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with cats。 And other people who faint if a caterpillar drops on them。〃
〃I hate suggesting itbut don't you think perhaps she ought to see awell； a psychiatrist？〃
〃No！〃 said Tim explosively。 〃I won't have people like that monkeying about with her。 I don't believe in them。 They make people worse。 If her mother had left psychiatrists alone。。。〃
〃So there was trouble of that kind in her family； was there？ I mean a history of〃 she chose the word carefully 〃instability。〃
〃I don't want to talk about it。 I took her away from it all and she was all right； quite all right。 She has just got into a nervous state。。。 But these things aren't hereditary。 Everybody knows that nowadays。 It's an exploded idea。 Molly's perfectly sane。 It's just thatoh！ I believe it was that wretched old Palgrave dying that started it all off。〃
〃I see；〃 said Evelyn thoughtfully。 〃But there was nothing really to worry anyone in Major Palgrave's death； was there？〃
〃No of course there wasn't。 But it's a kind of shock when somebody dies suddenly。〃
He looked so desperate and defeated that Evelyn's heart smote her。 She put her hand on his arm。
〃Well； I hope you know what you're doing； Tim； but if I could help in any wayI mean if I could go with Molly to New YorkI could fly with her there or Miami or somewhere where she could get really firstclass medical advice。〃
〃It's very good of you； Evelyn； but Molly's all right。 She's getting over it； anyway。〃
Evelyn shook her head in doubt。 She turned away slowly and looked along the line of the terrace。 Most people had gone by now to their bungalows。 Evelyn was walking towards her table to see if she'd left anything behind there； when she heard Tim give an exclamation。 She looked up sharply。 He was staring towards the steps at the end of the terrace and she followed his gaze。 Then she too caught her breath。
Molly was ing up the steps from the beach。 She was breathing with deep； sobbing breaths； her body swayed to and fro as she came； in a curious directionless run。 Tim cried； 〃Molly！ What's the matter？〃
He ran towards her and Evelyn followed him。 Molly was at the top of the steps now and she stood there； both hands behind her back。 She said in sobbing breaths： 〃I found her。。。 She's there in the bushes。。。 There in the bushes。。。 And look at my handslook at my hands〃 She held them out and Evelyn caught her breath as she saw the queer dark stains。
They looked dark in the subdued lighting but she knew well enough that their real colour was red。
''What's happened； Molly？〃 cried Tim。
〃Down there；〃 said Molly。 She swayed on her feet。 〃In the bushes。。。〃
Tim hesitated； looked at Evelyn； then shoved Molly a little towards Evelyn and ran down the steps。 Evelyn put her arm round the girl。
〃e。 Sit down； Molly。 Here。 You'd better have something to drink。〃
Molly collapsed in a chair and leaned forward on the table； her forehead on her crossed arms。 Evelyn did not question her any more。 She thought it better to leave her time to recover。
〃It'll be all right； you know；〃 said Evelyn gently。 〃It'll be all right。〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Molly。 〃I don't know what happened。 I don't know anything。 I can't remember。 I〃 She raised her head suddenly。 〃What's the matter with me？ What's the matter with me？〃
〃It's all right； child。 It's all right。〃
Tim was ing slowly up the steps。 His face was ghastly。 Evelyn looked up at him； raising her eyebrows in a query。
〃It's one of our girls；〃 he said。 〃What'shernameVictoria。 Somebody's put a knife in her。〃
Chapter 14
INQUIRY
Molly lay on her bed。 Dr。 Graham and Dr。 Robertson； the West Indian police doctor stood on one side； Tim on the other。 Robertson had his hand on Molly's pulse。 He nodded to the man at the foot of the bed； a slender dark man in police uniform。 Inspector Weston of the St。 Honorй Police Force。
〃A bare statementno more。〃 the doctor said。
The other nodded。
''Now； Mrs。 Kendaljust tell us how you came to find this girl。〃
For a moment or two it was as though the figure on the bed had not heard。 Then she spoke in a faint； faraway voice。
〃In the busheswhite。。。〃
〃You saw something whiteand you looked to see what it was？ Is that it？〃
〃Yeswhitelying thereI triedtried to liftsheitbloodblood all over my hands。〃
She began to tremble。
Dr。 Graham shook his head at them。
Robertson whispered： 〃She can't stand much more。〃
〃What were you doing on the beach path； Mrs。 Kendal？〃
〃Warmniceby the sea〃
〃You knew who the girl was？〃
〃Victorianicenice girllaughsshe used to laughoh！ and now she won't She won't ever laugh again。 I'll never fet it I'll never fet it〃 Her voice rose hysterically。
〃Mollydon't。〃 It was Tim。
〃Quiet Quiet〃 Dr。 Robertson spoke with a soothing authority。 〃Just relax； relax。 Now just a small prick〃 He withdrew the hypodermic。 〃She'll be in no fit condition to be questioned for at least twentyfour hours；〃 he said。 〃I'll let you know when。〃
II
The big handsome Negro looked from one to the other of the men sitting at the table。
〃Ah declare to God；〃 he said。 〃That's all I know。 I don't know nothing but what Ah've told you。〃
The perspiration stood out on his forehead。
Daventry sighed。 The man presiding at the table； Inspector Weston of the St。 Honorй C。I。D。； made a gesture of dismissal。 Big Jim Ellis shuffled out of the room。
〃It's not all he knows； of course；〃 Weston said。 He had the soft Island voice。 〃But it's all we shall learn from him。〃
〃You think he's in the clear himself？〃 asked Daventry。
〃Yes。 They seem to have been on good terms together。〃
〃They weren't married？〃
A faint smile appeared on Lieutenant Weston's lips。 〃No；〃 he said； 〃they weren't married。 We don't have so many marriages on the Island。 They christen the children； though。 He's had two children by Victoria。〃
〃Do you think he was in it； whatever it was； with her？〃
〃Probably not。 I think he'd have been nervous of anything of that kind。 And I'd say； too； that what she did know wasn't very much。〃
〃But enough for blackmail？〃
〃I don't know that I'd even call it that。 I doubt if the girl would even understand that word。 Payment for being discreet isn't thought of as blackmail。 You see； some of the people who stay here are the rich playboy lot and their morals won't bear much investigation。〃 His voice was slightly scathing。
〃We get all kinds； I agree；〃 said Daventry。 〃A woman； maybe； doesn't want it known that she's sleeping around； so she gives a present to the girl who waits on her。 It's tacitly understood that the payment's for discretion。〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃But this；〃 objected Daventry； 〃wasn't anything of that kind。 It was murder。〃
〃I should doubt； though； if the girl knew it was serious。 She saw something； some puzzling incident； something to do presumably with this bottle of pills。 It belonged to Mr。 Dyson； I understand。 We'd better see him next。〃
Gregory came in with his usual hearty air。
〃Here I am；〃 he said； 〃what can I do to help？ Too bad about this girl。 She was a nice girl。 We both liked her。 I suppose it was some sort of quarrel or other with a man； but she seemed quite happy and no signs of being in trouble about anything。 I was kidding her only last night。〃
〃I believe you take a preparation； Mr。 Dyson； called Serenite？〃
〃Quite right。 Little pink tablets。〃
〃You have them on prescription from a physician？〃
〃Yes。 I can show it to you if you like。 Suffer a bit from high blood pressure； like so many people do nowadays。〃
〃Very few people seem to be aware of that fact。〃
〃Well； I don't go talking about it。 Iwell； I've always been well and hearty and I never like people who talk about their ailments all the time。〃
〃How many of the pills do you take？〃
〃Two； three times a day。〃
〃Do you have a fairly large stock with you？〃
〃Yes。 I've got about half a dozen bottles。 But they're locked up； you know； in a suitcase。 I only keep out one； the one that's in current use。〃
〃And you missed this bottle a short time ago； so I hear？〃
〃Quite right。〃
〃And you asked this girl； Victoria Johnson； whether she'd seen it？〃
〃Yes； I did。〃
〃And what did she say？〃
〃She said the last time she'd seen it was on the shelf in our bathroom。 She said she'd look around。〃
〃And after that？〃
〃She came and returned the bottle to me some time later。 She said was this the bottle that was missing？〃
〃And you said？〃
〃I said 'that's it； all right； where did you find it？' And she said it was in old Major Palgrave's room。 I said 'how on earth did it get there？'〃
〃And what did she answer to that？〃
〃She said she didn't know； but〃 he hesitated。
〃Yes； Mr。 Dyson？〃
〃Well； she gave me the feeling that she did know a little more than she was saying； but I didn't pay much attention。 After all； it wasn't very important。 As I say； I've got other bottles of pills with me。 I thought perhaps I'd left it around in the restaurant or somewhere and old Palgrave picked it up for some reason。 Perhaps he put it in his pocket meaning to return it to me； then fot。〃
〃And that's all you know about it； Mr。 Dyson？〃
〃That's all I know。 Sorry to be so unhelpful。 Is it important？ Why！〃
Weston shrugged his shoulders。 〃As things are； anything may be important。〃