OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

14* MAINLY MAIGRET
it's really a very serious matter. And you put your finger right on
it when you speak of jealousy.... You see, don't you? ... And
it's not made any easier by the fact that Liewens is on the Council."
" What time did Cor arrive on board? "
" That I can tell you. Five minutes past twelve,"
" And when was the shot fired? "
" At five minutes to. . . . Only, don't forget there's the cap and
the cigar-end."
" Has he a bicycle? "
" Yes. . . . Everybody cycles here. It's so convenient. I do myself.
•.. But that evening he hadn't taken his."
" Has the revolver been examined? "
" Ya. It was Conrad Popinga's. A service revolver. It was always
fully loaded in one of the drawers of his desk."
" At what distance was the shot fired? "
" About six yards, which is exactly the distance from the bathroom
window. . . . But the distance from Monsieur Duclos's
window is the same. ... Then there's nothing to prove thai: the
shot came from upstairs. Judging from the wound, it was fired from
above, but Popinga might have been leaning over his bicycle, in
which case the line of fire would have been about level. . .. Only,
there's still that cap in the bath,.. and the cigar...."
" To hell with the cigar! " muttered Maigret between his teeth.
And then out loud :
" Does her sister know what Madame Popinga told you? "
" Yes."
" What does she say? "
" She says nothing. She's a very -studious girl and no chatterbox.
She's .not like other girls."
" Is she very plain? "
" She's not exactly pretty. . . ."
" Right. That means she's plain. . . . And you were saying? "
" She wants to discover the murderer. She's working on the case,
and has asked to be allowed to look through our reports."
As luck would have it, she came in at that vqry moment. She was
.dressed with a severity that was almost bad taste. A leather brief-case
was tucked under her arm.
She went straight up to the Groningen detective and began speaking
to him volubly in Dutch. Either she didn't notice Maigret or she
•chose to ignore him.
The Dutchman reddqn£d, shifted from pne foot to the other, and