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."

© 2024 www.topnovel.cc