Jane." "Now, Penny, you've had a fright." "But you must realise that everything is all right." "You are perfectly safe." "What were you doing out there?" "How did you fall in?" "I" " I fell into the swimming pool." "Yes, Robert heard you." "He managed to get there in time." "Father." " Father's away." "You know that." "He's in the summerhouse." "I saw him." "But he can't be, Penny." " He was dead." "Penny, you had an accident, but you really must try" "Who are you?" " Dr. Gerrard, darling." "He was dead." "He was in the summerhouse, sitting in the chair." "And I went in and I spoke to him." " I'm going to give you a sedative." "In the morning, everything will be all right." "But don't you understand what I'm trying to say?" "My father is dead." "His body's in the summerhouse." "Please, darling." "Please, you must" "Don't treat me as if I were a mental defective." "What are you doing?" " I want to go to the summerhouse now." "Very well, if that makes you feel better." "Where's my chair?" " It's still at the bottom of the pool." "Robert will get it out in the morning." "Would you carry me, please?" "Go on, open it." " But it's always kept locked." "But it was open." " It's always locked, Penny." "There was a candle." "There's no need for a candle here, Penny." "Take me back now." "We won't want you anymore tonight, thank you, Robert." "Good night, doctor." " Good night." "Well, how are you feeling now?" " I'm sorry." "The imagination is a very funny thing." "It plays very unkind tricks at times." "It was probably the strain of the journey." "Now I'm going to give you a sedative." "Sleep's the best cure for your trouble." " If you say so." "You take this one now." "And in one hour, if you still can't sleep, this one." "All right?" "Good night." " Good night." "There." "I'm sorry, Jane." " Don't worry, darling." "Try and get some sleep." "Good night, Penny." "Good night." "Come in." "Bon jour, mademoiselle." " Bon jour." "I'm bringing you some petit-déjeuner." "My name is Marie." " I don't think I saw you here last night." "I do not live here, mademoiselle." "I have a house in the village." "Would you please see what's happening to my chair?" "Your chair, mademoiselle?" " My wheelchair." "Ah, yes." "Right away." "Good morning, darling." "How did you get from the bed?" "I crawled." "You crawled, Penny?" "What on earth for?" "I couldn't sleep." "Did you take the other pill that Pierre gave you?" "No, I didn't." " Why not?" "I didn't want to." "Jane, when will my chair be ready?" "I'll find out, shall I?" "Garage." "Oh, good morning, madam." "Yes, ma'am, in about 10 minutes." " Thank you, Robert." "He's cleaning it up now." "He'll bring it around when it's ready." "Thank you, Jane." "Are you feeling better this morning?" " A little tired." "I was so worried." "Your father told me" " Told you what?" "Oh, nothing." " Please, Jane." "Well, he told me how you were when you were a little girl." "Imaginative, fanciful, slightly..." "Neurotic?" " No, I didn't mean that." "I was, though." "I was afraid of everything." "Dark, wind, thunder, lightning." "Most children are." " They grow out of it." "Jane, what is that summerhouse used for?" "Penny, darling, whatever you thought you saw last night you must realise you imagined it." "Oh, I know that." "I'm just curious what it's used for." "Well, we keep old furniture there." "It's not used for anything nowadays." "Penny, darling, I've got to go out this morning and I've asked Robert to show you around." "Won't you need him?" "No, I can drive myself." "We can't leave you alone your first day here." "Oh, Jane, I'll be all right." " No, nonsense." "Well, I-- I've got to go and get dressed now." "Jane?" "Did father say when he was coming back?" "Not exactly, but I don't think it'll be today, darling." "It's lovely here." "It's so peaceful." "Yeah, it's my favourite spot." "We swim from here in the summer." "I don't swim." "Because of your legs?" "Have you tried?" " No." "You'd probably find you could manage very well." "You're not one of those characters who can't talk about their-- their afflictions, I think they call it?" " I don't think so." "Meaning that other people don't talk about it in case it upsets you." "I guess you're right." "Why do people have to make a big thing out of it?" "How long have you been like that?" " Nine years." "You were on a horse, weren't you?" " The horse was on me." "You know, I bet that's the first time you've joked about it." "I think it is." "Why do you hide behind those things?" "Hide?" " That's why you wear them, isn't it?" "Like a person who sits with his back to the sun while talking to you." "Is that what it looks like?" " It's true, isn't it?" "I don't know." "I never really thought about it." "I feel more secure when I'm wearing these." "I can watch people's eyes and I know that they can't see mine." "Well, why should you feel insecure?" " My legs, I suppose." "Being physically dependent on other people doesn't exactly build up your self-confidence." "You seem a pretty self-reliant person to me." "My behaviour last night wasn't very self-reliant." "Too much wine at dinner." "Beginning to think you're right." " Of course I am." "Alcoholic hallucination?" "I didn't thank you for last night, did I, Bob?" "Well, what for?" " You pulled me out of the pool." "All part of the service." "How long have you worked for my father?" "Oh, two years." " Do you like it?" "It's the only way I get to drive expensive cars and live on the Riviera." "Do you like working for my father?" " Oh, I don't see much of him." "Mrs. Appleby uses the car most of the time." "He hardly ever goes out." "It's funny he didn't use you to drive him." "When he went away, I mean." "That's not the only funny thing." "He used the small car." "What's funny about it?" " He doesn't like the small car." "Maybe the other one wasn't there." " It was." "They were both in the garage the night he left." "I wonder why he left at night." "Bob, would you take me back up now, please?" "Back to the house?" "Summerhouse." "What are you looking for?" " Something, anything." "I thought you agreed that last night was just your imagination." "Perhaps I did, but there must be something that will tell me why my imagination acted the way that it did." "Like a dead body?" "Oh, I'm sorry, Penny." " Penny!" "Come into the house, Penny." "I've got a surprise for you." "What is it?" " Come and see." "I'll take it, Robert." "What kind of a surprise?" " Wait and see." "It's for you." "Hello?" " Penny, this is your father." "Penny, can you hear me?" "What's the matter, darling?" "Penny?" " Yes." "Oh, I thought you'd gone." "Can you hear me all right?" "Yes." "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you arrived." "Jane told you I was away on business?" "Yes." "I'll be a couple more days yet." "Look after yourself and have fun." "All right." "Thank you." "Let me speak to Jane, will you?" "Yes?" "Hello." "Is Penny all right?" " Yes, she's fine." "Tell her I'll be back soon." " Yes, I'll tell her." "Do you miss me?" " Yes." "See you soon." "Goodbye." " Goodbye." "There." "That makes you feel better about last night, doesn't it?" "Oh, Penny, I" " I shouldn't go to the summerhouse again if I were you." "It was a horrible experience." "We don't want to repeat it, do we?" "I can manage now, Jane." "Oh, darling, Dr. Gerrard is coming to lunch." "You don't mind, do you?" "No, of course not." "May I come in?" " Yes." "It's about what I said just now in the summerhouse." "Am I forgiven?" " Yes, of course." "Well, what was the big surprise?" " My father." "He wanted to talk to me on the phone." "No more worries, then?" " I suppose not." "Shall I take you for another walk this afternoon?" "Dr. Gerrard's coming for lunch, and he may stay the afternoon." "Oh, then I'd better get dressed." " Why?" "You have to go out?" "Well, if he's coming, I've got to go pick him up." "Doesn't he have a car?" " He has, but it's in dock." "He smashed it up last week." "He's a terrible driver." "Did you bring him out here last night?" " I was to, but" "No, I didn't." "I took him home, though." "How did he get out, then?" " I don't know." "I was only unconscious 20 minutes, wasn't I?" "Yeah, about that." "He just seemed to be here." "I didn't think anything of it." "Was he here to dinner?" " No." "Anyway, if he had been, you would have had to pick him up." "Yeah, that's funny." "I don't understand what's happening here." "One minute I think I was imagining everything last night and the next, I'm just not sure anymore." "Even now that I've talked to my father, I'm still not sure." "What, you mean it wasn't him?" "I haven't talked to my father for nine years." "It could've been anyone." "Why?" " I don't know." "I just don't know." "Now I'll tell you something." "You said last night a candle was burning in the summerhouse." "Everyone says, "Nonsense, there's an electric light there, why use a candle?"" "What is it?" "I scraped it off the floor just now when Mrs. Appleby brought you indoors." "It's candle grease." "No, thank you." "You haven't eaten anything, Penny." " I'm not hungry." "You really should try to eat something." "You're a little run-down, you know." "Why do you say that?" "A reasonably healthy person would never have experienced what you did last night." "You should be particularly careful." " Why me?" "Your father said that when you were a child, you were over-imaginative and inclined to be frightened of your own shadow." "Then your accident, and all those weeks in hospital, it's hardly surprising that your mind is a little confused, is it?" "You must be very careful." "Shocks such as the one you had last night, whether the cause is real or imaginary, can deal the mind a very serious blow." "A blow which could affect it permanently." "You mean I could go mad?" "I didn't mean to imply anything as drastic as that." "What did you mean to imply?" "Well, it's just that if the imagination starts to wander one has to try and drag it back to reality before" "Before it becomes permanent, you said, Dr. Gerrard." "Pierre meant" " I know what he meant." "He meant I'd better watch myself or I'll go insane and have to be locked up." "Bob?" "Miss Penny." " Would you get that key down for me?" "I can't." "Mrs. Appleby's got it." "I thought it was kept up on the ledge." "It was, but she asked for it before lunch." "Why?" " I'm sorry, I don't know." "That candle grease you were telling me about" "I shouldn't have mentioned it." "It doesn't tell anything." "It helps prove what I was saying." "It proves a candle's been burned in there." "It could be months ago." "The place is never used." " I saw it last night." "Yes, miss." "So you said." "You don't believe me either, do you?" "I believe you think you saw something." "First Dr. Gerrard and Jane." "And now you." "Now, listen." "Believe me, I'd like to help, but can't see what I can do." "Robert?" "I'm ready, Robert." "Will you bring the car around to the front?" "Sure you don't want to come, darling?" "The drive will do you good." "Put colour in your cheeks." "No, thank you." "Can I bring you anything from Cannes?" "No." "All right." "I'll be back just after dark." "Come in." "If there is nothing else, mademoiselle, I should like to go now." "Oh, is Mrs. Appleby back yet?" " No." "Robert told me she had shopping to do in Cannes." "They will not be back until half an hour more, I think." "All right." "Thank you." "Good night, Marie." "Bob?" "Bob?" "Is that you?" "Bob?" "Father?" " Bring the things in here, Robert." "Hello, darling." "Why didn't you tell me you wanted to use the sitting room?" "Marie could have lit the fire." "Jane, who uses the piano?" "Your father." "Nobody else in the house can play." "He keeps it locked." "He doesn't like people tinkling with it, says it ruins the tone." "What kind of car is the small car?" " What do you mean, darling?" "The small one." "The one father went away in." "It's a white Simca." "He's come back." "It's in the garage." "Miss Penny, I just" "That'll be all, thank you, Robert." "You can go." "I saw the car." "It was in the garage." "We've just came from the garage." "There was no car there." "But I saw it." "I was there and I saw it." "But you couldn't have." "Otherwise" " Leave me alone." "Penny..." "Hello, Doctor Gerrard, please." "Bob?" "There wasn't any car." " There was a small white sports car." "How did I know my father had that car if I didn't see it?" "You didn't." "I just told you in the living room." "But I saw it, I tell you." "It was there." "I heard it arrive." "And someone started playing the piano." "The piano is locked." " I know, and there was no one there." "But someone was playing that piano." "I know it doesn't make any sense but" "Garage." "Yes, madam, she's here." "Yes, I'll tell her." "Mrs. Appleby asked me to tell you that supper will be in half an hour." "Look, try not to worry too much." "There's bound to be a reasonable explanation for all this." "We'll try and work something out together, shall we?" "Thank you." "Good night, Bob." "Good night, Miss Penny." "Bob!" "Bob!" "Bob!" "Bob!" "Bob!" "He was there." "Penny, what is it?" " In my room." "What is it?" "What is all the noise about?" "Miss Penny." "She came out screaming about something in her room." "Poor child." "Where is she now?" " I'm here." "What happened, darling?" "What frightened you?" "I'm sorry." "I thought I saw something." "But what?" "What did you see?" "I seem to have caused a lot of fuss about nothing." "My imagination again." " You frightened me to death." "Are you sure you're all right now?" " It won't happen again." "I hope not, because your poor head won't stand many more shocks." "Would you like me to bring your dinner in here?" "Would you like that?" "I'll be all right now." " Good." "Oh, Penny, I hope you don't mind, I've asked Dr. Gerrard to dinner." "Why?" "Well, I could put him off if you'd rather." "Don't bother because of me." "That'll be all, thank you, Robert." "Well, good night, ma'am." "Miss Penny." "Good night." "I'm sorry if I" " Don't mention it." "Penny, you're sure you're all right?" " Please, I feel badly enough as it is." "Don't make it any worse." " No, of course not." "Well, I'll see you at dinner in about 20 minutes." "Thank you." "Bob." "I was hoping you'd come back." "You weren't imagining things, were you?" "No." "Tell me what you saw." "My father." "He was sitting there, in that chair." "And he was dead." "And he moved his head." "It was horrible." "You were outside the room?" "I went to the summerhouse to see a light." "The same light that was there last night." "That was very brave of you." " I had to know what it was." "And when I was there, I saw a light go off in here so I came rushing back." "And, Bob, he was sitting there waiting." "What is it?" "It's wet." "Soaking wet." "What does it mean, Bob?" "Your father's a very rich man, isn't he?" "Yes." " Any idea what's in his will?" "How do you mean?" " If he dies, who gets the money?" "I do." " All of it?" "What about Mrs. Appleby?" "There's a trust fund." "She gets the interest." "Are you sure of that?" "Could the will have been changed?" "You haven't seen your father for a long time." "It couldn't have been." "The money was my grandfather's and he didn't approve of second marriages." "Are there any conditions?" "Well, if I'm dead or incapable, Jane gets the money." "Incapable?" "You know, unable to handle the estates legally incompetent, insane" "They want you out of the way before it's discovered that your father's dead." "That way you won't collect the money." " Jane will." "Bob, that means that they killed my father." "They may have, but not likely." "If they had, they'd have no qualms about killing you too." "No, the trouble they're going to to drive you insane makes it look as though your father's had an accident, perhaps and all they're doing is keeping quiet about it." "Then when they can get you out of the way, they'll rig the accident so it looks as if it's just happened." " What can we do?" "We're only guessing." "We'd better look around for some sort of evidence." "But what?" "It's not very pleasant, I know, but somewhere around here is your father's body." "We've got to find it." "Bob, I'm frightened." "I'll look around after your stepmother's gone to bed." "I wanna go with you." "All right." "Look, draw your curtains when I go." "When she's gone to bed, open them up again." "I'll be watching for the light." "Okay?" "Bob?" "Thank you." "Pierre?" " Thank you." "Penny?" "Penny" " What do you want?" "Pierre only wants to help you, darling." " Please, Jane." "If it's about my mental health, I'd rather not hear about it." "It's about your legs." "When was the last time that you saw a specialist?" "Why?" " Tell me, please." "Three years ago." "Well, that is why I want you to see another one now, in Zurich." "I have seen specialists all over the world and they all said the same thing." " Yes, I know." "But the last time was three years ago." "Penny, do you know what is meant by hysterical paralysis?" "Well, it happens when, because of a fright or an accident, a person can lose the use of a muscle or a limb." "There is no tissue pathology to account for this." "There are no physical symptoms to account for this but the fact is inescapable." "The person is completely unable to" "Well, for example, to walk." "The reasons for this are mental." "They're not physical." "There's no physical reason why this person should not get straight up out of her chair and walk with the rest of us." "It's only this self-created mental block that prevents her." "You're trying to tell me that I'm not a cripple?" "That it's all in my mind?" " I'm saying that could be the case." "Was the horse that fell on me in my mind too?" "Did I imagine that?" "No." "No, that was the basic cause, I admit." "But since then the physical damage could have been repaired." "It is only the mental side that refuses to accept this." "That is why I'm, well, seriously worried about your mental state." "After all, with all this confusion going on you can hardly expect your mind to behave rationally." "Dr. Gerrard, I am a cripple." "My back was broken in two places." "If you want the technical diagnosis" "I sustained a multiple fracture of the first lumbar vertebrae and a simple fracture between the fifth and sixth cervical." "I can show you the x-rays if you'd like." "But I didn't imagine it and I'm not imagining it now." "Do you think that I like being tied to this chair dependent on anyone who can spare me a moment?" "Do you think that I like not being able to--?" "To dance and swim and ride or just walk like anyone else?" "I don't like it." "I hate it." "I loathe and hate and despise it." "You say that my mind is affecting my legs." "You're wrong." "It is my legs that are affecting my mind." "I'd rather not talk about it anymore." "I think what Pierre meant, Penny" " I said no more, Jane." "I mean it." "Is she in bed?" " She went up about 20 minutes ago but I thought it'd be better to wait a little longer." "Good." "We've got the place to ourselves." " Where are we going to look?" "I've been thinking since we talked." "The weather's not very cold." "The body" "Well, I mean, it's not going to keep." "There's only one place it could be." " Where?" "Deep freeze." "A week ago, Mrs. Appleby asked me to fit a new lock on it." "Shall we go?" "Okay?" "Yes." "What will we do now?" "Keep looking." " Where?" "I don't know." "We can't do any more tonight." "I better take you back to your room." "What about the lock?" " I'll fix it later." "I don't see why we just can't go and tell them what we know." "But that's it, Penny." "We don't know anything." "We can't just march into the police and say your father's met with a fatal accident and your stepmother and Dr. Gerrard are trying to conceal it." "Why not?" " Because without proof they wouldn't believe us." "No, we've got to find the body." "But where?" "You yourself said that a body won't" "Won't keep." "Where could it be?" "Somewhere close to the house." "It has to be." "I'm not much help to you there." "I can't even get up the stairs." "That's how it should be." "I don't want you wandering." "Anything might happen." "Leave it to me." "I'll think of something." "I'll get you back to the house for lunch." "Why are you doing all this for me, Bob?" "I don't like to see anybody get the sharp end of the stick." "I liked your father." "I don't like your stepmother or that Gerrard character." "Because you're pretty." "It's not sympathy?" "Sure, there's sympathy there." "But not for the reasons you think." "You're a nice person who's in trouble." "I sympathize with you for that." "Not because of these?" "Like I told you before, it's hard luck." "There's plenty of people worse off than you are." "There's another reason too." "Shall I tell you what it is?" "I didn't mean to do that until all this was over." "I'm glad you did." "Hey, if I keep you out any longer, I shall be looking for a new job." "Penny, you're not getting too friendly with Robert, are you?" "Too friendly?" "Well, I've been watching you when you're together, and you seem..." "Cheerful is the word, Jane." "We want you to be happy, darling, don't misunderstand." "But not Robert." "How would you like me to give a party and ask the local people?" "Like Dr. Gerrard?" " Don't you like him?" "Not especially." " You must talk to your father about that." "Because he's his friend, not mine." "No, I was thinking of Monsieur Gaston." "He lives on the other side of the bay." "He has two sons about your age." "Then there's John Blakeman" "Please, Jane, thank you, but I'd rather not." "All right, Penny." "I know it can't be much fun for you at the moment, darling." "But in the summer, it's lovely here." "We might get the pool cleaned out, and then perhaps you could swim." "Madame Latour, madame." "My dressmaker." "I should have seen her in Cannes this morning." "I won't be long." "What's the matter, Penny?" " Matter?" "Nothing." "You looked strange for a moment." "I've got to go out this afternoon." "I won't be back till 10 tonight." "Will you be all right?" " I'd rather not be alone." "No, of course not." "I'll ask Marie if she can stay." "Don't bother." "If I know that Robert's in his room, I won't be worried." "I can drive myself." "Are you sure you want to?" "Oh, it's just the cold." "Let's get it over with." "Well, here we go." "Anything?" "No, it's black as pitch down there." "Maybe it would be better if" "He's there, isn't he?" "What shall we do?" "Go to the police." " Now?" "Well, there's no point in waiting." "We've found what we were looking for." "What about--?" " We must leave him there." "We'll fetch the police back and show them." "I'll come with you." "Okay." "I'll go and get dressed, and meet you around the front." "Can you manage?" "Five minutes." "You don't want your chair, do you?" " No, I suppose not." "What if they find the chair?" "It doesn't really matter, does it?" "Once we get back, nothing matters anymore." "How long will it take to get there?" "It's no good going to the village police station." "The old chap there's useless even when he's awake." "We'll go straight through to Cannes." "It'll only take us half an hour." "It will all be over soon, Penny." " I was thinking about my father." "I never knew him really, not as a daughter, but I know that he was kind." "Even after mother divorced him, he was always doing things for her." "Little things, like" "He always remembered my birthday." "How could this have happened, Bob?" "How?" "Greed." " She was his wife." "She must have loved him once." "Can it die so completely?" "Not die, no." "But it can be killed by-- By another love." "By somebody else." "Dr. Gerrard." "I suppose so." "What's that?" "It's your stepmother." " Don't stop." "I'm frightened." "She'll recognise the car." "I'll have to stop." "You sit tight." "I'll speak to her." "Will she be dead?" "She's a cripple, isn't she?" "She's dead." "It worked, Bob." "It worked." "The accident will be discovered." "There will be a coroner's inquest." "But it will be all right?" " Yes, it'll be all right." "Turn it off, Bob, please." "I rather like it." "It makes a good requiem." "Please, Bob." "To us." "What's the matter?" "Having to kill her." "But we agreed we'd have to if it didn't work the other way." "If only we could have done it without killing." "I thought when her father had the accident everything would be all right." "It seemed that things..." "Well, what is it, Bob?" "Why are you smiling?" "You never believed your husband had an accident, did you?" "Did you?" " Bob, don't." "Did you?" " Don't, Bob." "Don't." "The old man could swim like a fish, and you knew it." "Do you know what I did?" "I dragged him under and I held him there." "Bob, don't." " I watched his stupid face while he tried to hold his breath." " Please, don't." "Then there were a lot of bubbles..." "and he stopped struggling." "Your telephone call reached me this morning at the same time as this report." "A break in the cliff fence." "An automobile upside down in 30 feet of water." "It is likely that the two things are the same." "I am sorry." "Your stepdaughter had not been with you long, I understand." "Four days." "And Monsieur Appleby?" " He arrived home last night." "They went for a drive together because they wanted to get to know one another again." "They hadn't seen each other for 10 years." "I was an outsider, really." "It must have been difficult for you." "It was, a bit." "But it would have been all right." "I know it would." "And now this." "You have my deepest sympathies, Mrs. Appleby." "You will be at the house if we want you?" "Want me?" " The bodies will have to be identified." "Oh, do I have to?" " I'm afraid so." "It's the law." "Your husband's solicitor has been informed." "He will be coming from London this morning." "He will go straight to the house." "No doubt there will be a number of things to attend to." "Your husband was rich, wasn't he?" "I suppose so." " And now everything comes to you." "I believe so." "It would have gone to Penny." "Quite so." "You'll ask the solicitor to contact me?" "Yes, I will." "Thank you, inspector." "You've been very kind." "I will arrange for a car to take you home." "Mrs. Appleby has her own car." "I know." "But I'd like you to accompany me to the scene of the accident." "We'll need you to identify the automobile." "It's all right, Robert." " Well, if you say so, ma'am." "Goodbye, inspector." " Good day, Mrs. Appleby." "I'll wait for you outside, inspector." " Thank you." "You can identify the automobile from here?" "Well, hardly, inspector." "Of course not." "The frogman will attempt to ascertain the colour, the make and the number of the car." "Then we will know." "I shall go down to talk with the frogman." "Oh, there's plenty of time." "You will wait here, please." "You have my deepest sympathy." "Such a tragedy." " Thank you, Mr. Spratt." "I've tried to keep the papers down to a minimum." "You must understand that in such cases there is a certain amount of legal work which must be taken care of." "Yes, of course." " Before anything becomes official we must wait for the verdict of the coroner." "But if in the meantime there's anything that you require, please let me know." "Your husband's will is most clear and explicit." "Everything that he had is to go to you with no attachments or codicil whatsoever." "Now if you'll please just sign on the papers where I have left a cross in pencil." "The will allows you to draw money from the estate pending settlement." "There's just one thing, Mr. Spratt." "I understand in a case of common accident when both parties die together there's sometimes a dispute as to who legally was the first to die." "That's quite so." "But I fail to see that it has any bearing on the matter in hand." "Well, this was a common accident." " What was?" "Both my husband and my stepdaughter were in the car together." "Your stepdaughter, Miss Penelope?" "Oh, didn't they tell you?" "I thought the police" "I'm sorry, Mrs. Appleby." "I just don't understand you." "Well, both my husband and Penny were in the car." "They" "They were killed together." "No, that's quite impossible." "I don't know why you say that, Mr. Spratt." "It's a fact." "They went for a drive together and" " Mrs. Appleby, surely you must know." "Your stepdaughter, Miss Penelope Appleby committed suicide three weeks ago in Switzerland." "Are you all right, Mrs. Appleby?" "Can I get you anything?" "Mrs. Appleby?" " I'm sorry." "Obviously your husband didn't tell you." "His daughter went for a holiday with her companion, a Miss Frensham." "She drowned herself, apparently." "She was always of a delicate mental state." "It was due to her paralysis, I understand." "Really, you must allow me to get you some brandy." "Come down here a moment, please." "My apologies for asking you to come down all this way." "It was easier than for me to go up as we'd only have to come down again immediately." "Climbing I do not find agreeable." "Is it the car?" " It is a Rolls-Royce, silver and black with the number 278EM06." "Is it the car?" " Yeah, that's it." "Are you sure?" " Of course I'm sure." "Strange." "There's only one person inside." "A man." " The girl?" "The daughter?" "Of her, I'm afraid, there's no sign." "I shall have to leave you now, Mrs. Appleby." "I must report to the local police for news of the recovery." "Yes, of course." "Are you quite sure you're all right?" "I'm all right, thank you." " I shall show myself out." "Is your friend quite safe out there?" "Friend?" "The young lady." "Good day, Mrs. Appleby." "Good morning, Jane." "Why so silent?" "Who are you?" " Maggie Frensham." "Frensham?" "The companion?" "That's right." "Penny's friend." "But I" " I don't understand." "I spent three years watching Penny die, Mrs. Appleby." "Little by little." "When her mother died, she was all alone." "For a girl like Penny, that was unbearable." "Finally I couldn't stand it any longer, so I wrote to her father." "You wrote to him here?" " Yes." "He answered." "He said that she couldn't come here just then because something strange was happening." "But he didn't say anything to me." "He'd hardly have told you, Mrs. Appleby." "It was you that he was disturbed about." "Penny finally stopped struggling against life." "She slipped out of the cabin one night and drowned herself." "Two weeks later, I opened a letter that arrived for her." ""Please come home, Penny." "I have always wanted you here." "Signed, Father."" "Penny was dead, Mrs. Appleby." "And her father knew it." "But how did he know?" "I told him myself." "I spoke to him on the phone the night that Penny died." "You spoke to him here?" "Yes." "That's when he told me about his friend." "What friend?" "Who?" "Can't you guess, Mrs. Appleby?" "Pierre." " That's right." "Dr. Gerrard." "Then when this letter arrived with your husband's signature on it" "I knew something must be wrong because he knew that Penny was dead." "So I contacted Dr. Gerrard, and he and I decided what to do." "You're not crippled." " No." "I'm not." "That's why I'm still here." "I opened the car door last night and jumped out." "It was Robert." "He told me to" "What are you doing to do?" " Need you ask that, Mrs. Appleby?" "Is it money?" "No, no, I don't want money." "I have more than enough." "Penny and I were very close." "She left me well provided for." "Are you Robert, the chauffeur?" " Yes, sir." "I'm Spratt, Mr. Appleby's solicitor." "I've left Mrs. Appleby." "She's not feeling too well." "Keep an eye on her." "There doesn't seem to be anyone about except the girl." "The girl?" " The cripple in the wheelchair." "I'll be at the Grand Hotel if anyone wants me." "Please, isn't there anything--?" "There's nothing, Mrs. Appleby." "Oh, Bob." "Bob!" " Monsieur Robert, will you come with me, please?" "Come away, Maggie." "There's nothing more for you here."