"She was very thorough," said Miss Marple. "She even foresaw the discrepancy of the nails. That's why she managed to break one of Ruby's nails on her shawl.
It made an excuse for pretending that Ruby had clipped her nails close."
Harper said,
"Yes, she thought of everything.
And the only real proof you had was a schoolgirl's bitten nails."
"More than that," said Miss Marple. "People will talk too much. Mark Gaskell talked too much. He was speaking of Ruby and he said, her teeth ran down her throat, but the dead girl in Colonel Bantry's library had teeth that stuck out."
Conway Jefferson said rather grimly,
"And was the last dramatic finale your idea, Miss Marple?" "Well, it was, as a matter of fact. It's so nice to be sure, isn't it?" "Sure is the word," said Conway Jefferson grimly.
"You see," said Miss Marple, "once those two knew that you were going to make a new will, they'd have to do something.
They'd already committed two murders on account of the money. So they might as well commit a third.
Mark, of course, must be absolutely clear, so he went off to London and established an alibi by dining at a restaurant with friends and going on to a night club. Josie was to do the work.
They still wanted Ruby's death to be put down to Basil's account, so Mr Jefferson's death must be thought due to his heart failing.
There was digitalis, so the superintendent tells me, in the syringe.
Any doctor would think death from heart trouble quite natural in the circumstances. Josie had loosened one of the stone balls on the balcony and she was going to let it crash down afterward. His death would be put down to the shock of the noise."
Melchett said, "Ingenious devil."
Sir Henry said, "So the third death you spoke of was to be Conway Jefferson?"
Miss Marple shook her head. "Oh, no, I meant Basil Blake.
They'd have got him hanged if they could." "Or shut up in Broadmoor," said Sir Henry.
Through the doorway floated Adelaide Jefferson. Hugo McLean followed her.
The latter said,
"I seem to have missed most of this!
Haven't got the hang of it yet.
What was Josie to Mark Gaskell?"
Miss Marple said, "His wife. They were married a year ago. They were keeping it dark until Mr Jefferson died."
Conway Jefferson grunted. He said,
"Always knew Rosamund had married a rotter. Tried not to admit it to myself. She was fond of him. Fond of a murderer! Well, he'll hang, as well as the woman. I'm glad he went to pieces and gave the show away."
Miss Marple said, "She was always the strong character. It was her plan throughout. The irony of it is that she got the girl down here herself, never dreaming that she would take Mr Jefferson's fancy and rum all her own prospects."
Jefferson said,
"Poor lass.
Poor little Ruby."
Adelaide laid her hand on his shoulder and pressed it gently.
She looked almost beautiful tonight.
She said, with a little catch in her breath,
"I want to tell you something, Jeff.
At once. I'm going to marry Hugo."
Conway Jefferson looked up at her for a moment.
He said gruffly, "About time you married again. Congratulations to you both.
By the way, Addie, I'm making a new will tomorrow."
She nodded. "Oh, yes. I know."
Jefferson said, "No, you don't.
I'm settling ten thousand pounds on you. Everything else goes to Peter when I die.
How does that suit you, my girl?"
"Oh, Jeff!"
Her voice broke. "You're wonderful!"
"He's a nice lad.
I'd like to see a good deal of him in - in the time I've got left."
"Oh, you shall!"
"Got a great feeling for crime, Peter has," said Conway Jefferson meditatively. "Not only has he got the fingernail of the murdered girl, one of the murdered girls, anyway, but he was lucky enough to have a bit of Josie's shawl caught in with the nail. So he's got a souvenir of the murderess too! That makes him very happy!"
Hugo and Adelaide passed by the ballroom. Raymond came up to them.
Adelaide said rather quickly,