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(She switches on the light at the switch up Right and crosses to the radio to turn it down. Then she sees MRS. BOYLE lying strangled in front of the sofa and screams as—the Curtain quickly falls.)

CURTAIN

ACT TWO

SCENE: The same. Ten minutes later.

When the Curtain rises, MRS. BOYLE’s body has been removed andEVERYONEis assembled in the room.TROTTERis in charge and is sitting on the upstage side of the refectory table.MOLLIEis standing at the Right end of the refectory table. The others are all sitting,MAJORMETCALFin the large armchair Right, CHRISTOPHERin the dark chair, GILESon the stairs Left, MISSCASEWELLat the Right end of the sofa, andPARAVICINIat the Left end.

TROTTER. Now, Mrs. Ralston, try and think—think . . .

MOLLIE. (At breaking point) I can’t think. My head’s numbed.

TROTTER. Mrs. Boyle had only just been killed when you got to her. You came from the kitchen. Are you sure you didn’t see or hear anybody as you came along the hallway?

MOLLIE. No—no, I don’t think so. Just the radio blaring out in here. I couldn’t think who’d turned it on so loud. I wouldn’t hear anything else with that, would I?

TROTTER. That was clearly the murderer’s idea—or (Meaningly) murderess.

MOLLIE. How could I hear anything else?

TROTTER. You might have done. If the murderer had left the hall that way (he points Left) he might have heard you coming from the kitchen. He might have slipped up the back stairs—or into the dining room . . .

MOLLIE. I think—I’m not sure—I heard a door creak—and shut—just as I came out of the kitchen.

TROTTER. Which door?

MOLLIE. I don’t know.

TROTTER. Think, Mrs. Ralston—try and think. Upstairs? Downstairs? Close at hand? Right? Left?

MOLLIE. (Tearful) I don’t know, I tell you. I’m not even sure I heard anything. (She moves down to the armchair Centre and sits.)

GILES. (Rising and moving to Left of the refectory table; angrily) Can’t you stop bullying her? Can’t you see she’s all in?

TROTTER. (Sharply) We’re investigating a murder, Mr. Ralston. Up to now, nobody has taken this thing seriously. Mrs. Boyle didn’t. She held out on me with information. You all held out on me. Well, Mrs. Boyle is dead. Unless we get to the bottom of this—and quickly, mind—there may be another death.

GILES. Another? Nonsense. Why?

TROTTER. (Gravely) Because there were three little blind mice.

GILES. A death for each of them? But there would have to be some connection—I mean another connection—with the Longridge Farm business.

TROTTER. Yes, there would have to be that.

GILES. But why another death here?

TROTTER. Because there were only two addresses in the notebook we found. Now, at twenty-four Culver Street there was only one possible victim. She’s dead. But here at Monkswell Manor there is a wider field. (He looks round the circle meaningly.)

MISSCASEWELL. Nonsense. Surely it would be a most unlikely coincidence that there should be two people brought here by chance, both of them with a share in the Longridge Farm case?

TROTTER. Given certain circumstances, it wouldn’t be so much of a coincidence. Think it out, Miss Casewell. (He rises.) Now I want to get down quite clearly where everyone was when Mrs. Boyle was killed. I’ve already got Mrs. Ralston’s statement. You were in the kitchen preparing vegetables. You came out of the kitchen, along the passage, through the swing door into the hall and in here. (He points to the archway Right.) The radio was blaring, but the light was switched off, and the hall was dark. You switched the light on, saw Mrs. Boyle, and screamed.

MOLLIE. Yes. I screamed and screamed. And at last—people came.