The Floating Admiral (Detection Club)

by Christie, Agatha; Detection Club, by Members of the

  Elma probably went to London to see her solicitors, and her dress and shoes may have been hidden by Emery, further to confuse the issue.

  Probably Neddy Ware knew something about the Hong Kong incident.

  CHAPTER IV

  By Agatha Christie

  THE real Elma Fitzgerald is dead and her brother Walter is masquerading as her, being unable to claim his inheritance under his own name as he is wanted by the police. Holland has been a friend of his in remote parts of the world. Walter finds it hard to get any definite statement as to money out of the Admiral and, to force his hand, pretends to be engaged to Holland. The Admiral will then be forced to hand over the money. Unknown to Walter, however, the Admiral has speculated with it and lost it.

  Walter, who has been an actor at one time, has had no difficulty in deceiving the Admiral, who has not seen his niece since she was a child. He takes no great pains with Holland, but reserves his best effects of make-up when asked out in the neighbourhood, when he takes an artistic pleasure in playing the vamp.

  The Admiral, however, has received an anonymous letter from “Célie,” stating that “Elma” is a man. He slips this into his pocket unopened just before starting for the Vicarage and opens it when waiting for “Elma” to say good-bye to the Vicar.

  He immediately taxes Walter with the truth as they go over in the boat, and says he will give him up to the police. Walter, who knows the Admiral’s uncompromising character, stabs him as the boat glides into the boat-house.

  He then goes up to the house and waits till all is quiet. Then he makes up as the Admiral, dons an overcoat, puts the newspaper in the pocket and shows himself at the Lord Marshall, which is badly lighted and where the Boots is a rustic who is nearly half-witted. He asks for Holland, then says he can’t wait.

  He returns. Later goes down to the boat-house, takes the boat across the river, puts the body in the other boat and cuts the painter. He thinks the boat will go out to sea, and as the Admiral’s boat will be in the boat-house, the Admiral will be supposed to have left on foot and gone to town by train. The boat, however, drifts down and drifts into the bank, to be sent up-stream later.

  The murder discovered, “Elma” hastens away with the white dress on which are blood-stains. He intends to return with a good excuse, secure in the alibi he has created.

  The Vicar did take his boat out again. He met his former wife at Fernton Bridge. He was terribly anxious to have no “talk,” hence his peculiar manner.

  CHAPTER V

  By John Rhode

  THE so-called Admiral Penistone was an impostor. He was, I think, by profession a blackmailer (hence the files of newspaper cuttings) who had contrived to get several people into his power, among them Sir Wilfrid Denny, who had been impoverished by “Penistone’s” constant demands.

  Denny decides to commit the murder. He learns that “Penistone” has arranged to meet Holland on the night of the ninth, and lies in wait for him at Fernton Bridge. As he passes, Denny hails him, saying that he has urgent business to discuss—perhaps that he has money which “Penistone” had demanded. He gets back into the boat, sitting in the stern with “Penistone” facing him as he rows. When they reach the railway bridge (see Map) he suddenly rises and plunges the dagger into “Penistone” as he leans forward to take a stroke.

  He leaves the boat under the bridge, among the piles, where it is safe from observation in the dark. He then calls at an hotel in Whynmouth, in order to establish his presence there at a particular hour (11 p.m.). He slips out from here, and goes to the Lord Marshall, where he impersonates “Penistone,” not a very difficult matter owing to the darkness of the hall, with the object of suggesting that “Penistone” was then alive. Then he returned to the first hotel, where he remains till after midnight. He had thus established as good an alibi as he could.

  The body, being under cover of the bridge, remains dry. As soon as the tide slackens, he rows up the river, transfers the body to the Vicar’s boat, swings the stern in to shore, and lands. Seeing the Vicar’s hat, he puts that in the boat, by way of confusing the trail. Then he proceeds according to Ware’s speculation.

  He replaces the Admiral’s boat in the Rundel Croft boat-house, making the mistake of doing so bow first. This done, he walks home to West End. His sudden departure for London is concerned with the will of John Martin Fitzgerald, a subject at present somewhat obscure.

  CHAPTER VI

  By Milward Kennedy

  1. FOUR men are engaged in the supply of arms to Chinese armies: they are Mr. X (main financial element), Admiral Penistone (Gunnery Expert: acquainted with China: retired under a cloud from the Navy: the Admiral has a smaller financial interest), Sir Wilfrid Denny (formerly of the Chinese Customs Service) and Holland (who does the “transactions on the spot”). Holland is naturally unready to discuss his business with the police.

  2. The Admiral wants to increase his financial holding—in other words to oust Mr. X. He is in negotiation with Sir Wilfrid and Holland to that end.

  3. Sir Wilfrid is reluctant; he refuses to move openly and warns Mr. X secretly.

  4. Mr. X, already suspicious of the Admiral and wishing to keep an eye on his doings, has persuaded his mistress to go as French maid to Elma Fitzgerald.

  5. When the Admiral moves to Rundel Croft: (a) Sir Wilfrid is afraid Mr. X will think he too is letting him down; (b) the “French maid” discovers that just across the river lives the husband whom she deserted ten years ago. She clears out, and tells Mr. X why.

  6. Sir Wilfrid reports to Mr. X that the Admiral is trying to arrange a meeting of the three partners. Holland apparently has agreed. Sir Wilfrid is told to agree also and to get the meeting held at some “neutral” place, say near (not on) Fernton Bridge. He is told, moreover, not to let it be known that he has any dealings with Holland and the Admiral.

  7. The Admiral will not give his assent to Elma marrying Holland unless Holland falls in with his “commercial” plans, and further agrees to put into the new concern which he hopes to form some of the capital which Elma will acquire. Perhaps he also wants to help in “manipulating” her brother’s money. Her brother, always a rolling stone, has disappeared, but has been heard of too recently for his death to be “presumed.”

  8. Mr. X, informed by Sir Wilfrid of the time and place fixed for the “secret meeting,” drives down dressed as a chauffeur and wearing gauntlets. He insists that the “French maid” is to go to the Vicarage and so arrange matters with the Vicar that she can resume her place at Rundel Croft if necessary. He hopes, himself, whilst she is with the Vicar, to get into Rundel Croft (with which he is perfectly familiar, thanks to the “French maid’s” account of it) and to extract various documents relating to “Chinese Contracts.”

  9. While the “French maid” is with the Vicar Mr. X walks down through the garden, intending to cross the river in the Vicar’s boat. He meets the Admiral, who has just returned in his boat.

  10. The Admiral hustles away after dinner at the Vicarage, because he wants to get Elma home, and then go to his “secret meeting.” He tidies up his boat as usual, but finds he has left his pipe at the Vicarage and his cigar-case is empty. He goes and gets his coat, meaning to walk to the bridge; but it is practically as quick to cross to the Vicarage, get his pipe and walk on from there. (According to the Map, the distances are practically identical.)

  11. Mr. X and the Admiral talk. Mr. X produces the evening paper with its Chinese news. The Admiral, conscious of the “secret meeting,” is somewhat uncomfortable. They retire to the summer-house. There, there is not only the Vicar’s hat but also the knife. The talk ends in a quarrel and Mr. X stabs the Admiral. The time is about 11 p.m.

  12. Mr. X reflects that his arrangements hold good for a murder as much as for anything else. He has even told Sir Wilfrid, as it happens, to use the Admiral’s name when he asks for Holland at his hotel—which may make it appear that the Admiral was alive and in Whynmouth at 11 p.m.

  13. He finds the key of the f
rench window, crosses in the Admiral’s boat (leaving the body in the summer-house), collects the papers from the study, locks up again and re-crosses in the Admiral’s boat—by mistake dropping the key. He assumes that he has dropped it in the river, he dares not strike a light to make sure.

  14. He waits in the car. When the “French maid” reappears (and he is, of course, quite satisfied that neither she nor the Vicar will talk about the meeting) he tells her to drive gently on alone to Fernton Bridge and thence towards Rundel Croft. When he is sure that the Vicarage is asleep, he carries the dead body down to the Vicar’s boat, leaving the knife with (not in) the body and adding the Vicar’s hat to the cargo. His original intention is to set the boat adrift, but then he realises that the river is probably tidal and that the boat might not drift out to sea. So he decides to leave things as they are. (The body therefore has been “under cover” until nearly one o’clock; and the blood has ceased to flow before the body is put in the boat.) Mr. X crosses again in the Admiral’s boat (which he fastens up wrongly), makes his way through the grounds of Rundel Croft to the car, and so departs with the “French maid.”

  15. The non-appearance of the Admiral perturbs both Holland and Sir Wilfrid. They wait a considerable time, and then Sir Wilfrid goes home (next morning, when Mr. X telephones to “enquire” about the meeting, he hurries up to London). Holland decides to have it out with the Admiral then and there. He starts to walk to Rundel Croft, sees a car standing near the entrance and decides to go round via the Vicarage. For the whole business is somewhat fishy and he has no wish to be seen. His anxiety not to attract notice retards his progress. To his horror he finds the body in the Vicar’s boat; it is by now about two o’clock. He realises his danger—he has no alibi; the Admiral may have said he was going to see him by the bridge; there is the question of the will and the marriage. He thinks things out deliberately. The tide will turn, he supposes, fairly soon and start to run up the river—“away from the bridge,” as it were. He must wait for the turn. The waiting is anxious work; he gets more and more jumpy, and more and more anxious to clear off. At about three o’clock the tide is slackening. He cuts the painter—not because he cannot reach to untie the knot, but because to cut it suits his state of mind—it seems quicker than untying a knot. Then he thinks of finger-prints and throws the knife into the river.

  16. Holland’s plan is now to try and make it appear that he spent the night at his hotel. He must see Elma as soon as he can reasonably appear at Rundel Croft. He is there before the Inspector. Emery has to be “drilled” a bit; also Jennie Merton. The delay when the Inspector calls is thus explained. Elma and Holland agree that there is no evidence but theirs that the Admiral hesitated to consent to their marriage; Holland was accepted as her fiancé. So the “will” motive will not be so serious; anyhow it can be argued that Elma is likely soon to inherit her brother’s money. If they get married she cannot be made to give evidence against her husband—and only she can say what the Admiral meant to do after dinner at the Vicarage. They have already got a licence—for the circumstances (the gun-running, the Admiral’s “negotiation,” etc.) have suggested the need to be ready to marry at short notice. They go off to London.

  17. The “favourite frock” was never hidden. But it was a favourite, and therefore suitable for the occasion in London: and for the same reason Elma hesitated to let her new and untried maid pack it for her in the suit-case. She folded it herself, put it on a shelf and packed it on top after seeing the Inspector. As to her regard for her appearance—she (like some others) took more trouble before strangers than before intimates (she had no time in the Inspector’s case, of course). Her “acting” during the interview was what one would expect—partly good and partly bad.

  18. As for the Vicar: when first the police come, the thing uppermost in his mind is that nothing must come out about his wife’s visit. He has his sons to think of, above all (almost his first thought). His hat can have nothing to do with it; he will stick to his story; he knows nothing about the murder and cannot be connected with it—and if the visit of the “French maid” comes out, there might be an added complication. And then, after he has maintained the “all quiet after ten-fifteen” story, comes the loss of the knife, and his discovery of ominous stains in his summer-house. He will water the garden, and if he misdirects the hose-pipe, it will merely be a sign of his worldly incompetence.

  CHAPTER VII

  By Dorothy L. Sayers

  JOHN MARTIN FITZGERALD of Winchester, solicitor, married, in 1888, Mary Penistone, and had by her two surviving children, Walter, born in 1889 and Elma, born in 1898.

  In 1909, Walter, aged twenty, got into some kind of trouble with his father and left the country. He went to China and got a job as a clerk with a tobacco company in Hong Kong, where, being idle and vicious, though handsome and attractive, he got into the opium-smuggling business.

  The assistant-commissioner in the Chinese customs was a man called Wilfrid Denny, who had got into difficulties through having an extravagant wife, and was heavily in debt to a big Chinese money-lender. Denny soon found that the price of this “accommodation” was to be the turning of a blind eye to the passage of opium through the customs. This brought him into contact with Walter, who soon saw himself in a position to blackmail the weak and foolish Denny. Denny was then about forty years of age.

  In 1911, the Captain in command of the cruiser Huntingdonshire, stationed at Hong Kong, was Captain Penistone, young Fitzgerald’s uncle, and to get the opium through meant getting it past Penistone. The previous Captain had been fairly easy to diddle, but Penistone was alert and incorruptible. He was then forty-three, a vigorous, jovial man, well liked by his crew, and a smart officer. As it was impossible to square him, it was necessary to get rid of him. Walter, in collusion with Denny, used his knowledge of his uncle’s character to involve him in some discreditable affair (e.g., with a woman, or in connection with the ill-treatment of natives). Penistone, though really innocent, is made to appear at the very least extremely indiscreet, and is advised to send in his papers.

  Penistone never knew who was at the bottom of his trouble—and did not even know that Walter was in Hong Kong, but he became a changed and soured man. During the War he is permitted to rejoin and retires finally with the rank of Admiral in recognition of his services, but he still broods on what he might have done but for “the trouble,” and when the War is over he determines to get to the bottom of the business. He energetically collects information about everything and everybody who might possibly have been concerned in the plot against him—a job made more difficult by the post-war confusion in China. The thing has become almost a monomania.

  Meanwhile, Walter continues his illicit activities, and in 1914 commits himself to a forgery. The War breaks out just in time to rescue him from arrest. He manages to get away and joins up. But the warrant is still out against him, and if he survives it seems likely that he will be haled up and sent to a long term of penal servitude. He therefore makes arrangements to disappear. He sends home a letter of the “Dear Father-I-have-neglected-you-all-but-hope-I-am-now-forgiven-and-have-turned-over-a-new-leaf-and-am-doing-my-duty” type, enclosing, in case of accident, a will drawn in favour of Elma.

  After the Loos show in September, 1915, Walter deserts and disappears. He is “missing, supposed killed.” Old Fitzgerald, who has long repented of his harshness to “dear Walter, poor boy,” is now getting very doddery and ill. Having come into money, he redrafts his will, but retains the dispositions made some years previously in favour of Walter and Elma, for Walter has turned up once and he may turn up again. (See Chapter VII.)

  Meanwhile, Walter has contrived to turn up somewhere else with somebody else’s papers. He keeps secretly in touch with Elma, to whom he is still the wonderful and beloved “big brother”—a radiant memory of childhood. If Walter is in trouble, it must be the fault of some wicked person who got him into it. Walter takes Elma into his confidence. The idea is to prove his death, when Elma
will come into his share of the money and hand it over to him in his new name.

  Old Fitzgerald dies in 1916. Nothing much can be done till 1918–19, when the British prisoners of war are released and the “presumption” of the death of missing combatants is recognised by the courts.

  Everything is put in trim for “presuming” the death of Walter, when an inconvenient person turns up who knew Walter when he first joined the Army and states positively that he saw him alive in Buda-Pesth in 1918. He does not know the name under which Walter was then passing, but insists that he cannot be mistaken in the man. Under the circumstances, the court refuses to presume death. Note: It is only now that it becomes necessary for Elma to marry in order to provide Walter with money. See Chapter VII as regards her present opportunities. This is when the forgery business comes to light (see Chapter VII).

  Time goes on. Walter, now known as Mr. X, is living rapidly and expensively abroad—chiefly on his wits and by exploiting his charm of manner. In 1920 he seduces a Mrs. Mount, who is staying at Monte Carlo with some friends, and has some money of her own. Walter is at a low ebb, or he would not be bothered with the parson’s wife. Having sucked her dry, he abandons her to get on as best she can. She takes a post as a maid in Paris.

  Life becomes increasingly sordid and difficult for Walter. Then one day he hears that Denny has retired to England with a knighthood and a pension. Splendid idea! He will blackmail Denny! He does so—knowing that Denny dare not expose him for fear that the old Chinese story will come out, when pop goes Denny’s pension.