Speidel’s Failed Appointment

This flow follows the private meeting that Raimund Speidel tries to arrange with Nathan Oliver and the clues its failure leaves behind.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Sick Visitor Arrives

A Private Purpose Arrival from France Raimund Speidel arrives by private yacht and settles into Shearwater Cottage. His illness initially seems minor enough not to cancel the visit. A Historical Question He wants to investigate his father’s wartime disappearance. Nathan Oliver’s childhood on Combe makes him a potential source, even though Speidel does not know him personally.

A Note Is Delivered

A Request for Privacy The Appointment Raimund Speidel writes an open note asking Nathan Oliver to meet him privately at the lighthouse at eight the next morning. He gives it to Millie Tranter for delivery. A Delay Begins Millie puts the note in the buggy’s post pouch, then forgets it and reads it later. A private message becomes accessible to others on the island.

The Note Reaches Jago

Information Spreads An Unplanned Disclosure Millie tells Jago Tamlyn about the note and the lighthouse appointment. Jago tells her to deliver it promptly, protecting her while withholding the fact from the police later. Unknown Readers The buggy and its pouch have been unattended. The appointment could have become known to others, leaving open the possibility that someone altered or exploited it.

The Locked Door

A Meeting That Never Happens Speidel Arrives Late Raimund Speidel reaches the lighthouse six minutes after the appointed time. The door is locked, and Nathan Oliver is nowhere visible. A Rope Disappears Speidel returns around eight-thirty and finds the door ajar. He notices that one climbing rope is missing, a detail that later helps reconstruct the crime’s timing.

The Past Behind the Appointment

A Different Explanation The Wartime Connection Speidel tells police that he hoped Oliver could shed light on the deaths of his father and two officers in 1940. He chose the lighthouse because of its connection to the event. A Witness, Not the Killer His story supplies a time marker and a plausible reason for the meeting. His suspected role weakens, though his illness soon prevents a further interview.

Wednesday, three days before Oliver’s death

Friday afternoon, before tea

Friday afternoon, after Millie visits Harbour Cottage

Saturday at 8:06 a.m.

Saturday afternoon, during Speidel’s interview