It's as Mr Conway Jefferson said; he made over considerable sums of money to his son and daughter when they married. That was a number of years ago, though.
Mr Frank Jefferson fancied himself as knowing good investments. He didn't invest in anything absolutely wildcat, but he was unlucky and showed poor judgment more than once. His holdings have gone steadily down.
I should say that Mrs Jefferson found it very difficult to make both ends meet and send her son to a good school."
"But she hasn't applied to her father-in-law for help?"
"No, sir.
As far as I can make out she lives with him and, consequently, has no household expenses."
"And his health is such that he wasn't expected to live long?"
"That's right, sir.
Now for Mr Mark Gaskell, he's a gambler, pure and simple. Got through his wife's money very soon.
Has got himself tangled up rather badly just at present.
He needs money badly, and a good deal of it."
"Can't say I liked the looks of him much," said Colonel Melchett. "Wild-looking sort of fellow, what?
And he's got a motive, all right. Twenty-five thousand pounds it meant to him, getting that girl out of the way.
Yes, it's a motive all right."
"They both had a motive."
"I'm not considering Mrs Jefferson."
"No, sir, I know you're not.
And, anyway, the alibi holds for both of them.
They couldn't have done it. Just that."
"You've got a detailed statement of their movements that evening?"
"Yes, I have.
Take Mr Gaskell first.
He dined with his father-in-law and Mrs Jefferson, had coffee with them afterward when Ruby Keene joined them.
Then said he had to write letters and left them.
Actually, he took his car and went for a spin down to the front.
He told me quite frankly he couldn't stick playing bridge for a whole evening.
The old boy's mad on it.
So he made letters an excuse.
Ruby Keene remained with the others.
Mark Gaskell returned when she was dancing with Raymond.
After the dance Ruby came and had a drink with them, then she went off with young Bartlett, and Gaskell and the others cut for partners and started their bridge.
That was at twenty minutes to eleven, and he didn't leave the table until after midnight.
That's quite certain, sir. Everyone says so: the family, the waiters, everyone.
Therefore, he couldn't have done it.
And Mrs Jefferson's alibi is the same.
She, too, didn't leave the table. They're out, both of them out." Colonel Melchett leaned back, tapping the table with a paper cutter. Superintendent Harper said, "That is, assuming the girl was killed before midnight."
"Haydock said she was.
He's a very sound fellow in police work If he says a thing, it's so."
"There might be reasons - health, physical idiosyncrasy or something."
"I'll put it to him." Melchett glanced at his watch, picked up the telephone receiver and asked for a number. He said, "Haydock ought to be in now. Now, assuming that she was killed after midnight -" Harper said,
"Then there might be a chance. There was some coming and going afterward.
Let's assume that Gaskell had asked the girl to meet him outside somewhere say at twenty past twelve.
He slips away for a minute or two, strangles her, comes back, and disposes of the body later in the early hours of the morning."
Melchett said, "Takes her by car twenty miles to put her in Bantry's library?
Dash it all, it's not a likely story."
"No, it isn't," the superintendent admitted at once.
The telephone rang.
Melchett picked up the receiver.
"Hullo, Haydock, is that you?
Ruby Keene. Would it be possible for her to have been killed after midnight?"