The Companion by Agatha Christie. Short summary

5 seconds

A short story from the collection «Thirteen Mystery Cases.» At a dinner hosted by Colonel Arthur Bantry and his wife, all the guests take turns telling detective stories. Dr. Lloyd’s narration.

1 minute

Dr. Lloyd was vacationing at a resort. One day he noticed two middle-aged ladies on the beach, one slightly overweight, the other skinny. Their names were Miss Mary Barton and her companion, Miss Amy Durrant. The ladies were tourists from England.

The next day the doctor learned that Miss Darrant had drowned. Miss Burton tried to help her, but could not. But one of the witnesses stated that Miss Barton had not helped at all, but had drowned her companion on purpose. But no one else confirmed this version. Some time later Dr. Lloyd read in the paper that Miss Barton herself had drowned in Cornwall, but the body had not been found. She had left a suicide note in which she regretted some crime.

Miss Marple guessed that «Miss Barton» was a dodgy criminal who had drowned another woman and then impersonated her for money. The suicide was also a hoax. Dr. Lloyd confirmed her hunch. One day he met the lady again by chance in Melbourne. Miss Barton was in fact Miss Durrant.