‘Oh dear, Mr Reed, I do hope notthat. One always hashope for human nature.’

‘I still don’t feel it can have been Walter Fane,’ said Gwenda thoughtfully. ‘And I’m sure it wasn’t Major Erskine. In fact Iknow it wasn’t.’

‘One’s feelings are not always reliable guides,’ said Miss Marple. ‘The most unlikely people do things-quite a sensation there was in my own little village when the Treasurer of the Christmas Club was found to have put every penny of the funds on a horse. He disapproved of horse-racing and indeed any kind of betting or gambling. His father had been a Turf Agent and had treated his mother very badly-so, intellectually speaking, he was quite sincere. But he chanced one day to be motoring near Newmarket and saw some horses training. And then it all came over him-blood does tell.’

‘The antecedents of both Walter Fane and Richard Erskine seem above suspicion,’ said Giles gravely but with a slight amused twist to his mouth. ‘But then murder is by way of being an amateur crime.’

‘The important thing is,’ said Miss Marple, ‘that they werethere. On the spot. Walter Fane was here in Dillmouth. Major Erskine, by his own account, must actually have been with Helen Halliday very shortly before her death-andhe did not return to his hotel for some time that night.’

‘But he was quite frank about it. He-’

Gwenda broke off. Miss Marple was looking at her very hard.

‘I only want to emphasize,’ said Miss Marple, ‘the importance of beingon the spot.’ She looked from one to the other of them.

Then she said, ‘I think you will have no trouble in finding out J. J. Afflick’s address. As proprietor of the Daffodil Coaches, it should be easy enough.’

Giles nodded. ‘I’ll get on to it. Probably in the telephone directory.’ He paused. ‘You think we should go and see him?’ 

Miss Marple waited for a moment or two, then she said: ‘If you do-you must be very careful. Remember what that old gardener just said-Jackie Afflick is smart. Please-pleasebe careful…’