The ABC Murders

‘That’s all pure conjecture,’ I objected. ‘It doesn’t give you any practical help.’

‘You prefer the match end, the cigarette ash, the nailed boots! You always have. But at least we can ask ourselves some practical questions. Why the A B C? Why Mrs Ascher? Why Andover?’

‘The woman’s past life seems simple enough,’ I mused. ‘The interviews with those two men were disappointing. They couldn’t tell us anything more than we knew already.’

‘To tell the truth, I did not expect much in that line. But we could not neglect two possible candidates for the murder.’

‘Surely you don’t think—’

‘There is at least a possibility that the murderer lives in or near Andover. That is a possible answer to our question: “Why Andover?” Well, here were two men known to have been in the shop at the requisite time of day. Either of them might be the murderer. And there is nothing as yet to show that one or other of them is not the murderer.’

‘That great hulking brute, Riddell, perhaps,’ I admitted.

‘Oh, I am inclined to acquit Riddell off-hand. He was nervous, blustering, obviously uneasy—’

‘But surely that just shows—’

‘A nature diametrically opposed to that which penned the A B C letter. Conceit and self-confidence are the characteristics that we must look for.’

‘Someone who throws his weight about?’

‘Possibly. But some people, under a nervous and self-effacing manner, conceal a great deal of vanity and self-satisfaction.’

‘You don’t think that little Mr Partridge—’

‘He is more le type. One cannot say more than that. He acts as the writer of the letter would act—goes at once to the police—pushes himself to the fore—enjoys his position.’

‘Do you really think—?’

‘No, Hastings. Personally I believe that the murderer came from outside Andover, but we must neglect no avenue of research. And although I say “he” all the time, we must not exclude the possibility of a woman being concerned.’

‘Surely not!’

‘The method of attack is that of a man, I agree. But anonymous letters are written by women rather than by men. We must bear that in mind.’

I was silent for a few minutes, then I said:

‘What do we do next?’

‘My energetic Hastings,’ Poirot said and smiled at me.

‘No, but what do we do?’

‘Nothing.’

‘Nothing?’ My disappointment rang out clearly.

‘Am I the magician? The sorcerer? What would you have me do?’

Turning the matter over in my mind I found it difficult to give an answer. Nevertheless I felt convinced that something ought to be done and that we should not allow the grass to grow under our feet.

I said:

‘There is the A B C—and the notepaper and envelope—’

‘Naturally everything is being done in that line. The police have all the means at their disposal for that kind of inquiry. If anything is to be discovered on those lines have no fear but that they will discover it.’

With that I was forced to rest content.

In the days that followed I found Poirot curiously disinclined to discuss the case. When I tried to reopen the subject he waved it aside with an impatient hand.

In my own mind I was afraid that I fathomed his motive. Over the murder of Mrs Ascher, Poirot had sustained a defeat. A B C had challenged him—and A B C had won. My friend, accustomed to an unbroken line of successes, was sensitive to his failure—so much so that he could not even endure discussion of the subject. It was, perhaps, a sign of pettiness in so great a man, but even the most sober of us is liable to have his head turned by success. In Poirot’s case the head-turning process had been going on for years. Small wonder if its effects became noticeable at long last.

Understanding, I respected my friend’s weakness and I made no further reference to the case. I read in the paper the account of the inquest. It was very brief, no mention was made of the A B C letter, and a verdict was returned of murder by some person or persons unknown. The crime attracted very little attention in the press. It had no popular or spectacular features. The murder of an old woman in a side street was soon passed over in the press for more thrilling topics.

Truth to tell, the affair was fading from my mind also, partly, I think, because I disliked to think of Poirot as being in any way associated with a failure, when on July 25th it was suddenly revived.

I had not seen Poirot for a couple of days as I had been away in Yorkshire for the weekend. I arrived back on Monday afternoon and the letter came by the six o’clock post. I remember the sudden, sharp intake of breath that Poirot gave as he slit open that particular envelope.

‘It has come,’ he said.

I stared at him—not understanding.

‘What has come?’

‘The second chapter of the A B C business.’

For a minute I looked at him uncomprehendingly. The matter had really passed from my memory.

‘Read,’ said Poirot and passed me over the letter.

As before, it was printed on good-quality paper.

Dear Mr Poirot,—Well, what about it? First game to me, I think. The Andover business went with a swing, didn’t it?

But the fun’s only just beginning. Let me draw your attention to Bexhill-on-Sea. Date, the 25th inst.

What a merry time we are having! Yours etc.

A B C

‘Good God, Poirot,’ I cried. ‘Does this mean that this fiend is going to attempt another crime?’

‘Naturally, Hastings. What else did you expect? Did you think that the Andover business was an isolated case? Do you not remember my saying: “This is the beginning”?’

‘But this is horrible!’

‘Yes, it is horrible.’

‘We’re up against a homicidal maniac.’

‘Yes.’

His quietness was more impressive than any heroics could have been. I handed back the letter with a shudder.

The following morning saw us at a conference of powers. The Chief Constable of Sussex, the Assistant Commissioner of the CID, Inspector Glen from Andover, Superintendent Carter of the Sussex police, Japp and a younger inspector called Crome, and Dr Thompson, the famous alienist, were all assembled together. The postmark on this letter was Hampstead, but in Poirot’s opinion little importance could be attached to this fact.

The matter was discussed fully. Dr Thompson was a pleasant middle-aged man who, in spite of his learning, contented himself with homely language, avoiding the technicalities of his profession.

‘There’s no doubt,’ said the Assistant Commissioner, ‘that the two letters are in the same hand. Both were written by the same person.’

‘And we can fairly assume that that person was responsible for the Andover murder.’

‘Quite. We’ve now got definite warning of a second crime scheduled to take place on the 25th—the day after tomorrow—at Bexhill. What steps can be taken?’

The Sussex Chief Constable looked at his superintendent.

‘Well, Carter, what about it?’

The superintendent shook his head gravely.

‘It’s difficult, sir. There’s not the least clue towards whom the victim may be. Speaking fair and square, what steps can we take?’

‘A suggestion,’ murmured Poirot.

Their faces turned to him.

‘I think it possible that the surname of the intended victim will begin with the letter B.’

‘That would be something,’ said the superintendent doubtfully.

‘An alphabetical complex,’ said Dr Thompson thoughtfully.

‘I suggest it as a possibility—no more. It came into my mind when I saw the name Ascher clearly written over the shop door of the unfortunate woman who was murdered last month. When I got the letter naming Bexhill it occurred to me as a possibility that the victim as well as the place might be selected by an alphabetical system.’

‘It’s possible,’ said the doctor. ‘On the other hand, it may be that the name Ascher was a coincidence—that the victim this time, no matter what her name is, will again be an old woman who keeps a shop. We’re dealing, remember, with a madman. So far he hasn’t given us any clue as to motive.’

‘Has a madman any motive, sir?’ asked the superintendent sceptically.

‘Of course he has, man. A deadly logic is one of the special characteristics of acute mania. A man may believe himself divinely appointed to kill clergymen—or doctors—or old women in tobacco shops—and there’s always some perfectly coherent reason behind it. We mustn’t let the alphabetical business run away with us. Bexhill succeeding to Andover may be a mere coincidence.’

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