The CHANNEL ISLANDS MURDER; an Hercule Poirot story

My former employer had joined the RAF in early 1940, leaving myself too old to volunteer and too young to retire, but thoroughly unemployed. However, through a friend I was able to obtain a new, and most interesting, position with the famous, though retired, detective Hercule Poirot. For the remaining war years I was his valet-chauffeur-cook-social secretary. While it was not the most demanding of positions, it did have both its challenges and rewards. 1

For my part, the challenges mainly involved food and transportation. Poirot had, according to his own account, a ‘delicate’ gastronomy. He certainly fancied himself a gourmet, and the war rationing made considerable inroads upon his continental taste buds. His pantry did contain a small reserve of fine delicacies, but making them stretch and concocting edible meals from restricted rations tested his nerve as well as mine. Fortunately his transportation requirements were habitual, a fortnightly round of bank, solictor, doctor, barber; making them, in the main, less demanding than menues. The challenge lay in obtaining a taxi during the Blitz; when he refused to vary his schedule in the face of Nazi aggression; and then once the Yanks had landed and monopolised London’s taxi fleet, of finding any free taxis at all. 2

Mr. Poirot, advanced in years as he was by then, made few active forays into sleuthing. Most of his cases were conducted from his sitting room with the liberal use of his famous ‘little grey cells’. Those he used prodigiously, especially at the behest of his long-time aquaintance, Chief Inspector Japp (ret) of Scotland Yard. Inspector Japp had retired in mid-1939, but with so many police officers away at the war, he had been recalled as a member of the ‘war reserve police’; a ‘retread’ as the Yanks would say it. 3

In many ways Poirot was somewhat isolated. His old friend and former associate Captain Hastings had been seconded into the military intelligence establishment, and posted somewhere up north on the ‘hush-hush’. This was due; I am convinced, solely to his association with so many of Poirot’s successful cases. Felicity, his wife of but a few years, was now a WREN officer, with duties in the RN that utilized her notable office skills for the benefit of the Fleet Air Arm; and posted we knew not where. He sorely missed the presence of these two fine friends. Also, his many social contacts had dwindled due to the war; via postings, or reduced social events, the rationing of fine wines and spirits and the taking over of country estates by the military; and not least by the Blitz itself.4

Because of all these things he was always delighted to have ‘Special Inspector’ Japp, as he was now titled, drop in for a natter regarding current cases. If it was chill, then Poirot would sit in his favorite chair with a lap robe, cardigan and scarf, and listen intently to the inspector’s briefing. I enjoyed serving the two men their hot cocoa on chill afternoons; as Poirot had a goodly pre-war supply of drinking chocolate on hand. It was one of the rewards of my position as Poirot’s valet to listen in on their conversations, and to make my own, silent, guesses as to solutions to Japp’s cases.5

Sometime I was even right; as in the case the press called the Channel Islands Murder.6

Japp had phoned ahead one Friday morning and made an appointment for two in the afternoon. He very, very graciously brought a half dozen sweet biscuits Mrs. Japp had baked. Where she got the ingredients, what with rationing and all, I have no idea. But Poirot, being the gentleman he was, instructed me to help myself to two with a cup of tea while he and Japp talked. I repaired to the kitchen after serving Mr. Poirot and Inspector Japp their cocoa and biscuits; leaving the door ajar, to hear any instructions from Poirot’s of course. It was thus that I overheard the entire conversation, and came to my own solution. A solution, I am proud to say I voiced quietly to the tea pot before Poirot could voice his aloud to Japp.7

* * *8

“Pleased to be giving Mrs. Japp my sincere thanks for her tasteful gift of sweet biscuits. I know it must have been a sacrifice on her part, what with this terrible rationing. Extend to her my gastronomic pleasure at her gift. Please to share two biscuits with me. They, the hot cocoa and your company make my afternoon complete, my friend. Now, tell me why you have made the appointment most formal with old Poirot?”9

“Deuced strange Poirot, this murder of Lord Le Brun, right in the middle of the Blitz, and in his own air-raid shelter. I haven’t found a single clue. All our leads are dead ends. Nothing was stolen from the house. I tell you, Poirot, I am stumped.”10

“Calm yourself my old friend. It will all be clear in the end, I assure you. It simply requires the application of the little grey cells, mais non? Now, start from the beginning, tell me everything in its proper order, if you please.” 11

“Well, all right Poirot. You know that the West End took a pasting on Monday, and that the Jerry is none too discriminate on where his ‘eggs’ land. About nine o’clock that was. Well, a few landed in the next block over from Lord Le Brun’s lodgings, and he informed his landlady, Mrs. Higgins, that he was going to spend the rest of the night in the bombshelter in the back garden. She was made of sterner stuff, it seems, and stayed in the house. She has the downstairs, and he rented the upper floor; bed and board.”12

“He has no estate here in England?” Poirot enquired.13

“Requisitioned by the MoD. It was only a small place, and he rarely spent time there it seems. He spent most of his life on his estate on Jersey.”14

“I see. Please continue.”15

“Tuesday morning the local constabulary got a call from Mrs. Higgins that Lord Le Brun had not returned to his rooms from the bombproof, and that its door was locked. One of their’s called round, tried the door, and could get no response. With the landlady’s permission he pried open the door, and found Lord Le Brun dead on the floor; most obviously murdered.”16

“This was when?”17

I heard the rustling of paper and assumed that Japp was referrring to notes. 18

“At exactly 10:42 a.m. The constable called for the M.E., and back up to cordon off the area, and his Sargent called Scotland Yard. I arrived at 11:31 a.m. The M.E. had also just arrived and was preparing to enter the shelter.”19

“And what did the two of you observe?”20

“Lord Le Brun lay sprawled out on the shelter floor, feet towards the door, head towards the back of the shelter. His throat had been cut.”21

“How was he dressed and what was the manner of the lethal wound?”22

“He was dressed for bed; pajamas and a robe. The oil lamp had presumably burned all night, and had gone dry. There was an open novel on the desk next to the lamp, and one chair was askew. The shelter itself contained two cots with blankets, a desk and two chairs. The shelving held a tin of biscuits and several tins of water. As to the wound, the M.E. commented that it was very neatly done with a very sharp instrument, presumably a knife; and that it stretched from ear to ear in a single, deep, unhesitant motion.”23

“A most professional murderer, it seems, Japp. Then what did you do?”24

“The constable had followed ‘the book’, and sealed the house until I had a chance to look through it. Mrs. Higgins, most distressed by his lordship’s murder, had been taken next door by her neighbour for a cuppa. Upon entering his lordship’s rooms I found them neat as a pin, with no sign of disturbance. His rooms comprised a sittingroom, a bedroom with bath, a tiny kitchenette, and a second bedroom, which he used as a study and office. After questioning Mrs. Higgins I accertained that it was unlikely that anyone entered the house after his lordhsip went to the shelter, as Mrs. Higgins bedroom door is by the foot of the stairs, and she, being a light sleeper, and perhaps a little nosey, would have heard any comings or goings. I found no signs of forced entry on any doors or windows.”25

“Most commendable thoroughness, my dear Inspector. You have closed all the loopholes, it seems.” Poirot called out, “More cocoa, if you please, Mr. Allen.” 26

“Coming, sir,” I replied. As I re-heated the water and made up new cups of hot chocolate, I kept an ear on the interview. I heard Poirot continue his questioning. He was very Socratic, was our Mr. Poirot; an example of the proverb that ‘a good listener is listened to’.27

“Now, pleased to tell me, what was Lord Le Brun’s business in London?”28

“His lordship holds title to a small estate in the Midlands, and a seat in the House of Lords. However, he primarily resides on Jersey, where he has business interests, both land and sea. His family have been active in the Channel Islands since the end of the Napoleonic Wars. He withdrew from Jersey when most of the military-age men and many of the mainland-born residents decided to evacuate in June, 1940.”29

“And his business here in London since his evacuation?”30

“Oh, yes,” Japp was beginning to answer as I brought in a new tray of cocoa, and took away the old cups. “Primarily he was involved with the Jersey Society, as their Treasurer.”31

“And what is this, the Jersey Society?”32

“Well, you see Poirot; the Channel Islands aren’t part of the UK. They are dependancies.”33

“They are colonies?”34

“No, not exactly. The British monarchy used to own the province of Normandy, of which the Channel Islands were a part. When they lost Normandy they managed to keep hold of the islands. The islanders are as much Frenchy as they are Brits.”35

“And this Jersey Society?”36

“Set up after World War 1, to help put presure on Parliament on behalf of the Jerseymen. But now, with the war and all, they mostly do refugee work among the evacuee Jersey school children and such like. There are also individual societies for the other Channel Islands and their refugees.”37

“They are not all one people, these Channel Islanders?”38

“Oh, no Mr. Poirot! They are all jealous of each other, as separate as night and day. Why, when the Aldersey islanders voted to leave their island, the Dame of Sark required all her people to stay put on her island and live under the Jerries’ boot. It’s still the Middle Ages on those islands, Mr. Poirot, truly it is.”39

“Indeed.” I could hear Poirot’s little grey cells clicking all the way from the kitchen. “Do they handle much money, these societies?”40

“Not great sums. Mostly a few monthly pence subscribed by islanders serving in the military, and gifts from islanders with mainland business connections.” 41

“Aha, I see. Are there many of these refegees and evacuees?42

“Several thousand, it seems. Most of the young men had, or were about to, join the armed forces. Whole schools were evacuated to the UK. And, like I said, the entire island of Aldersey came away.” 43

“Bien. Now, tell me, Inspector, of how your investigation it goes.”44

“I had the constables canvas the neighbourhood for any witnesses, but because of the bombing and the blackout, no one saw anything suspicious between sunset Monday and the arrival of the police on Tuesday morning. I interveiwed Mrs. Higgins personally, but she knew of no enemies, threats, or problems. He received a phone call the day before; but she didn’t know who from or what about. I have since interviewed all the officers of the Jersey Society. They had nothing to report either. So now, here we are at Friday, and I have nothing to go on, and I’m getting pressure from the Home Office for a quick arrest. Arrest who, I ask?”45

“Do not dispair mon ami. Let me ask some other questions, and then let us see where the grey cells they lead us, oui?”46

“Agreed,” said the desperate Inspector Japp.47

“Let us return first to the position of the body. You say he was facing away from the door?”48

“Yes, correct.”49

“And he was dressed in his nighclothes?”50

“Yes; in pajamas and a robe, and apparently up reading.”51

“What time it was when his lordhsip told Mrs. Higgins he was going to the shelter?”52

Again I heard a russtle of papers, and Japp answered, “Around 9:25p.m.”53

“And the M.E.? He has estimated the time of death?”54

“At aproximately 11p.m.”55

“And the door it was locked, from the inside out outside?”56

Again a russtle of papers, “Why, the outside, it seems.”57

“What does this all tell us, my friend?”58

There was a long, awkward silence, then, “I was hoping you’d answer that, Mr. Poirot.”59

I could imagine the satisfied look in my employer’s eyes at that admission.60

“I believe that his Lordship was expecting someone. They did not enquire at Mrs. Higgin’s door. Therefore it was by some prior arrangement to meet in the shelter. The bombing was merely coincidental. Secondly, he met with someone he knew, and was familiar enough with to turn his back; in this case a fatal trust. Thirdly, I doubt it was an issue of money, as you say the society does not deal in large amounts of the funds, and nothing was missing from his appartments. Fourth, this person is very good with using a knife to kill by the slitting of the throat.”61

“I’ve got it! A trooper, most likely an islander, did the deed.”62

“You are very perceptive, mon ami. And very close to the truth. I am ceratin that if you ask the MoD for a list of Channel Islanders who now serve in the Commandos, you will find some among them who were on leave or absent from duty on Monday night. That is where you must start looking for your murder; not among general troops.”63

The conversation carried on in this vein for another minute or two, and then Inspector Japp took his leave. I was whistling as I entered the sitting room to clear away the cups.”64

“You are very cheerful, Mr. Allen,” Poirot observed.65

“Why yes, Mr. Poirot, sir. I had occasion to overhear part of your discussion, what with the cups and all.”66

“And the open kitchen door,” he added slyly.67

“And I came to the same conclusion as you did, sir. I must be catching on to your methods, sir.”68

“And, can you tell me the motive for this murder, Mr. Allen?”69

There he had me stuck, and I said as much. “Not rightly, sir. How can you guess a man’s motives when the Inspector hasn’t even caught someone yet?”70

“The Inspector will find, by dint of much interrogation, that the motive was personal and very ancient; and done on behalf of someone else.”71

I left this last surmise unanswerd and went about my duties. It was beyond me how Poirot had come to that conclusion; but I knew that when next the Inspector called upon my employer we would have our answer. A fortnight sufficed to fulfill that expectation; when late one afternoon a knock on the appartment door announced Inspector Japp; his knock being identifiably police-like in the extreme. He declined a cuppa, and sat all nervous energy across from a politely objective Poirot.72

“So, my dear Japp, you have the solution to the Channel Island Murder, oui?”73

“Indeed I do, Mr. Poirot. Indeed I do,” Japp nearly crowed. The Ministry of Defense, with a push from the Home Secretary, were most co-operative, and soon had a list of 3 Channel islanders who were serving in the Commandos, and who coincidentally were currently in the UK. Of those only one was away from his barracks that night; one Corporal John Warre, originally from Guernsey. He was a war-toughened lad, but soon confessed when presented with our questions,” Japp preened professionally.74

“I congratulate you, my friend. I take it we shall read of this in the morning papers?”75

“Indeed you shall, Mr. Poirot. Though privately, I couldn’t have done it without your assistance.”76

“It was my pleasure, Inspector. But, tell me, please. This Coporal Warre, his motive was?”77

“It seems, Mr. Poirot, that it was actually a blood feud. His Lordship had done the dirty on Warre’s father; John Warre, senior; in a shady inter-island business deal, and Warre, sr. had committed suicide just before the war started. The son contacted his Lordship via the Jersey Society, and arranged to meet him; ostensibly on secret island occupation business.” Here Japp paused, and looked thoughtful, “I think,” he said in slowly dawning understanding, “that Special Branch may find that his lordship may have had some backhanded dealings with the Nazi occupation authorities; but such a charge will now never reach the papers.” He continued again on his main thought, “Warre simply took additional advantage of the Blitz to murder his lordship unseen. He then took the key and locked the shelter door to slow discovery of the body. Is that not a good outcome for the Metropolitan Police, Poirot?”78

Standing as I was to one side in the room, waiting to serve in some way if requested, I had a clear view of Mr. Poirot’s face as he answered. “Inspector Japp, you are to be most heartily congratulated on your interrogation and arrest. You do credit to your department, as always.” There was a gleam of mischief in Poirot’s eyes that Japp did not catch.79

Japp replied with a certain degree of satisfaction, “Why thank you, Mr. Poirot. That is very generous of you, I’m sure. Very nice indeed,” he beamed.80

As Japp rose to go, Poirot gave one final observation.81

“It is a shame, is it not, that such a fine man should meet such a useless end?”82

“His Lordship?” Asked a puzzled and confused Japp.83

“Oh, no. I am speaking of Corporal Warre, the Commando. Think on it Japp. His father dead of humiliation. His home lost to the invader; I know of this feeling very personally; and facing death on every mission for a country that treats him as a second-class colonial. This is the great sadness, and one of your secret shames of this war.84

Japp made no reply, but simply made his way out. Poirot sat in his chair in contemplative silence, the cup of cocoa I had placed beside him untouched. Eventually, he stirred and broke his meditation. “Mr. Allen,” he always addressed me thus with polite formality, as a gentleman; “would you please fetch me my cheque book. I think a donation to the Guernsey Society in the name of Corporal Warre’s father is in order; do you not?”85

“I do indeed, sir,” seeing the justice of his point instantly.86

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The End 88