Three+Women

Chapter 21: Three Women
 * Dinner at Little Paddocks has been "silent and uncomfortable" (Christie 193).
 * Because everyone's so uncomfortable, Patrick tries to start conversations with people -- unsuccessfully, of course. Meanwhile, Phillipa is sitting around in her own world, and Emma/Julia's still got her usual "air of cynical detachment" (193), despite the fact that she's just been revealed.
 * Miss Blacklock looks scared and nervous. For good reason, by the way.
 * Emma/Julia apologizes to Letitia for all the trouble she's caused, and wonders why Craddock hasn't come to take her away yet.
 * Letitia tells Emma/Julia that it's probably because of Miss Marple having gone missing. Patrick wonders if maybe Miss Marple was murdered, and eventually comes to the conclusion that the primary suspect for her potential murder has to be Hinchliffe.
 * Phillipa argues with Patrick, pointing out his terribly flawed logic about Hinchliffe murdering Murgatroyd and Marple.
 * All the talk about murder causes Miss Blacklock to "suddenly scream out" (194), demanding everyone to stop talking about it. She quickly apologizes for the outburst, but it's already been done.
 * Mitzi interrupts the tense air by coming in and declaring she won't be cooking dinner, and will instead be locking herself up in her room for fear of being murdered, herself.
 * Emma/Julia agrees to cook instead, to avoid everyone else the awkwardness of having to sit with her. While she's doing that, Phillipa tries to talk to her for some reason, but Emma/Julia shoos her away. Bummer.
 * After the delicious dinner, Craddock calls up at 8:30 PM, saying he'll be there to join them in about fifteen minutes with company. Company being Mrs. Easterbrook and her husband, along with Mrs. Swettenham and her son, Edmund.
 * Miss Marple, who looks like she's at the "end of her tether" (196), tells Craddock that she doesn't want any more guests tonight. Craddock tells her that it's urgent, and she's got no other choice. He then mentions he hasn't yet found Miss Marple -- intriguing.
 * Emma/Julia walks back into the kitchen, only to discover Mitzi in there, who nags her for messing up her kitchen setup. When the doorbell rings, Emma/Julia goes to get it, revealing it's Miss Hinchliffe!
 * Hinchliffe walks in, saying Braddock said that she could come if she liked. Nobody mentions Murgatroyd's death to her; her face says it all.
 * Craddock and company arrive. Colonel Easterbrook comments on the fire, Mrs. Easterbrook looks drained, Edmund is in his usual "furious mood and scowls at everybody" (197), and Mrs. Swettenham tries really hard to raise the mood. She fails, of course, which earns her a nasty comment from Edmund telling her to shut up. Owch.
 * Craddock is now facing three women: Emma/Julia, Mrs. Swettenham, and Mrs. Easterbrook. He says that he's narrowed down the suspects of Murgatroyd's murder to a female, and promptly begins to question the three.
 * Emma/Julia, after Craddock warns her about her right to stay silent and that whatever she says can be used against her in the court of law blah blah blah, sticks with her story of walking around between 4 and 4:20 PM.
 * Mrs. Swettenham avoids the trouble of lawyers and stuff and gets right to the point. She goes on another one of her long-winded monologues about how she was outside and cleaning the gutter when it started raining. Edmund also apparently didn't hear her call him because he was sleeping, although he told his mom he was writing. Liar, liar, pants on fire.
 * Mrs. Easterbrook lies about sitting next to her husband in his study. Archie doesn't cover up for her, and instead chooses to tell the truth and admit that he was not home with her at the time.
 * Craddock then explains that Murgatroyd, the only person who could really see what was going on, claimed that there was someone in the room she did not see.
 * Mitzi suddenly interrupts with "one of her dramatic entrances, flinging open the door and almost knocking Craddock sideways" (202). She claims that she saw Miss Blacklock with the gun in her hand! Gasp!
 * Miss Blacklock, of course, denies it on the instant. Even Edmund backs her up, but then Craddock goes and says Edmund was the one with the gun in his hand! Craddock then makes an even bigger leap: he thinks that Edmund is Pip!
 * Suddenly, out of nowhere, Phillipa comes out from the corner... and confesses to be Pip. Because Pip is not a man, but actually a woman!
 * Emma/Julia claims she had no idea until recently.
 * Pip/Phillipa explains that she hoped to get help from Miss Blacklock to pay for Harry's education due to the death of her husband. She then continues to confess in a frenzy, saying that she was worried people would think she was the only person with a motive for killing Miss Blacklock. She denies this idea and says that she's really actually quite grateful to Miss Blacklock and would never try to kill her.
 * Craddock still isn't buying it. He continues with his "biting tone of voice" (204) directed towards Edmund, when suddenly....
 * Everyone hears "a long unearthly shriek of terror" (205).
 * And for once, it isn't Mitzi, but the murderer.

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