The Red-and-Black Jumper

This flow traces the conspicuous clothing clue from the boulder attack to the hidden evidence mailed away from the village.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Distant Figure

A Figure Above the Path Joanna Crawford sees a person in a red-and-black check polo-neck jumper among the boulders above the path. The figure appears to push a balanced stone toward Elizabeth Temple. Clothing as Memory The distance prevents reliable facial identification, so the jumper becomes the witness’s primary description. Its brightness makes it both evidence and possible deception. The Attack’s Deliberate Shape The rolling boulder strikes Temple with enough precision to suggest an intentional assault rather than an accidental fall.

The Missing Garment

No Jumper Found Police search the travelers’ rooms and luggage but find no red-and-black garment. The absence might weaken the witness account, yet Jane Marple reads it as confirmation that the clothing was meant to disappear. A Disposable Disguise The attacker could wear the conspicuous jumper to create a memorable false image, then remove it before returning to ordinary company. The clue is designed to be remembered without leading to its wearer. From Local Evidence to Postal Evidence Marple begins looking for a method by which the garment could have been sent away from the area.

Anthea’s Parcel

A Suspicious Package Jane Marple sees Anthea Bradbury-Scott carrying a large parcel to the post office. The event is ordinary enough to escape attention, but its timing and Anthea’s fear make it significant. The False Charity Story Marple invents a confused account of a misaddressed charitable parcel and persuades the postal clerk to identify its destination. Her apparent senility becomes an investigative disguise. Evidence in Transit The parcel’s movement suggests that someone at The Old Manor House is urgently disposing of a conspicuous object.

The Charity Confirmation

A Jumper among Donations Edmund Wanstead investigates the charity address supplied by Marple and confirms that the parcel contains a brand-new scarlet-and-black checked polo-neck jumper. The Physical Link The garment connects the household to the attack without relying on testimony from the frightened young witnesses. It is material evidence that someone attempted to remove a disguise. The Clue’s Fulfillment The conspicuous clothing has performed its double function: it was seen at the crime scene and then destroyed as evidence through respectable charity.

The False Pointer

Suspicion Redirected Jane Marple publicly suggests that Joanna Crawford and Emlyn Price may have invented their account and caused the boulder to roll. The accusation is deliberately weak but useful. A Tactical Performance By naming the only young travelers as suspects, Marple creates a plausible alternative for the people in the house. The red-and-black jumper can then be understood as evidence against an anarchic pair. Time for the Real Attack The false theory distracts attention while Marple prepares for Clotilde’s attempt to poison her.

The afternoon of Elizabeth Temple’s attack

During the police search after the attack

Two days after Elizabeth Temple’s death

The day before the coach resumes

During the last evening at The Old Manor House