Chapter XIII. The Vigil

by Agatha Christie

　　Sir James brushed past Julius and hurriedly bent over the fallenwoman."Heart," he said sharply. "Seeing us so suddenly must have givenher a shock. Brandy--and quickly, or she'll slip through ourfingers."Julius hurried to the washstand."Not there," said Tuppence over her shoulder. "In the tantalusin the dining-room. Second door down the passage."Between them Sir James and Tuppence lifted Mrs. Vandemeyer andcarried her to the bed. There they dashed water on her face, butwith no result. The lawyer fingered her pulse."Touch and go," he muttered. "I wish that young fellow wouldhurry up with the brandy."At that moment Julius re-entered the room, carrying a glass halffull of the spirit which he handed to Sir James. While Tuppencelifted her head the lawyer tried to force a little of the spiritbetween her closed lips. Finally the woman opened her eyesfeebly. Tuppence held the glass to her lips."Drink this."Mrs. Vandemeyer complied. The brandy brought the colour back toher white cheeks, and revived her in a marvellous fashion. Shetried to sit up--then fell back with a groan, her hand to herside."It's my heart," she whispered. "I mustn't talk."She lay back with closed eyes.Sir James kept his finger on her wrist a minute longer, thenwithdrew it with a nod."She'll do now."All three moved away, and stood together talking in low voices.One and all were conscious of a certain feeling of anticlimax.Clearly any scheme for cross-questioning the lady was out of thequestion for the moment. For the time being they were baffled,and could do nothing.Tuppence related how Mrs. Vandemeyer had declared herself willingto disclose the identity of Mr. Brown, and how she had consentedto discover and reveal to them the whereabouts of Jane Finn.Julius was congratulatory."That's all right, Miss Tuppence. Splendid! I guess thathundred thousand pounds will look just as good in the morning tothe lady as it did over night. There's nothing to worry over.She won't speak without the cash anyway, you bet!"There was certainly a good deal of common sense in this, andTuppence felt a little comforted."What you say is true," said Sir James meditatively. "I mustconfess, however, that I cannot help wishing we had notinterrupted at the minute we did. Still, it cannot be helped, itis only a matter of waiting until the morning."He looked across at the inert figure on the bed. Mrs. Vandemeyerlay perfectly passive with closed eyes. He shook his head."Well," said Tuppence, with an attempt at cheerfulness, "we mustwait until the morning, that's all. But I don't think we oughtto leave the flat.""What about leaving that bright boy of yours on guard?""Albert? And suppose she came round again and hooked it. Albertcouldn't stop her.""I guess she won't want to make tracks away from the dollars.""She might. She seemed very frightened of 'Mr. Brown.' ""What? Real plumb scared of him?""Yes. She looked round and said even walls had ears.""Maybe she meant a dictaphone," said Julius with interest."Miss Tuppence is right," said Sir James quietly. "We must notleave the flat--if only for Mrs. Vandemeyer's sake."Julius stared at him."You think he'd get after her? Between now and to-morrowmorning. How could he know, even?""You forget your own suggestion of a dictaphone," said Sir Jamesdryly. "We have a very formidable adversary. I believe, if weexercise all due care, that there is a very good chance of hisbeing delivered into our hands. But we must neglect noprecaution. We have an important witness, but she must besafeguarded. I would suggest that Miss Tuppence should go tobed, and that you and I, Mr. Hersheimmer, should share thevigil."Tuppence was about to protest, but happening to glance at the bedshe saw Mrs. Vandemeyer, her eyes half-open, with such anexpression of mingled fear and malevolence on her face that itquite froze the words on her lips.For a moment she wondered whether the faint and the heart attackhad been a gigantic sham, but remembering the deadly pallor shecould hardly credit the supposition. As she looked the expressiondisappeared as by magic, and Mrs. Vandemeyer lay inert andmotionless as before. For a moment the girl fancied she must havedreamt it. But she determined nevertheless to be on the alert."Well," said Julius, "I guess we'd better make a move out of hereany way."The others fell in with his suggestion. Sir James again feltMrs. Vandemeyer's pulse."Perfectly satisfactory," he said in a low voice to Tuppence."She'll be absolutely all right after a night's rest."The girl hesitated a moment by the bed. The intensity of theexpression she had surprised had impressed her powerfully. Mrs.Vandemeyer lifted her lids. She seemed to be struggling tospeak. Tuppence bent over her."Don't--leave----" she seemed unable to proceed, murmuringsomething that sounded like "sleepy." Then she tried again.Tuppence bent lower still. It was only a breath."Mr.--Brown----" The voice stopped.But the half-closed eyes seemed still to send an agonizedmessage.Moved by a sudden impulse, the girl said quickly:"I shan't leave the flat. I shall sit up all night."A flash of relief showed before the lids descended once more.Apparently Mrs. Vandemeyer slept. But her words had awakened anew uneasiness in Tuppence. What had she meant by that lowmurmur: "Mr. Brown?" Tuppence caught herself nervously lookingover her shoulder. The big wardrobe loomed up in a sinisterfashion before her eyes. Plenty of room for a man to hide inthat.... Half-ashamed of herself, Tuppence pulled it open andlooked inside. No one--of course! She stooped down and lookedunder the bed. There was no other possible hiding-place.Tuppence gave her familiar shake of the shoulders. It wasabsurd, this giving way to nerves! Slowly she went out of theroom. Julius and Sir James were talking in a low voice. Sir Jamesturned to her."Lock the door on the outside, please, Miss Tuppence, and takeout the key. There must be no chance of anyone entering thatroom."The gravity of his manner impressed them, and Tuppence felt lessashamed of her attack of "nerves.""Say," remarked Julius suddenly, "there's Tuppence's bright boy.I guess I'd better go down and ease his young mind. That's somelad, Tuppence.""How did you get in, by the way?" asked Tuppence suddenly. "Iforgot to ask.""Well, Albert got me on the phone all right. I ran round for SirJames here, and we came right on. The boy was on the look outfor us, and was just a mite worried about what might havehappened to you. He'd been listening outside the door of theflat, but couldn't hear anything. Anyhow he suggested sending usup in the coal lift instead of ringing the bell. And sure enoughwe landed in the scullery and came right along to find you.Albert's still below, and must be just hopping mad by this time."With which Julius departed abruptly."Now then, Miss Tuppence," said Sir James, "you know this placebetter than I do. Where do you suggest we should take up ourquarters?"Tuppence considered for a moment or two."I think Mrs. Vandemeyer's boudoir would be the mostcomfortable," she said at last, and led the way there.Sir James looked round approvingly."This will do very well, and now, my dear young lady, do go tobed and get some sleep."Tuppence shook her head resolutely."I couldn't, thank you, Sir James. I should dream of Mr. Brownall night!""But you'll be so tired, child.""No, I shan't. I'd rather stay up--really."The lawyer gave in.Julius reappeared some minutes later, having reassured Albert andrewarded him lavishly for his services. Having in his turn failedto persuade Tuppence to go to bed, he said decisively:"At any rate, you've got to have something to eat right away.Where's the larder?"Tuppence directed him, and he returned in a few minutes with acold pie and three plates.After a hearty meal, the girl felt inclined to pooh-pooh herfancies of half an hour before. The power of the money bribecould not fail."And now, Miss Tuppence," said Sir James, "we want to hear youradventures.""That's so," agreed Julius.Tuppence narrated her adventures with some complacence. Juliusoccasionally interjected an admiring "Bully." Sir James saidnothing until she had finished, when his quiet "well done, MissTuppence," made her flush with pleasure."There's one thing I don't get clearly," said Julius. "What puther up to clearing out?""I don't know," confessed Tuppence.Sir James stroked his chin thoughtfully."The room was in great disorder. That looks as though her flightwas unpremeditated. Almost as though she got a sudden warning togo from some one.""Mr. Brown, I suppose," said Julius scoffingly.The lawyer looked at him deliberately for a minute or two."Why not?" he said. "Remember, you yourself have once beenworsted by him."Julius flushed with vexation."I feel just mad when I think of how I handed out Jane'sphotograph to him like a lamb. Gee, if I ever lay hands on itagain, I'll freeze on to it like--like hell!""That contingency is likely to be a remote one," said the otherdryly."I guess you're right," said Julius frankly. "And, in any case,it's the original I'm out after. Where do you think she can be,Sir James?"The lawyer shook his head."Impossible to say. But I've a very good idea where she hasbeen.""You have? Where?"Sir James smiled."At the scene of your nocturnal adventures, the Bournemouthnursing home.""There? Impossible. I asked.""No, my dear sir, you asked if anyone of the name of Jane Finnhad been there. Now, if the girl had been placed there it wouldalmost certainly be under an assumed name.""Bully for you," cried Julius. "I never thought of that!""It was fairly obvious," said the other."Perhaps the doctor's in it too," suggested Tuppence.Julius shook his head."I don't think so. I took to him at once. No, I'm pretty sureDr. Hall's all right.""Hall, did you say?" asked Sir James. "That is curious--reallyvery curious.""Why?" demanded Tuppence."Because I happened to meet him this morning. I've known himslightly on and off for some years, and this morning I ran acrosshim in the street. Staying at the Metropole, he told me." Heturned to Julius. "Didn't he tell you he was coming up to town?"Julius shook his head."Curious," mused Sir James. "You did not mention his name thisafternoon, or I would have suggested your going to him forfurther information with my card as introduction.""I guess I'm a mutt," said Julius with unusual humility. "I oughtto have thought of the false name stunt.""How could you think of anything after falling out of that tree?"cried Tuppence. "I'm sure anyone else would have been killedright off.""Well, I guess it doesn't matter now, anyway," said Julius."We've got Mrs. Vandemeyer on a string, and that's all we need.""Yes," said Tuppence, but there was a lack of assurance in hervoice.A silence settled down over the party. Little by little themagic of the night began to gain a hold on them. There weresudden creaks of the furniture, imperceptible rustlings in thecurtains. Suddenly Tuppence sprang up with a cry."I can't help it. I know Mr. Brown's somewhere in the flat! Ican feel him.""Sure, Tuppence, how could he be? This door's open into thehall. No one could have come in by the front door without ourseeing and hearing him.""I can't help it. I feel he's here!"She looked appealingly at Sir James, who replied gravely:"With due deference to your feelings, Miss Tuppence (and mine aswell for that matter), I do not see how it is humanly possiblefor anyone to be in the flat without our knowledge."The girl was a little comforted by his wards."Sitting up at night is always rather jumpy," she confessed."Yes," said Sir James. "We are in the condition of peopleholding a seance. Perhaps if a medium were present we might getsome marvellous results.""Do you believe in spiritualism?" asked Tuppence, opening hereyes wide.The lawyer shrugged his shoulders."There is some truth in it, without a doubt. But most of thetestimony would not pass muster in the witness-box."The hours drew on. With the first faint glimmerings of dawn, SirJames drew aside the curtains. They beheld, what few Londonerssee, the slow rising of the sun over the sleeping city. Somehow,with the coming of the light, the dreads and fancies of the pastnight seemed absurd. Tuppence's spirits revived to the normal."Hooray!" she said. "It's going to be a gorgeous day. And weshall find Tommy. And Jane Finn. And everything will be lovely.I shall ask Mr. Carter if I can't be made a Dame!"At seven o'clock Tuppence volunteered to go and make some tea.She returned with a tray, containing the teapot and four cups."Who's the other cup for?" inquired Julius."The prisoner, of course. I suppose we might call her that?""Taking her tea seems a kind of anticlimax to last night," saidJulius thoughtfully."Yes, it does," admitted Tuppence. "But, anyway, here goes.Perhaps you'd both come, too, in case she springs on me, oranything. You see, we don't know what mood she'll wake up in."Sir James and Julius accompanied her to the door."Where's the key? Oh, of course, I've got it myself."She put it in the lock, and turned it, then paused."Supposing, after all, she's escaped?" she murmured in a whisper."Plumb impossible," replied Julius reassuringly.But Sir James said nothing.Tuppence drew a long breath and entered. She heaved a sigh ofrelief as she saw that Mrs. Vandemeyer was lying on the bed."Good morning," she remarked cheerfully. "I've brought you sometea."Mrs. Vandemeyer did not reply. Tuppence put down the cup on thetable by the bed and went across to draw up the blinds. When sheturned, Mrs. Vandemeyer still lay without a movement. With asudden fear clutching at her heart, Tuppence ran to the bed. Thehand she lifted was cold as ice.... Mrs. Vandemeyer would neverspeak now....Her cry brought the others. A very few minutes sufficed. Mrs.Vandemeyer was dead--must have been dead some hours. She hadevidently died in her sleep."If that isn't the cruellest luck," cried Julius in despair.The lawyer was calmer, but there was a curious gleam in his eyes."If it is luck," he replied."You don't think--but, say, that's plumb impossible--no one couldhave got in.""No," admitted the lawyer. "I don't see how they could. Andyet--she is on the point of betraying Mr. Brown, and--she dies.Is it only chance?""But how----""Yes, how! That is what we must find out." He stood theresilently, gently stroking his chin. "We must find out," he saidquietly, and Tuppence felt that if she was Mr. Brown she wouldnot like the tone of those simple words.Julius's glance went to the window."The window's open," he remarked. "Do you think----"Tuppence shook her head."The balcony only goes along as far as the boudoir. We werethere.""He might have slipped out----" suggested Julius.But Sir James interrupted him."Mr. Brown's methods are not so crude. In the meantime we mustsend for a doctor, but before we do so, is there anything in thisroom that might be of value to us?"Hastily, the three searched. A charred mass in the grateindicated that Mrs. Vandemeyer had been burning papers on the eveof her flight. Nothing of importance remained, though theysearched the other rooms as well."There's that," said Tuppence suddenly, pointing to a small,old-fashioned safe let into the wall. "It's for jewellery, Ibelieve, but there might be something else in it."The key was in the lock, and Julius swung open the door, andsearched inside. He was some time over the task."Well," said Tuppence impatiently.There was a pause before Julius answered, then he withdrew hishead and shut to the door."Nothing," he said.In five minutes a brisk young doctor arrived, hastily summoned.He was deferential to Sir James, whom he recognized."Heart failure, or possibly an overdose of somesleeping-draught." He sniffed. "Rather an odour of chloral inthe air."Tuppence remembered the glass she had upset. A new thought droveher to the washstand. She found the little bottle from whichMrs. Vandemeyer had poured a few drops.It had been three parts full. Now--it was empty.