The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie Read Free Book Online Page A

known that we have searched all the caves in Smugglers’ Cove, and that we are now going farther afield, and they have evidently been moving the stuff at night to a cave that has been already searched and is not likely to be searched again. Unfortunately they have had at least eighteen hours to dispose of the stuff. If they got Mr Newman last night I doubt if we will find any of it there by now.”
    ‘The Inspector hurried off to make a search. He found definite evidence that the bullion had been stored as supposed, but the gold had been once more removed, and there was no clue as to its fresh hiding-place.
    ‘One clue there was, however, and the Inspector himself pointed it out to me the following morning.
    ‘ “That lane is very little used by motor vehicles,” he said, “and in one or two places we get the traces of the tyres very clearly. There is a three-cornered piece out of one tyre, leaving a mark which is quite unmistakable. It shows going into the gate; here and there is a faint mark of it going out of the other gate, so there is not much doubt that it is the right vehicle we are after. Now, why did they take it out through the farther gate? It seems quite clear to me that the lorry came from the village. Now, there aren’t many people who own a lorry in the village—not more than two or three at most. Kelvin, the landlord of the Three Anchors, has one.”
    ‘ “What was Kelvin’s original profession?” asked Newman.
    ‘ “It is curious that you should ask me that, Mr Newman. In his young days Kelvin was a professional diver.”
    ‘Newman and I looked at each other. The puzzle seemed to be fitting itself together piece by piece.
    ‘ “You didn’t recognize Kelvin as one of the men on the beach?” asked the Inspector.
    ‘Newman shook his head.
    ‘ “I am afraid I can’t say anything as to that,” he said regretfully. “I really hadn’t time to see anything.”
    ‘The Inspector very kindly allowed me to accompanyhim to the Three Anchors. The garage was up a side street. The big doors were closed, but by going up a little alley at the side we found a small door that led into it, and the door was open. A very brief examination of the tyres sufficed for the Inspector. “We have got him, by Jove!” he exclaimed. “Here is the mark as large as life on the rear left wheel. Now, Mr Kelvin, I don’t think you will be clever enough to wriggle out of this.” ’
    Raymond West came to a halt.
    ‘Well?’ said Joyce. ‘So far I don’t see anything to make a problem about—unless they never found the gold.’
    ‘They never found the gold certainly,’ said Raymond. ‘And they never got Kelvin either. I expect he was too clever for them, but I don’t quite see how he worked it. He was duly arrested—on the evidence of the tyre mark. But an extraordinary hitch arose. Just opposite the big doors of the garage was a cottage rented for the summer by a lady artist.’
    ‘Oh, these lady artists!’ said Joyce, laughing.
    ‘As you say, “Oh, these lady artists!” This particular one had been ill for some weeks, and, in consequence, had two hospital nurses attending her. The nurse who was on night duty had pulled her armchair up to the window, where the blind was up. She declared that the motor lorry could not have left the garage oppositewithout her seeing it, and she swore that in actual fact it never left the garage that night.’
    ‘I don’t think that is much of a problem,’ said Joyce. ‘The nurse went to sleep, of course. They always do.’
    ‘That has—er—been known to happen,’ said Mr Petherick, judiciously; ‘but it seems to me that we are accepting facts without sufficient examination. Before accepting the testimony of the hospital nurse, we should inquire very closely into her bona fides. The alibi coming with such suspicious promptness is inclined to raise doubts in one’s mind.’
    ‘There is also the lady artist’s testimony,’ said Raymond. ‘She declared that she