Three Blind Mice and Other Stories Part 17

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,withas.h.i.+ver.'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,sincehemarks.h.i.+shandkerchiefsandwipesthepistolwithwhichhehascommittedthecrime-yetcarelesssinceheloses.h.i.+shandkerchiefanddoesnotsearchforaletterthatmightincriminatehim.'

'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.'