I think the judge matching poisoning purchases has to be coincidence, and "well, she _might_ have met him and poisoned him. She can't prove she didn't". Despite the fact that not all the meetings do line up (is "some time in May" before or after she buys that poison - the judge of course says before).
I interpret Boyes' earlier 'attacks' not as Urquhart doing trial runs, but as deliberately minor doses to give Boyes a gastric attack so that the death doesn't come out of the blue, but re-establishes a history of an old illness coming back. It also associates them with periods of emotional stress (caused by meeting Harriet), making them more plausible (and as you note, the parties providing otehr suspects).
Would Harriet need to be a witness of Boyes' health that evening, and on the previous occasions they met? Especially if she could testify that Boyes was perfectly healthy while living with her, and even after they broke up, but only had problems in his cousin's house (I wonder what they ate on those crucial evenings - was it always omelette?) Bt I have too many WIPs already!
I am inclined to agree re. an opportunist who gets a bit panicky - the will seems in indicate he was counting on natural causes, with suicide a considerable second, given that "had he any money" is a perfectly reasonable question to ask. (I wonder if it was asked and U. said nothing?)
(no subject)
Date: 2013-01-10 04:35 pm (UTC)I interpret Boyes' earlier 'attacks' not as Urquhart doing trial runs, but as deliberately minor doses to give Boyes a gastric attack so that the death doesn't come out of the blue, but re-establishes a history of an old illness coming back. It also associates them with periods of emotional stress (caused by meeting Harriet), making them more plausible (and as you note, the parties providing otehr suspects).
Would Harriet need to be a witness of Boyes' health that evening, and on the previous occasions they met? Especially if she could testify that Boyes was perfectly healthy while living with her, and even after they broke up, but only had problems in his cousin's house (I wonder what they ate on those crucial evenings - was it always omelette?) Bt I have too many WIPs already!
I am inclined to agree re. an opportunist who gets a bit panicky - the will seems in indicate he was counting on natural causes, with suicide a considerable second, given that "had he any money" is a perfectly reasonable question to ask. (I wonder if it was asked and U. said nothing?)