Three Character Girl
Katrina Rieger
"Hello.. hello... What did you say?" Sims repeated his sentence.
"We found a pack of strychnin in the girl's room - tucked under the mattress. The sergeant just came to report the results of this investigation. The case is almost settled, I guess."
"Yes" said Commissioner Saga.
"I agree it's almost over." Sounds change.
There was a sudden sense of certainty. After putting down the phone, Commissioner Saga sat down at his writing desk, arranging the objects on the table mechanically. He nodded to himself, though,
"Something's wrong. I feel it - no, not feel it. Must be something I've seen. En avant, my brain cells. Think - remember! Is everything logical and appropriate" The girl - her concern for the money; Mrs Delafontaine; her husband - her advice about Russians - is a moron, but she is indeed a moron; the room; the garden - ah! Right, that garden." Commissioner Saga stands tall.
A green light shone in his eyes. He entered the translucent room of his study. "Miss Lemon, will you leave your work and do some research for me?"
"Investigation, Commissioner Saga" I think, I'm underprivileged - "The detective interrupts his words.
"You once said you knew everything about entrepreneurs."
"Oh, that's for sure" said Miss Lemon steadily.
"Well, the problem is simple. You must go to Charman's Green and meet a fishmonger."
"Fishman?" miss Lemon was surprised.
"Persian. Rosebank fish merchant. If you've met, ask me a few things." Commissioner Saga handed me a piece of paper. Miss Lemon read the writing on the paper nonchalantly, nodded, then closed her typewriter. Arriving at Commissioner Saga's destination is greeted by astonished Inspector Sims. "A quick one, though,. Commissioner Saga. Just an hour ago we were talking on the phone."
"I have a request. Can I find Katrina - what's her full name?"
"Katrina Rieger. There is no reason to refuse." Katrina looked much paler and pouted. Gently Commissioner Saga spoke to him, saying,
"Mademoiselle, I want you to believe that I am your comrade. I'd like you to tell me the real story." Katrina's eyes challenged.
"I've told you the truth. To everyone I tell the truth! If the old woman was poisoned, it wasn't me who did it. This accusation is wrong. You guys want to stop me from getting that money." Her voice is raucous.
"He's like a miserable little mouse" thought Commissioner Saga. "Tell me about the capsule, Mademoiselle," Commissioner Saga continued.
"Don't anyone else take care of it?" "I told you so, didn't I" The capsule was made in a pharmacy during the day. I took it and brought it home in a bag - just before dinner. I open the box and I give one capsule with a glass of water to Miss Barrowby."
"Nobody touched it except you?"
"No!" Little rat - the reckless one!
"Yes." Yeah." 'Desperate 'Yes' - dark eyes burning, who did not see a single speck of hope. Commissioner Saga gently pressed the girl's shoulder.
"Be careful, Mademoiselle. Maybe there's still freedom - really, and inheritance money - a nice life." Katrina looked at Commissioner Saga suspiciously. When Commissioner Saga left, Inspector Sims said,
"I don't understand what you're saying over the phone - about the girl having a friend." "He has a friend. Me!" commissioner Saga then left the police headquarters before Inspector Sims was able to digest his answer.
***
In the tea room Green Cat Miss Lemon did not let her master wait. He went straight into the problem. "The name of the fish merchant was Rudge. Stay on High Street, and you're right. Just one and a half dozen. I recorded what he said." The note was handed over to Commissioner Saga.
"Narr." A deep voice satisfied, like the voice of a cat stroked by its master.
***
Commissioner Saga returns to Rosebank When he stands in the front garden, the sun is behind him, Mary Delafontaine greets him.
" Commissioner Saga?" his voice showed his surprise
"You back?"
"Indeed, I'm back." The detective was silent for a moment, then said,
"The first time I came here, Madame, I was reminded of a nursery rhyme: Aunt Mary, good morning, what's in your garden" Shells and weeds, and a line of young women. It's just not shell, is it, Madame, but oyster skin." Commissioner Saga's finger pointed at the lined oyster skin. Commissioner Saga heard the hostess take a breath, then was glued motionless. His eyes wondered. Commissioner Saga nodded.
"Mais, oui, I know! The waiter prepares dinner - he will swear so and Katrina too - that only these menus are served. Only you and your husband know that you are buying one and a half dozen oysters - a little special dish for la bonne auntie. It's easy to put strychnin into an oyster. The oysters were swallowed - comme ?a! But, there is still the skin that should not be thrown into the garbage basket. The waiter will know. Therefore you make an oyster skin fence for flower plants. Too bad, the number is not enough - the fence is not finished. As a result it is not good to damage the slick garden lines. That little oyster skin caught the attention of strangers - an unpleasant sight to my eyes the first time I came here." Mary Delafontaine opens her voice,
"I guess you guessed so far from the letter. I know he wrote a letter - but I don't know how far he's going." While evading Commissioner Saga replied,
"At least I know that the thing he meant was a family matter. If this matter concerned Katrina, there was no reason to keep it a secret. I know that you or your husband manage Miss Barrowby's securities for your own benefit and she realizes - "Mary Delafontaine nodded.
"We've been doing it for years - a little bit. I never realized he was smart enough to know the cheating. Then I knew that he was contacting a detective; and I knew also that he bequeathed his fortune to Katrina - that annoying little girl!"
"So that strychnin was put in Katrina's bedroom" I understand. You saved yourself as well as your husband from something I might have dismantled. And you're charging that innocent girl with murder charges. Don't you have any pity, Madame?" Mary Delafontaine shrugged - her eyeballs that were as blue as a forget-me-not flower stared at Commissioner Saga. Commissioner Saga remembered the perfection of the woman's charade before her the first time she had come as well as the carelessness of her husband. A woman who is quite intelligent, but ruthless.
"Pity?" mary Delafontaine. "To that little rat that conspired?" Anger exploded.
Slowly Commissioner Saga said, "Madame, I guess there are only two things you care about in your life. The first is your husband." Commissioner Saga saw Mary Delafontaine's lips shake.
"And the second - your garden." Commissioner Saga looked around him. His eyes are as if apologizing to the flowers for what he has done and what he will do.
