Status Updates From The Gentleman Dressed in Ne...

Inspector Marriot explains that Lady Merivale had money of her own, and that should she leave her husband he would be left without a penny. However, if she died he would get all of it. Tuppence seems in shock slightly. She is upset that it seems Inspector Marriot knew of Captain Hale’s innocence and seemed to be testing them.

Knowing he is trapped, Sir Arthur walks to the window of the room and comments about the view. It is now that Tommy calls in Inspector Marriot. Seeing Inspector Marriot just confirms what Sir Arthur suspected. And with a few more words, he jumps out the window. Though it is an unfortunate end, Marriot admits it would have been hard to prove without a confession.

Tuppence recognizes the laugh as that belonging to the man she saw at the Ace of Spades the night before. She knows it was he to killed his wife. And when she explains to him he seems backed into a corner. He didn’t realize they were private detectives and now he realizes that he was being investigated all along.

Sir Arthur is obviously upset by this accusation. In fact, he tells Tuppence that she has a vivid imagination (probably because she reads too much). When Tommy steps in he even accuses him of being guided by his wife before laughing a harsh laugh. Which is the smoking gun.

When Tuppence finally asks what Sir Arthur’s costume was he quickly tells her that he was dressed as a seventeenth-century executioner. “How appropriate”, that is what Tuppence has to say to the confession. This seems to take Sir Arthur by surprise. But Tuppence is unphased. She goes on to tell him about her theory of what happened that night.

As Tuppence talks and tells him about what evidence she could have, Sir Arthur doubles down. If his friend is innocent then surely his wife must have killed herself. But that’s not the case as Tuppence explains to him. She and Tommy did see a man with the Lady, so clearly there was another man dressed in newspaper.

So the couple calls Sir Arthur (the husband) and they invite him over to their place. All while also calling Inspector Marriot also. When Sir Arthur arrives he seems to be at a lost. Tuppence comments that he must be anxious to clear his friend’s name, but he insists that there is nothing to do, he believes the evidence.

Tuppence is simply staring slightly bewildered at the photos. It startles Tommy, he even tries to shake her. She finally mutters, “Denis Riordan”. She has seemingly solved the case. She asks Tommy to bring her the Daily Leaders of the week. And she notices that the piece of paper isn’t the same as the costume though it matches. It is a different paper!

Even as he speaks, Tuppence is in a world of her own staring at the photos Inspector Marriot left behind. When Tommy notices he looks over the photos himself. He notices odd markings which are stitching Tuppence points out. Tommy thinks it creepy that they sit there talking about dots and puzzles. But Tuppence isn’t paying attention.

Tommy however, did ask Marriot what Captain Hale had to say. Bingo Hale insisted that he never spoke to Lady Merivale. That someone had slipped him a note that said, “Don’t try and speak to me tonight. Arthur suspects”. Tommy doesn’t believe this because he and Tuppence saw the pair together at the Ace of Spades.

This makes Tuppence wonder. Why couldn’t it be suicide? Maybe the Lady said Bingo did this because he drove her to kill herself. Tommy doesn’t seem sold and after speaking Tuppence doesn’t seem convinced either. She would have liked to know Captain Hale’s account but forgot to ask about it.

After Inspector Marriot leaves, something doesn’t feel right to Tuppence. She believes that the Inspector was holding back on them and trying to “irritate” them. Tuppence believes that Marriot knows Captain Hale is probably innocent even though the evidence is against him.

However thanks to Tommy and Tuppence, they know it was murder. The Inspector confirms that Lady Merivale and Captain Hale were having an affair.

He goes on to confirm that the piece of the “Daily Leader” found was torn from Bingo Hale’s costume and it seems to match perfectly. He shows the photographs of the costume and the piece of paper.

Inspector Marriot leaves, seemingly having solved the case, but he returns that evening. He wants to tell “Blunt’s Brilliant Detectives” about developments in the case. Inspector Marriot explains that, “it’s a clear case”. He tells the couple that the dagger used was Mrs. Merivale’s and that he believed it was meant to look like a suicide.

A very important piece of information is given to us at this time. Captain Hale was dressed in a home-made costume, he went as the Gentleman dressed in Newspaper. This seems to be the smoking gun so to speak since a piece of newspaper was found in the dead woman’s clenched fist. Inspector Marriot seems quite certain that he can match the fragment to the costume Bingo Hale was wearing that night.

It seems that Tuppence had found something at the scene that seems to support these claims. A piece of paper with the phrase, “Necessary to finesse the King”. The Inspector and Tuppence seem to believe this was a warning to Lady Merivale that her husband had decided to join his friend at the show that night and that they had to be cautious.

Inspector Marriot seems to believe that Lady Merivale and Captain Hale were having an affair. Which seems ridiculous to her husband. If that were true why would he kill her? Marriot suggests that Bingo Hale was interested in a wealthy American lady and that perhaps he was worried Mrs. Merivale would try to interfere.

The Inspector is accompanied by a man named Sir Arthur Merivale. It is soon clear that Mr. Merivale is connected to the tragedy that Tuppence witnessed last night. She was told by the victim, Vere, that “Bingo did it -,” before she passed. We later heard that Vere was the wife of Mr. Merivale and that Bingo Hale is one of his dearest friends.

The story starts by telling us that Tommy and Tuppence have had a long day. It seems clear that Tuppence has seen something disturbing, a murder or death probably, she is haunted by it. Tuppence seems to be sleeping well finally when Tommy comes to wake her. It is eleven in the morning, seemingly late for Tuppence, and an Inspector is waiting to speak to her.

What!?