Another Man's Poison Page #7

That's more than me job's worth.

Oh, come mrs. Bunting. Just a peek.

No. That would be nosy parkling, and that doesn't become you doctor.

Nosy parkling, mrs. Bunting. You know me better than that.

She's right, doctor,n t doesn't become you.

My dear sir. It's good to see you up and about again, so soon.

Thank you, mrs. Bunting, it doesn't become him.

Well, you had a bit of luck last night.

The ways of providence are certainly unpredictable, aren't they?

Did my wife send for you, doctor?

No, no, no. I called to inquire after your health.

And my photograph?

Forgive me.

That's my insatiable curiosity, again.

As a matter of fact, i also called

to collect the remains of the compound that i made up for fury some time ago.

Compound?

Horse medicine.

It's poisonous.

Now that the animal is deceased

presumable it will no longer be required.

I don't know anything about it.

Are you sure?

A small bottle. Bluish?

Quite sure.

I understand that last night you were on your way to the station

to bring back miss chris.

Yes. But i failed. Now they've both gone.

Leaving you and your wife here tone joy your marital state in peace.

Look doctor, i wrecked your jeep.

I'll pay for it in money, not words.

My dear mr. Preston, the jeep is more than adequately insured.

Each time you come here there's some sort of cross examination.

I didn't mean to imply...

come to the point.

What are you after?

The truth. If possible.

I am interested in people and events.

And some of the aspects of this house strike me as being a little unusual.

For example?

May i tell you a story?

It's brief. It has point and clarity. And i think hangs together.

Well?

It's about a man wanted by the police,

who comes to a house- a lonely house on a yorkshire moor-

and insinuates himself into the good graces of a talented and beautiful woman-his wife.

She, oddly enough, has no affection for him,

and seems even to resent his advances.

Blinded by frustration and jealously, he kills-an animal.

Only an animal.

That may seem a supremely unimportant felony to you, mr. Preston,

but to me, it is murder of a peculiarly vicious and unforgivable kind.

A remarkable flight of fancy, doctor.

Youve missed your vocation.

Fancy?

Tell my wife. It should make a successful book.

I'll do that, as soon as i have the last chapter.

Since we're asking questions this morning.

Do you mind if i ask you one?

Certainly, by all means.

Why did you leave your jeep here last night?

Because it wasn't safe to drive.

I remember remarking on it to your wife at the time.

Do you mean you actually told my wife it wasn't save to drive?

Yes, i did.

In such an extraordinary storm. On of the worst we've had...

doctor.

Good morning, my dear.

Morning, george.

I was just congratulating you husband on his miraculous escape last night.

I know. I was so distressed about fury,

that what you had told me about the jeep went completely out of my mind.

It was all my fault.

Oh, don't let's dwell on it, my dear.

Last evening he rushed out without even a hat or a coat before i could stop him.

Exactly.

But he came back.

Yes, he came back.

I tell you one thing that will never come back and that's my jeep.

It's beyond repair.

I'm sorry.

I took a look at to see if it could be salvaged.

You mean down to the water?

Early this morning.

It was cold and raw, but i'm glad i made the effort.

While i was down there, i found this.

It's a hat.

A man's hat.

Don't you recognize it?

Should i?

It's you husband's.

I saw it that first night he was here.

It was lying over there.

I remember it distinctly.

Oh. Yes of course it is.

It must have fallen off in the accident.

Oh, then he did go out with a hat last night.

Oh, well he must have done.

Oh, doctor you will have to forgive me.

I'm still so utterly confused.

Of course, my dear, it's been a great shock for you

and you mustnt distress yourself.

Well, i must be off.

I'll take that if you don't mind.

It's a veryninteresting discovery

who know what we may find now that they're dragging the tarn.

Dragging the ta...

what for?

The insurance company insists.

Oh, but that's ridiculous.

But i'm afraid it's inevitable,

you see i found something else down there.

I couldn't get to it. You see it was lying on some submerged rocks.

I couldn't even see it properly, except to recognize that it was a body.

The body of a man.

How he got there and why is impossible to say, yet.

There'll be an inquest of course, and no doubt a post mortem.

Oh, if there's anything i can do, my dear, you'll telephone me won't you? Au revoir.

George! George!

George, i'm frightened.

Are you?

It's possible. I never know about you.

They'll be up here soon.

Asking us questions.

Not us, janet, you.

George.

George.

What you going to do?

I'm leaving.

I ought to kill you, but i'm not going to.

You think i tried to kill you. You think that, don't you?

I don't think it, i know it.

You tried to kill me just like you killed him.

When i put him in the tarn he wasn't alive. He was dead.

Completely dead, wasn't he?

He was dead. Wasn't he, janet?

Wasn't he?

Yes.

Oh, george, don't go.

Forgive me.

I lost my head. It was fury.

I went out of my mind with grief.

Henderson lied to me.

Made me believe you shot him on purpose.

Clever man, henderson.

Oh, george, don't you see what he's doing?

Trying to set us against each other.

That means he's not sure.

We're safe, george, safe as long as we stay together.

You always said so. You were right, you've been right all through.

If you hadn't tried to get rid of me this would have never have happened.

It's poetic justice, isn't it.

George, take me with you. We'll go away together.

They'll be here soon, asking us questions.

I don't know what to say!

Something will occur to you. It always does.

No george. No george.

George, stay with me, just for five minutes.

Talk to me. I know we'll have a drink.

A farewell drink. You can't refuse me that.

Yes, there is a waynout, even now.

Clear cut and plausible.

What?

Suicide. Not yours. Mine.

I killed your husband. Forced you to accept me in his place.

I threatened you. frightened you into it.

When i saw them dragging the tarn. I knew it was all over and took my own life.

Yes, that would let you out.

But first you'd have to kill me.

Oh, george, you're mad.

Now let's think how you'd set about it.

Same means as before.

Persuade me to take a drink and put something in it.

I swear to you there's nothing in this drink, i swear to you.

Yes, janet, i'll have a farewell drink with you.

Out of a flask i filled myself.

All right. If that's the way you want it.

What's so funny.

Life.

I'm glad you can laugh at it.

Here's to a long one.

Oh, by the way...

henderson was right about fury, i really...

strange to see this happening again.

It takes less than a minute, george.

And the joke is, you did it to yourself.

Janet. Janet. Get henderson.

Thank you for the way out, george. It hadn't occurred to me.

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