[00:02.74]Chapter 4
[00:04.66]The police arrived very quickly. There were a lot of them.
[00:11.86]Some of them with cameras went upstairs to Molly's room.
[00:19.29]Two detectives talked to Dr Pratt in the kitchen.
[00:24.58]The family waited in the sitting room.
[00:29.20]It was a hot day again and the windows were open.
[00:34.59]The dogs sat quietly at Diane's feet. Nobody talked. Jackie smoked.
[00:47.09]They waited for a long time.
[00:50.88]Suddenly the door opened and the two detectives came in.
[00:57.08]'Good morning. I am Detective Inspector Walsh and this is Sergeant Foster.'
[01:08.28]The Inspector did not smile.
[01:11.49]He was a big man in an old black suit and a black hat and coat.
[01:20.55]He wore a coat because he always felt cold.
[01:25.91]'Last night someone put sleeping tablets in Mrs Clarkson's hot milk.
[01:35.37]We are going to question everybody, and we need a room, please.'
[01:42.62]Roger stood up. 'I'm Roger Clarkson. You can have my father's old office.
[01:53.57]Come with me, it's along here,' The office was not a very big room,
[02:03.40]but there was a table and three or four chairs. Roger opened the window.
[02:12.25]'I would like to talk first to your uncle, Albert King,' Inspector Walsh said.
[02:21.02]He took off his hat and coat and sat down behind the table.
[02:28.07]'Of course,' said Roger and left the room. Sergeant Foster waited by the door.
[02:38.60]He was a very tall young man with black hair and a nice smile.
[02:46.38]He was not very happy this morning because he usually played tennis on Sunday mornings.
[02:55.11]He was one of the best players at the Cambridge Tennis Club.
[03:00.78]Albert came in and sat down.'I'm going to ask some questions, Mr King,'
[03:10.04]The Inspector said, 'and Sergeant Foster is going to write it all down.'
[03:17.82]Albert looked at his feet. 'Yes, yes. It's your job. I know that.'
[03:28.17]'Tell me about last night,' Inspector Walsh asked quietly.
[03:34.81]'You were angry with Mrs Clarkson.'
[03:43.05]Albert looked at Inspector Walsh for the first time. 'Yes, I was.
[03:49.62]Everyone was angry. Roger was angry. Diane wanted money to go to America.
[04:01.43]Then there's a man called Tom Briggs…He wants half the garden for his farm.
[04:12.29]Molly was a rich woman. I need money because my wife Annie—Molly's sister
[04:23.99]—is very ill. I told Molly this.' 'What happened next?'
[04:32.98]'Well, Molly was angry with everyone and went upstairs.
[04:40.34]We went into the kitchen for coffee.
[04:45.04]Jackie wanted everyone to go up and say good night to Molly.
[04:52.17]She lives here with Molly so she wanted Molly to be happy. At first Roger said no.
[05:03.79]He was angry and didn't want to see his mother.'
[05:10.32]'And did you see Molly in her room?' 'Yes. I was tired and I went upstairs first.
[05:21.75]I went to Molly's room and asked her for money again. But no—
[05:31.03]there was no money for her sister.' Albert stopped and put his hand over his eyes.
[05:42.11]Inspector Walsh watched Albert for a minute.
[05:47.59]'Did you hear noises after you went to bed?'
[05:54.23]'Everyone went into Molly's room to say good night, I think.
[05:59.43]Later, I heard someone…He—or she—went down-stairs. That was about midnight.'
[06:13.93]'Very well, Mr King. Thank you, you can go now.' Albert left the room.
[06:23.27]Inspector Walsh put his hands behind his head.'What time is it? I'm hungry.
[06:33.14]We're learning a lot, but I need some coffee.'
[06:39.35]'Shall I go to the kitchen?' Sergeant Foster asked.
[06:45.51]'Oh, no. Later. Let's see Jackie Clarkson next.' Jackie came in and sat down.
[06:58.17]She looked down at her hands and said nothing.
[07:03.18]'We found the empty bottle of your mother's sleeping tablets in Diane's room,'
[07:13.04]the Inspector said suddenly. Then he waited.
[07:19.04]Jackie's face did not change and she said nothing.
[07:25.14]'Tell me, did your mother get her tablets from the shop in the village?'
[07:33.92]'Yes. My mother usually took a sleeping tablet every night so she needed a lot of tablets.
[07:44.26]Sometimes she got them from the shop, sometimes I did.
[07:51.78]On Thursday, I asked Peter Hobbs to get them.
[07:59.50]He lives in the house across the road, and he often goes to the village on his bicycle.'
[08:08.30]'I see. Your mother wanted to stay in this house.
[08:16.38]How about you? Did you want to move?'
[08:22.44]Jackie looked up for a minute and then down at her hands again.
[08:30.56]'This is Mother's house. I loved my mother. She was good to me.'
[08:39.52]'Did you see your mother in her room last night?' 'Yes, everyone did.
[08:49.93]Diane made hot milk and took it to Mother.
[08:55.56]She usually drank a cup of hot milk before she slept.'
[09:01.92]Inspector Walsh put his hands behind his head. Jackie was very quiet.
[09:10.36]'What did your mother say?' Jackie opened her bag and looked for a cigarette.
[09:19.18]'Can I smoke?''Of course. This is your house,' Inspector Walsh said.
[09:28.05]He watched Jackie. 'What did your mother say?' he asked again.
[09:38.82]'She wanted to go downstairs again. She remembered the dogs—
[09:46.86]she wanted to get some dinner for them.
[09:50.79]I went to my room and she went downstairs.' 'What time was this?'
[10:00.03]'I don't remember. About midnight, I think.' 'And the cup of hot milk?'
[10:12.08]'It was on the table by her bed.' 'Did you need your mother's money?'
[10:21.65]'No, Inspector. Money is not important to me. There are more important things,'
[10:31.23]Jackie said quietly. 'Well, your uncle Albert wanted money.
[10:40.05]Tom Briggs wanted the garden. You wanted nothing?'
[10:49.31]Jackie finished her cigarette and looked up at the Inspector.
[10:54.77]Her eyes were suddenly angry. 'Don't forget Peter Hobbs.
[11:00.56]He lost his job because of my mother. He wanted to kill her, you know.
[11:08.58]And what about Diane? You found the empty bottle in her bag.'
[11:17.78]Inspector Walsh listened carefully. 'We're going to question everyone, Miss Clarkson.'
[11:27.46]Jackie said nothing for a minute.
[11:31.20]'Would you like some sandwiches and coffee, Inspector?'
[11:35.77]'Ah! Yes, please!' Inspector Walsh said warmly.
[11:41.40]'I would like sandwiches and coffee very much.'
[11:48.87]Jackie left the room. Inspector Walsh thought about her.
[11:55.12]Why was she suddenly angry? The room was quiet.