The Beast with Five Fingers Page #4

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in this house

would certainly be conclusive

for any judge.

Duprex, you're a man

of extreme perception.

Actually, as it happens, I know

the existence of a former will,

which names your son

as sole heir.

Only a few months ago,

Francis Ingram changed his mind.

I have the impression that he acted

under a neurotic obsession.

Which certainly affected

his willpower.

Then it would be simple

to have this will annulled.

It would take a certain

amount of handling.

Would you like me to represent you

in the matter.

Of course.

Share? You mean your fee?

I said share.

What do you want?

For participation,

let us say one third.

You understand I would offer my services

to Miss Holden under the same circumstances.

You mean you'd help her

instead of us?

I'm on the side of those

who engage me.

Alright... will you take the case.

Tomorrow the will shall be broken.

There's a light in the mausoleum!

Strange...

No one here.

No!

Somebody was playing...

Did you hear it?

Of course I did.

Hilary... who was playing?

i don't know...

I didn't see anybody.

The piano was closed

when I went upstairs.

This has been locked

since dear Mr Ingram died.

There...

Don... Donald!

It's Mr Ingram's ring!

He always put it there.

What are you trying to say?

I don't know.

I don't understand.

The music... it was his style...

his technique...

I couldn't be mistaken.

What's the matter?

Come down here!

Dad!

Dad.. quick!

Duprex!... He's dead!

No!... Don't touch him!

What?!

Send for the police.

The fingerprints on the key

that locked the piano

do not match any of yours,

signorina, signore, or any of the servants.

That we have proved beyond doubt

thanks to my colleague, Mr Bataillion.

To eliminate a possible clue

is almost as good as finding one.

You mean you suspected

one of us?

I do not suspect, Signor Conrad...

I am here merely to investigate.

Signore, please...

a little closer.

Now let us be methodical... eh?

A murderer must have a motive.

Who would have gained

by Mr Duprex' death?

Why don't we tell him, Dad?

Tell what?

Duprex could have proved

that my uncle was insane.

And also that a former will exists

which was made while

he was still in his right mind.

Somebody in this room is just lucky

that he died so suddenly.

I could scarcely strangle a man!

And I don't play the piano.

Because nobody's ever heard you,

doesn't prove you can't play.

If you remember, I was upstairs

when we heard the music.

So you were... but Duprex must have

been dead by that time.

Fine reasoning, Arlington.

And how did the ring get on the piano?

You probably have an explanation

for that, too.

Of course!...

Anybody could have taken the ring off

Francis' hand and placed it on the instrument.

The marks on his throat...

just like the ones I have.

I can still feel his fingers.

And it was Ingram playing that night...

how about that?

I am not enough of a musician myself

to recognise Francis' technique.

But this man is... in fact he is

himself an expert pianist.

Thank you for the compliment.

But unfortunately, I wasn't here

at the time.

Can you prove it?

Horatio can.

He put me to bed at the inn.

But don't worry, Commissario,

the whole mystery is easy to solve.

You see, Francis' ghost doesn't want

this will contested.

So he murdered Duprex.

And to leave a clue for the police

he played the piano.

But there are no such things as ghosts,

Signor Conrad...

In all my life I have never seen one.

For that matter, neither have I.

But one can never be sure...

can one?

I'm sure that a ghost would respond

to a bullet between his ribs.

Somebody very much alive

went into that vault last night.

We saw a light.

And who went to the mausoleum,

Signor Donald?

I don't know... If I knew,

don't you think I'd have told you?

Maybe.

But sometimes people tell me things

after it's too late.

Signore... you did not have to

come down here.

For me this is merely

a matter of routine.

Do you wish to reconsider?

We are just as anxious as you are,

Commissario.

And we are just as brave.

As you wish...

After you...

This window was not broken

when we were here at the funeral.

I'm sure it wasn't.

The glass was smashed

from the inside.

No one could possibly climb through

a jagged little opening like that.

Somebody's been here.

This lid's been moved!

What did I tell you?...

That's how the ring was stolen.

Let's make sure.

Give me a hand with the lid.

Horrible!

He's cut off his own hand!

A corpse?!... Very likely, indeed!

Yes, a corpse...

The medic was positive he was dead

when they buried him.

There's no doubt about it.

And even if he wasn't,

his right side was paralysed.

There's fingerprints on the glass.

Better take it with us.

You take it... I might drop it.

No blood on the glass.

A keen observation...

Make a note.

Let us see if there are some other

pieces of glass in the garden.

- There aren't any footprints.

- No...

The print of a hand.

Broke the window

and climbed through.

And walked away.

Anna... Tessa... go in the house, quick!

Look at her, you will be cursed.

They've turned their eyes away...

All of them!

They believe that evil spirits

can only be evoked

by people who are Jettatori

And whoever lives at the Villa Francesca

may possess the evil eye.

I don't want to stay here

any longer.

Don't show them you're afraid.

That WILL convince them.

You're hurting me!

I'm sorry...

Guess I'm a bit rattled myself.

Horatio!

Signor Conrad...

Bring me some brandy

and a coffee for la signorina.

You wanted proof.

Tomorrow the bakery

will be closed to us.

The butcher will have no meat.

They'll try to starve us out of town,

and if we don't leave...

I can't believe that people

could be so superstitious.

It's their folklore.

They've been brought up on it

for centuries.

I have been looking for you...

and the signorina.

What's the bad news, Commissario.

The fingerprints on the piece of glass

we picked up at the mausoleum...

correspond with the imprint

on the piano key.

- You mean it's the same hand?

- Precisely.

Then, it was Francis' hand

that unlocked the piano?

And played?

Can you give me a better explanation,

Signor Conrad,

I will only too happy to accept it.

I found the fingerprints

of identical pattern

in the library... in the hall... even on

the window pane in your room, signorina.

Fingerprints not older

than a day.

Are you sure of it?

In my mind there is no doubt

the hand is walking around.

You don't believe in things

like that.

Unfortunately, for the peace

of our souls,

one cannot explain everything logically

that happens in this world, Signor Conrad.

So, even the Commissario

is afraid of 'jettatora'.

Horatio!

Where's my drink?

I'm sorry... It might be better

if you were served elsewhere.

There's the money I owe you.

Now bring us something to drink.

I can refuse service to anybody.

Let's get away from here,

Bruce... please!

You're right signorina... It would be much

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