[00:02.07]Chapter 5

[00:05.73]After the coffee and sandwiches, Inspector Walsh called Roger Clarkson to the office. 

[00:14.19]Roger came in and sat down. The Inspector began at once.

[00:22.35]'Now, Mr Clarkson. Why was your mother angry with you last night?'

[00:31.33]'This house is very big,' Roger said. 'It was a lot of work for Mother. 

[00:41.09]I wanted her to move. But no, she loved this house and garden. 

[00:49.91]She didn't want to move.' 'Tell me about your job, Mr Clarkson. 

[00:58.26]Your mother is dead and now you're rich. Do you need money?'

[01:06.86]Roger's face was suddenly afraid. 'What are you saying? I didn't kill my mother. 

[01:17.95]I need money,that's true. A friend and I want to build ten houses here, in this garden. 

[01:29.77]We can get a lot of money for them. So. I wanted Mother to sell this house. 

[01:39.67]It's true. But Mr Briggs wanted half the garden, too, you know, for his farm.'

[01:49.41]Inspector Walsh moved a pencil on the table. 'Tell me, what happened upstairs? 

[01:59.68]You went to your mother's room?' 'Yes, I did. 

[02:06.11]I wanted to say goodnight to my mother.' 'Did you talk about the house again?'

[02:15.71]'Yes, I did. Again, she said no. She loved the house and didn't want to sell it.'

[02:26.83]Inspector Walsh watched Roger for a minute. 'I see. 

[02:33.76]We found the empty bottle of sleeping tablets, Mr Clarkson, in Diane's room.'

[02:44.39]Roger's face did not change. 'Oh? Someone put them there. 

[02:52.08]Diane did not kill my mother, I know that. She found the body.'

[03:01.77]'Very well. I would like to see Diane next.' Roger got up and left the room.

[03:13.35]Inspector Walsh stood up and put his hands in his pockets. 

[03:19.27]He went to the window and looked out at the trees. 

[03:24.87]Why was Roger Clarkson afraid? Was it important? He looked at Sergeant 
Foster.

[03:35.37]'Tomorrow morning, go to Mr Clarkson's office—you have the name,' he said. 

[03:44.70]'Ask some questions about him, about his job, friends, money.'

[03:53.40]Sergeant Foster wrote it down. 'Yes, Inspector.' 'A good day for tennis, Sergeant?'

[04:03.31]Sergeant Foster laughed. 'Don't say that. It's not easy, you know. 

[04:11.91]I don't like sitting here looking at the sun.'

[04:16.82]Diane came into the room and sat down. She looked at Sergeant Foster and smiled. 

[04:27.71]'I saw you at the Tennis Club last month, I think. You play very well.'

[04:36.20]Sergeant Foster's face went red. Inspector Walsh looked at him.

[04:42.88] 'Oh yes. A fast and exciting player is Sergeant Foster.'

[04:49.92]Diane smiled again at Sergeant Foster and his face went redder.

[04:57.57]'Well, Miss Clarkson,' Inspector Walsh said, 'I want you to talk about last night.'

[05:06.64]Diane stopped smiling. 'Oh, I can talk about last night. I can't stop talking about it. 

[05:18.38]We were all angry. Mother went to bed early and I made hot milk for her. 

[05:28.44]We were all in the kitchen, and Peter Hobbs came in. 

[05:35.67]He nearly broke the back door down.' Diane stopped. 'Yes?'

[05:43.74]'He was very angry about a letter. He wanted to kill Mother. 

[05:52.02]Are you going to talk to him?' 'We're going to talk to everyone.'

[05:58.84]'Good. Tom Briggs came into the kitchen, too. Are you going to talk to him?'

[06:07.91]I’m asking the questions, Miss Clarkson. When did you take the milk upstairs?'

[06:17.36]'I went up after Roger.' She stopped for a minute. Then she began again. 

[06:27.69]'I didn't like my mother, Inspector. She killed my father, you know.

[06:35.93]Last winter, after Christmas, she drove the car into a tree and killed my father.'

[06:48.46]Inspector Walsh watched Diane's face carefully. 

[06:53.97]'I see. So you wanted to kill your mother?' Diane laughed. 

[07:02.55]'I wanted to kill her, but I didn't. I can tell you a lot of things about this family,

[07:14.85]Inspector. Everyone wanted Mother to die. 

[07:20.37]Uncle Albert wanted her money for his wife, Annie. And then my brother. 

[07:28.55]He needs a lot of money. He has an expensive house and an expensive car. 

[07:38.40]And think of Jackie. Do you know that Jackie didn't like Mother? 

[07:46.79]A long time ago, a nice boy worked here. He was the gardener. 

[07:55.01]Jackie loved him very much, but Mother said no. 

[08:00.32]A gardener was not a good husband for a Clarkson girl!'

[08:08.16]Inspector Walsh listened quietly. All this was very interesting but was it important? 

[08:18.41]Perhaps. What a happy family the Clarksons were!

[08:29.17]'We found the empty bottle of sleeping tablets in your room,' 

[08:36.28]Inspector Walsh said quietly. He watched her face carefully.

[08:43.26]Diane stood up suddenly, her face angry.

[08:48.88]'What? I didn't put it there! I'm not going to listen to this!' She ran out of the room.

[09:02.60]'Well, well, well,' Inspector Walsh said. 'She likes you, Sergeant. 

[09:11.35]You need to be careful.' Sergeant Foster laughed but his face went red again.

[09:22.53]'Someone put sleeping tablets in Molly's hot milk,' the Inspector said. 

[09:31.17]'All the family were in the kitchen last night. 

[09:36.05]Peter Hobbs and Tom Briggs were there, too. One of them killed Molly.'

[09:47.05]Inspector Walsh got his hat and coat. 'Come on. 

[09:54.92]We need to talk to Peter Hobbs and Tom Briggs. 

[10:00.84]Let's get some more coffee first. I'd like a sandwich, too. I'm hungry again!'