Murder at the Vicarage

Colonel Melchett requests the Vicar accompany him while he interviews Miss Marple to prevent hysterics. Clement doesn’t consider Miss Marple fragile and tells Melchett she is dependable, though she has a dark view of human nature. She tells them she saw Mrs. Protheroe go toward the Vicarage study at 6:15 exactly as she heard the clock tower chime. Almost immediately afterward, Mrs. Protheroe came back and went to the studio Mr. Redding paints in. Miss Marple heard no shot then, but a shot-like sound rang out in the woods later. Miss Marple saw Mr. Redding go straight to the studio before he and Mrs. Protheroe both exited 10 minutes later when the clock chimed 6:30. Dr. Stone and Miss Cram joined them on the path further down. They looked happy and relaxed. Miss Marple says Anne Protheroe couldn’t have brought the pistol with her because she didn’t have a handbag and her clothes were tight enough that one couldn’t be carrying it in a pocket. Miss Marple reveals the Vicar’s clock is set 15 minutes behind, and the Colonel is annoyed he didn’t know this as it throws off the entire timeline he constructed before Miss Marple’s interview.