"Attended rally of Girl Guides on Danebury Downs.
Stated by companion to be normal and cheerful.
Did not return with three companions by the bus to Medchester. Said to them that she was going to Danemouth to Woolworth's and would take the bus home from there.
That's likely enough. Woolworth's in Danemouth is a big affair. The girl lived in the back country and didn't get many chances of going into town.
The main road into Danemouth from the downs does a big round inland; Pamela Reeves took a short cut over two fields and a footpath and lane which would bring her into Danemouth near the Majestic Hotel. The lane, in fact, actually passes the hotel on the west side.
It's possible, therefore, that she overheard or saw something, something concerning Ruby Keene which would have proved dangerous to the murderer say, for instance, that she heard him arranging to meet Ruby Keene at eleven that evening.
He realizes that this schoolgirl has overheard and he has to silence her."
Colonel Melchett said, "That's presuming, Harper, that the Ruby Keene crime was premeditated, not spontaneous."
Superintendent Harper agreed. "I believe it was, sir. It looks as though it would be the other way, sudden violence, a fit of passion or jealousy, but I'm beginning to think that that's not so.
I don't see, otherwise, how you can account for the death of the child.
If she was a witness of the actual crime it would be late at night, round about eleven p.m., and what would she be doing round about the Majestic Hotel at that time of night?
Why, at nine o'clock her parents were getting anxious because she hadn't returned."
"The alternative is that she went to meet someone in Danemouth unknown to her family and friends, and that her death is quite unconnected with the other death."
"Yes, sir, and I don't believe that's so.
Look how even the old lady, old Miss Marple, tumbled to it at once that there was a connection.
She asked at once if the body in the burnt car was the body of the Girl Guide.
Very smart old lady, that. These old ladies are, sometimes. Shrewd, you know. Put their fingers on the vital spot."
"Miss Marple has done that more than once," said Colonel Melchett dryly.
"And besides, sir, there's the car.
That seems to me to link up her death definitely with the Majestic Hotel. It was Mr George Bartlett's car."
Again the eyes of the two men met.
Melchett said, "George Bartlett? Could be!
What do you think?"
Again Harper methodically recited various points.
"Ruby Keene was last seen with George Bartlett.
He says she went to her room, borne out by the dress she was wearing being found there, but did she go to her room and change in order to go out with him?
Had they made a date to go out together earlier, discussed it, say, before dinner and did Pamela Reeves happen to overhear?"
Colonel Melchett said, "He didn't report the loss of his car until the following morning, and he was extremely vague about it then; pretended that he couldn't remember exactly when he had last noticed it."
"That might be cleverness, sir.
As I see it, he's either a very clever gentleman pretending to be a silly ass, or else well, he is a silly ass."
"What we want," said Melchett, "is motive.
As it stands, he had no motive whatever for killing Ruby Keene."
"Yes, that's where we're stuck every time. Motive.
All the reports from the Palais de Danse at Brixwell are negative, I understand."
"Absolutely!
Ruby Keene had no special boy friend.
Slack's been into the matter thoroughly. Give Slack his due; he is thorough." "That's right, sir. 'Thorough' is the word." "If there was anything to ferret out he'd have ferreted it out. But there's nothing there.
He got a list of her most frequent dancing partners all vetted and found correct.
Harmless fellows, and all able to produce alibis for that night."
"Ah," said Superintendent Harper. "Alibis. That's what we're up against."
Melchett looked at him sharply.
"Think so? I've left that side of the investigation to you."
"Yes, sir.
It's been gone into very thoroughly.
We applied to London for help over it."
"Well?"
"Mr Conway Jefferson may think that Mr Gaskell and young Mrs Jefferson are comfortably off, but that is not the case.
They're both extremely hard up."
"Is that true?"
"Quite true, sir.