Thank you for your time, Helen. I am commissioned to investigate the murder of your ex-husband. I`m going to ask you some questions about him. Do you think he was satisfied with his both personal life and career? – Inspector Harrington, a total pro at questioning, felt a real inspiration to identify a murderer. Helen seemed to have very much in common with traditional jealous ex-wives, who fly off the handle and with the help of some rich blokes organize an open murder or naked larceny.
Inspector put off his glasses and opened his big black notepad in which his notes seemed to be a strange kind of Arabic ornamentation. Helen thought that the nib of his Parker-pan was as sharp as the scissors she was shown before, precisely those, the murderer used to finish Daniel with no fuss and almost no muss. Helen, an accused woman, averted her gaze modestly. Reading-lamp light made her hair be like a flame, her skin overtoned unusually.
Daniel was high in demands. Well, I do think he was happy. – Helen looked rather startled. – But we haven`t spoken since your separation.
Where were you last Friday?
At home, backing a lemon pie. – Helen only said with almost a splutter.
Excellent. Who were with you?
No one, inspector. – She blurted out and gave a slight twitch of her right shoulder.
What about your and Daniel’s son?
For god`s sake! This is not about him. After all, I’ll do everything to protect Phil.
Inspector said mildly ominous:
Even if he’d done a crime, even if he had killed Daniel? You can`t protect him forever. – The emotional tension was inspector’s favorite part of questioning. He paused and then said:
I know Phil had a malignant tumor 3 years ago. Daniel was the only surgeon who could help. But you did not even ask him for…
Nothing critical. Any doctor could cope with that and so it had happened. Everything worked out. – Helen tried to hide her confusion.
But what a risk! – Inspector stared.
Luckily, he recovered quickly enough to continue his studying. Thank goodness that`s over. As I said before, Daniel’s help wasn`t needed indeed. Believe me, Phil could not kill my ex-husband that day. My boy isn’t strong enough for this.
What made you think of it? – He demanded.
It`s quite clear that he must be strong enough and knew where to hit. An envy could be a strong motive for someone else. But Phil, a milksop with an angel soul… It can’t be discussed any longer.
Alright, Helen. If you're interested, Daniel found out that you did not address him at a difficult moment. He was very upset. He loved you and his son.
That is a fantasy!
But I guess poisoning does not require strength or special knowledge… Even Phil would have coped.
There was a silence for a while.
I didn’t know anything about poisoning…
We found out that on Friday Daniel had take-out in a restaurant around the corner. In a portion that he ate, there was a lethal dose of ricin in the pepper, but death from the poison would not have come earlier than in 12 hours. The next day he was going to visit his lawyer to “finish something up”.
My God! – Helen`s voice rose abrupt.
Daniel’s friend and his maid told us something you should also know. Daniel was concerned about something like a generic curse. His father and grandfather at the age of 35 committed suicide. – Helen was confused about inspector’s words. She thought she was the only one who knew about the fear of her ex.
Obviously, he tried to do it. To kill himself!
But someone tried to hide it. To clear an already tainted family! To break the ill-fated circle, I suppose!
Helen shrunk back. Inspector went on:
Perhaps, it was someone who loved him. Neither you nor your son, it seems to me. Thank you, Helen, you are free to go. And you can be calm for your son. Now, perhaps, he will not suffer the fate of his ancestry…
As pale as a wall, she got up from the table and left the room.
Daniel’s friend was asked to come in…
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