爱情与金钱之六LoveorMoney？TheyfoundPeterHobbsunderhiscaranoldgreencar.Hegotupslowly.Heworeoldbluetrousersandadirtyorangeshirt.‘WewanttotalkaboutMrsClarkson,’InspectorWalshsaid.‘Oh,it'sabouther,’Petersaid.HelookedattheInspector.‘Iknowshe'sdead.Someoneinthevillagetoldme.’‘WhydidyougototheClarkson'shouselastnight?’‘Jackiewantedmetocomeandseeherbrother,Roger.“You'reangry,”shesaid.“ComeandtellRoger.”Iwenttothehousebutnobodyopenedthedoor.SoImadealotofnoiseandthentheyopenedthedoor.OldMrsClarksonwasn'tthere.ButItoldRoger.Itoldthemall!’Peterhitthecarwithhishand.‘Iwantedtokillthatwoman.Ilostmyjob,myfirstjob,becauseofher.LastmonthIwasintroublewiththepoliceandthatoldwomanwrotetomyofficeandshetoldthemaboutthepolice.Iwantedtokillher!’‘Takeiteasy!’InspectorWalshsaid.‘Whathappenednext?’‘Jackiegavemesomecoffee,butherbrotherdidn'tlistentome,’Petersaidangrily.‘ThenTomBriggscamein.HewantedtotalktoRoger,too.ButRogerdidn'tlistentohim.Jackiewasveryunhappyshenearlycried.ThenIwenthome.That'sall.’‘Isee.Nowtellmeaboutthetalbets.YouwenttothevillageonThursday?’‘Tablets?Oh,yes.Iremember.Jackiewantedmetogethermother'stabletsfromthevillage.Igotothevillageonmybicyclethiscardoesn'twork.’‘Thankyou,Peter.That'sall.’‘That'sall?’Peterlaughedangrily.‘You'regoingtocomeback,Iknowthat!Iknowthepolice!’TomBriggs'farmwasabouthalfamileaway,neartheriver.Itwasnotabigfarm,andthehousewasoldanddirty.‘Notmuchmoneyhere,’InspectorWalshsaid.TomBriggswasayoungman,aboutthirtyyearsold,withdirtyhandsandbadteeth.‘What'swrong?Excuseme,I'meatingmydinner,’hesaid.‘Wecanwait.Finishyourdinner,’InspectorWalshsaid.‘Wewanttoaskoneortwoquestionsaboutlastnight.’‘Comeandwaitinthefrontroom,’Tomsaidandopenedthedoor.InspectorWalshlookedatthethingsinthefrontroom.Therewasanoldblackandwhitetelevision,andsomebooksonthetable.Therewasapictureofahappyyounggirlwithlongbrownhaironthetable,too.InspectorWalshlookedatthepictureforalongtime.Whowasthegirl?TomBriggscamebackintothefrontroom.‘Finished?’InspectorWalshasked.‘YouknowMrsClarksonisdead?’TomBriggssatdownSuddenlyonthenearestchair.‘What?Howdidshedie?Whendidithappen?Iwastherelastnight.’‘Shediedlastnightorearlythismorning.Whatdidyoudolastnight?’‘Me?Whyareyouaskingme?IwenttheretomeetMrClarksonRoger.I'mlosingmoneyonthisfarmandIneedmoreland.IwanthalfMrsClarkson'sgarden.’‘Youwentintothekitchen.Whatdidyoudonext?Canyouremember?’TomBriggslookedatSergeantFosterandthenbackatInspectorWalsh.‘Irememberitverywell.Allthefamilywereinthekitchen.PeterHobbswasthere,too.ItalkedtoRoger.Hewantshismothertosellthehouse.Buthewantstheland.Hedoesn'twantmetohaveit.ButnowMrsClarksonisdead.What'sgoingtohappennow?’InspectorWalshgotupandtookthepictureofthegirlfromthetale.‘Who'sthis?’Tom'sfacewentred.‘Who?Oh!That'safriend.It'snot…Itwasalongtimeago.’ThetwodetectiveswalkedbacktotheClarksons'housethroughthegarden.Itwasbeautiful,greenandquiet.InspectorWalshfelttiredandhungry.WhokilledMolly?HeKnewtheanswernow,butheneededtoaskoneortwomorepuestions.‘Let'sgo,Sergeant,’hesaid,andputonhishatagain.‘Tomorrowisanewday.’
