Patcamedownthestairswithhim.TheyfoundJimmyonguard,andPatexplainedPoirot"spresence.Jimmy,inhisturn,explainedtoPoirothisandDonovan"sadventures.Thedetectivelistenedattentively.
"Theliftdoorwasunbolted,yousay?Youemergedintothekitchen,b.u.t.thelight.i.twouldnotturnon."
Hedirectedhisfootstepstothekitchenashespoke.Hisfingerspressedtheswitch.
"Tiens!Voilacequiestcurieux!"hesaidasthelightflashedon."Itfunctionsperfectlynow.Iwonder-"
Heheldupafingertoensuresilenceandlistened.Afaintsoundbrokethestillness-thesoundofanunmistakablesnore.
"Ah!"saidPoirot."Lachambrededomestique."
Hetiptoedacrossthekitchenintoalittlepantry,outofwhichledadoor.Heopenedthedoorandswitchedonthelight.Theroomwasthekindofdogkenneldesignedbythebuildersofflatstoaccommodateahumanbeing.Thefloors.p.a.cewasalmostentirelyoccupiedbythebed.Inthebedwasarosy-cheekedgirllyingonherbackwithhermouthwide-open,snoringplacidly.
Poirotswitchedoffthelightandbeataretreat.
"Shewillnotwake,"hesaid."Wewilllethersleeptillthepolicecome."
Hewentbacktothesitting-room.Donovanhadjoinedthem.
"Thepolicewillbeherealmostimmediately,theysay,"hesaidbreathlessly."Wearetotouchnothing."
Poirotnodded."Wewillnottouch,"hesaid."Wewilllook,thatisall."
Hemovedintotheroom.MildredhadcomedownwithDonovan,andallfouryoungpeoplestoodinthedoorwayandwatchedhimwithbreathlessinterest.
"WhatIcan"tunderstand,sir,isthis,"saidDonovan."Ineverwentnearthewindow-howdidthebloodcomeonmyhand?"
"Myyoungfriend,theanswertothatstaresyouintheface.Ofwhatcolouristhetablecloth?Red,isitnot?anddoubtlessyoudidputyourhandonthetable."
"Yes,Idid.Isthat-"Hestopped.
Poirotnodded.Hewasbendingoverthetable.Heindicatedwithhishandadarkpatchonthered.
"Itwasherethatthecrimewascommitted,"hesaidsolemnly."Thebodywasmovedafterwards."
Thenhestooduprightandlookedslowlyroundtheroom.Hedidnotmove,hehandlednothing,butneverthelessthefourwatchingfeltasthougheveryobjectinthatratherfrowstyplacegaveupitssecrettohisobservanteye.
HerculePoirotnoddedhisheadasthoughsatisfied.Alittlesighescapedhim."Isee,"hesaid.
"Youseewhat?"askedDonovancuriously.
"Isee,"saidPoirot,"whatyoudoubtlessfelt-thattheroomisoverfulloffurniture."
Donovansmiledruefully."Ididgobargingaboutabit,"heconfessed."Ofcourse,everythingwasinadifferentplacetoPat"sroom,andIcouldn"tmakeitout."
"Noteverything,"saidPoirot.
Donovanlookedathiminquiringly.
"Imean,"saidPoirotapologetically,"thatcertainthingsarealwayfixed.Inablockofflatsthedoor,thewindow,thefireplace-theyareinthesameplaceintheroomswhicharebeloweachother."
"Isn"tthatrathersplittinghairs?"askedMildred.ShewaslookingatPoirotwithfaintdisapproval.
"Oneshouldalwaysspeakwithabsoluteaccuracy.Thatisalittle-howdoyousay?-fadofmine."
Therewasthenoiseoffootstepsonthestairs,andthreemencamein.Theywereapoliceinspector,aconstable,andthedivisionalsurgeon.TheinspectorrecognizedPoirotandgreetedhimina.n.a.lmostreverentialmanner.Thenheturnedtotheothers.
"Ishallwantstatementsfromeveryone,"hebegan,"butinthefirstplace-"
Poirotinterrupted."Alittlesuggestion.Wewillgobacktotheflatupstairsandmademoisellehereshalldowhatshewasplanningtodo-makeusanomelette.Me,Ihaveapa.s.sionfortheomelettes.Then,M.l"Inspecteur,whenyouhavefinishedhere,youwillmounttousandaskquestionsatyourleisure."
Itwasarrangedaccordingly,andPoirotwentupwiththem.
"M.Poirot,"saidPat,"Ithinkyou"reaperfectdear.Andyoushallhavealovelyomelette.Ireallymakeomelettesfrightfullywell."
"Thatisgood.Once,mademoiselle,IlovedabeautifulyoungEnglishgirl,wh.o.r.esembledyougreatly-butalas!-shecouldnotcook.Soperhapseverythingwasforthebest."
Therewasafaintsadnessinhisvoice,andJimmyFaulkenerlookedathimcuriously.
Onceintheflat,however,heexertedhimselftopleaseandamuse.Thegrimtragedybelowwasalmostforgotten.
TheomelettehadbeenconsumedanddulypraisedbythetimethatInspectorRice"sfootstepswereheard.Hecameinaccompaniedbythedoctor,havinglefttheconstablebelow.
"Well,MonsieurPoirot,"hesaid."Itallseemsclearandabove-board-notmuchinyourline,thoughwemayfindithardtocatchtheman.I"djustliketohearhowthediscoverycametobemade."
DonovanandJimmybetweenthemrecountedthehappeningsoftheevening.TheinspectorturnedreproachfullytoPat.
"Youshouldn"tleaveyourliftdoorunbolted,miss.Youreallyshouldn"t."
"Ishan"tagain,"saidPat,withashiver."Somebodymightcomeinandmurdermelikethatpoorwomanbelow."
"Ah,b.u.t.theydidn"tcomeinthatway,though,"saidtheinspector.
"Youwillrecounttouswhatyouhavediscovered,yes?"saidPoirot.
"Idon"tknowasIoughtto-butseeingit"syou,M.Poirot-"
"Precis.e.m.e.nt,"saidPoirot."Andtheseyoungpeople-theywillbediscreet."
"Thenewspaperswillgetholdofit,anyway,soonenough,"saidtheinspector."There"snorealsecretaboutthematter.Well,thedeadwoman"sMrsGrant,allright.Ihadtheporteruptoidentifyher.Womanofaboutthirty-five.Shewa.s.sittingatthetable,andshewa.s.shotwithanautomaticpistolofsmallcalibre,probablybysomeonesittingoppositeherattable.Shefellforward,andthat"showthebloodstaincameonthetable."
"Butwouldn"tsomeonehaveheardtheshot?"askedMildred.
"Thepistolwasfittedwithasilencer.No,youwouldn"thearanything.Bytheway,didyouhearthescreechthemaidletoutwhenwetoldherhermistresswasdead?No.Well,thatjustshowshowunlikelyitwasthatanyonewouldheartheother."
"Hasthemaidnostorytotell?"askedPoirot.
"Itwashereveningout.She"sgotherownkey.Shecameinaboutteno"clock.Everythingwasquiet.Shethoughthermistresshadgonetobed."
"Shedidnotlookinthesitting-room,then?"
"Yes,shetookthelettersintherewhichhadcomebytheeveningpost,butshesawnothingunusual-anymorethanMrFaulkenerandMrBaileydid.Yousee,themurdererhadconcealedthebodyratherneatlybehindthecurtains."
"But.i.twasacuriousthingtodo,don"tyouthink?"
Poirot"svoicewasverygentle,yet.i.theldsomethingthatmadetheinspectorlookupquickly.
"Didn"twantthecrimediscoveredtillhe"dhadtimetomakehisgetaway."
"Perhaps,perhaps-butcontinuewithwhatyouweresaying."
"Themaidwentoutatfiveo"clock.Thedoctorhereputsthetimeofdeathas-roughly-aboutfourtofivehoursago.That"sright,isn"t.i.t?"
Thedoctor,whowasamanoffewwords,contentedhimselfwithjerkinghisheadaffirmatively.
"It"saquartertotwelvenow.Theactualtimecan,Ithink,benarroweddowntoafairlydefinitehour."
Hetookoutacrumpledsheetofpaper.
"Wefoundthisinthepocketofthedeadwoman"sdress.Youneedn"tbeafraidofhandlingit.Therearenofingerprintsonit."
Poirotsmoothedoutth.e.s.h.eet.Acrossitsomewordswereprintedinsmall,primcapitals.
IWILLCOMETOSEEYOUTHISEVENINGATHALFPASTSEVEN.-J.F.
"Acompromisingdoc.u.menttoleavebehind,"commentedPoirot,ashehandeditback.
"Well,hedidn"tknowshe"dgot.i.tinherpocket,"saidtheinspector."Heprobablythoughtshe"ddestroyedit.We"veevidencethathewasacarefulman,though.Thepistolshewa.s.shotwithwefoundunderthebody-andthereagainnofingerprints.They"dbeenwipedoffverycarefullywithasilkhandkerchief."
"Howdoyouknow,"saidPoirot,"that.i.twasasilkhandkerchief?"
"Becausewefoundit,"saidtheinspectortriumphantly."Atthelast,ashewasdrawingthecurtains,hemusthavelet.i.tfallunnoticed."
Hehandedacrossabigwhitesilkhandkerchief-agood-qualityhandkerchief.Itdidnotneedtheinspector"sfingertodrawPoirot"sattentiontothemarkonitinthecentre.Itwasneatlymarkedandquitelegible.Poirotreadthenameout.
"JohnFraser."
"That"sit,"saidtheinspector."JohnFraser-J.F.inthenote.Weknowthenameofthemanwehavetolookfor,andIdaresaywhenwefindoutalittleaboutthedeadwoman,andherrelationscomeforward,weshallsoongetalineonhim."
"Iwonder,"saidPoirot."No,moncher,somehowIdonotthinkhewillbeeasytofind,yourJohnFraser.Heisastrangeman-careful,sincehemarkshishandkerchiefsandwipesthepistolwithwhichhehascommittedthecrime-yetcarelesssinceheloseshishandkerchiefanddoesnotsearchforaletterthatmightincriminatehim."
"Flurried,that"swhathewas,"saidtheinspector.
"Itispossible,"saidPoirot."Yes,itispossible.Andhewasnotseenenteringthebuilding?"
"Thereareallsortsofpeoplegoinginandoutatthetime.Thesearebigblocks.Isupposenoneofyou-"headdressedthefourcollectively-"sawanyonecomingoutoftheflat?"
Patshookherhead."Wewentoutearlier-aboutseveno"clock."
"Isee."Theinspectorrose.Poirotaccompaniedhimtothedoor.
"Asalittlefavour,mayIexaminetheflatbelow?"
"Why,certainly,M.Poirot.Iknowwhattheythinkofyouatheadquarters.I"llleaveyouakey.I"vegottwo.Itwillbeempty.Themaidclearedouttosomerelatives,tooscaredtostaytherealone."
"Ithankyou,"saidM.Poirot.Hewentbackintotheflat,thoughtful.
"You"renotsatisfied,M.Poirot?"saidJimmy.
"No,"saidPoirot."Iamnotsatisfied."
Donovanlookedathimcuriously."Whatisitthat-well,worriesyou?"
Poirotdidnotanswer.Heremainedsilentforaminuteortwo,frowning,asthoughinthought,thenhemadeasuddenimpatientmovementofshoulders.
"Iwillsaygoodnighttoyou,mademoiselle.YoumustbetiredYouhavehadmuchcookingtodo-eh?"
Patlaughed."Onlytheomelette.Ididn"tdodinner.DonovanandJimmycameandcalledforus,andwewentouttoalittleplaceinSoho."
"Andthenwithoutdoubt,youwenttoatheatre?"
"Yes.TheBrownEyesofCaroline."
"Ah!"saidPoirot."Itshouldhavebeenblueeyes-theblueeyesofmademoiselle."
Hemadeasentimentalgesture,andthenoncemorewishedPatgoodnight,alsoMildred,whowa.s.stayingthenightbyspecialrequest,asPatadmittedfranklythatshewouldgetthehorrors,ifleftaloneonthisparticularnight.
ThetwoyoungmenaccompaniedPoirot.Whenthedoorwa.s.shut,andtheywerepreparingtosaygoodbyetohimonthelanding,Poirotforestalledthem.
"Myyoungfriends,youheardmesaythatIwasnotsatisfied!Ehbien,itistrue-Iamnot.Igonowtomakesomelittleinvestigationsofmyown.Youwouldliketoaccompanyme-yes?"
Aneagera.s.sentgreetedthisproposal.Poirotledthewaytotheflatbelowandinsertedthekeytheinspectorhadgivenhiminthelock.Onentering,hedidnot,astheothershadexpected,enterthesitting-room.Insteadhewentstraighttothekitchen.Inalittlerecesswhichservedasasculleryabigironbinwa.s.standing.Poirotuncoveredthisand,doublinghimselfup,begantorootleinitwiththeenergyofaferociousterrier.
BothJimmyandDonovanstaredathiminamazement.
Suddenlywithacryoftriumphheemerged.Inhishandheheldaloftasmallstopperedbottle.
"Voila!"hesaid."IfindwhatIseek."Hesniffedat.i.tdelicately."Alas!Iamenrhume-Ihavethecoldinthehead."
Donovantookthebottlefromhimandsniffedinhisturn,butcouldsmellnothing.HetookoutthestopperandheldthebottletohisnosebeforePoirot"swarningcrycouldstophim.
Immediatelyhefelllikealog.Poirot,byspringingforward,partlybrokehisfall.
"Imbecile!"hecried."Theidea.Toremovethestopperinthatfoolhardymanner!DidhenotobservehowdelicatelyIhandledit?Monsieur-Faulkener-isitnot?w.i.l.l.youbesogoodastogetmealittlebrandy?Iobservedadecanterinthesitting-room."
Jimmyhurriedoff,butbythetimehereturned,Donovanwa.s.sittingupanddeclaringhimselfquiteallrightagain.HehadtolistentoashortlecturefromPoirotonthenecessityofcautioninsniffingatpossiblypoisonoussubstances.
"IthinkI"llbeoffhome,"saidDonovan,risingshakilytohisfeet."Thatis,ifIcan"tbeanymoreusehere.Ifeelabitwonkystill."