AgathaChristie-HerculePoirotsCasebook

by Hercule Poirot's Casebook (lit)

  'No, as a matter of fact, I never came across Allen.'

  'But you know something about him?'

  'Heard he was by way of being a bad hat. Of course, that was

  only rumour.'

  'Mrs Allen did not say anything?'

  'Never talked about him.'

  'You were on intimate terms with her?'

  Major Eustace shrugged his shoulders.

  'We were old friends, you know, old friends. But we didn't

  see each other very often.'

  'But you did see her that last evening? The evening of

  November f'tfth? '

  'Yes, as a matter of fact, I did.'

  'You called at her house, I think.'

  Major Eustace nodded. His voice took on a gentle, regretful

  note.

  'Yes, she asked me to advise her about some investments. Of

  course, I can see what you're driving at - her state of mind - aH

  that sort of thing. Well, really, it's very difficult to say. Her

  manner seemed normal enough and yet she was a bit jumpy,

  come to think of it.'

  'But she gave you no hint as to what she contemplated

  doing?'

  'Not the least in the world. As a matter of fact, when I said

  goodbye I said I'd ring her up soon and we'd do a show

  together.'

  'You said you'd ring her up. Those were your last words?'

  'Yes.'

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  'Curious. I have information that you said something quite

  different.'

  Eustace changed colour.

  'Well, of course, I can't remember the exact words.'

  'My information is that what you actually said was, "Well,

  tin)k it over and let me know."'

  'Let me see, yes I believe you're right. Not exactly that. I

  think I was suggesting she should let me know when she was

  ,flee.'

  'Not quite the same thing, is it?' said Japp.

  Major Eustace shrugged his shoulders.

  'My dear fellow, you can't expect a man to remember word

  for word what he said on any given occasion.'

  'And what did Mrs Allen reply?'

  'She said she'd give .me a ring. That is, as near as I can

  remember.'

  'And then you said, ",'Ill right. So long."' 'Probably. Something of the kind anyway.'

  Japp said quietly:

  'You say that Mrs Allen asked you to advise her about her

  investments. Did she, by any chance, emrust you with the sum of

  two hundred pounds in cash to invest for her?'

  Eustace's face flushed a dark purple. He leaned forward and

  growled out:

  'What the devil do you mean by that?'

  'Did she or did she not?'

  'That's my business, Mr Chief Inspector.'

  Japp said quietly:

  'Mrs Allen drew out the sum of two hundred pounds in cash

  from her bank. Some of the money was in five-pound notes.

  The numbers of these can, of course, be traced.'

  'What if she did?'

  'Was the money for investment - or was it - blackmail,

  Major Eustace?'

  'That's a preposterous idea. What next will you suggest?'

  Japp said in his most official manner:

  'I think, Major Eustace, that at this point I must ask you if

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  you are willing to come to Scotland Yard and make a statement.

  There is, of course, no compulsion and you can, if you prefer

  have your solicitor present.'

  'Solicitor? What the devil should I want with a solicitor:

  And what are you cautioning me for?'

  'I am inquiring into the circumstances of the death of Mrs

  Allen.'

  'Good God, man, you don't suppose - Why, that's non-sense!

  Look here, what happened was this. I called round to see

  Barbara by appointment...'

  'That was at what time?'

  'At about half-past nine, I should say. We sat and talked...'

  'And smoked?'

  'Yes, and smoked. Anything damaging in that?' demanded

  the major belligerently.

  'Where did this conversation take place?'

  'In the sitting-room. Left of the door as you go in. We talked

  together quite amicably, as I say. I left a little before half-past

  ten. I stayed for a minute on the doorstep for a few !as

  words...'

  'Last words - precisely,' murmured Poirot.

  'Who areyou, I'd like to know?' Eustace turned and spat he

  words at him. 'Some kind of damned dago! What are

  butting in for?'

  'I am Hercule Poirot,' said the little man with dignity.

  'I don't care if you are the Achilles statue. As I say, Barbara

  and I parted quite amicably. I drove straight to the Far East

  Club. Got there at five and twenty to eleven and went straight

  up to the card-room. Stayed there playing bridge until one-thirty.

  Now then, put that in your pipe and smoke it.'

  'I do not smoke the pipe,' said Poirot. 'It is a pretty alibi you

  have the'e.'

  'It should be a pretty cast iron one anyway! Now then, sir,'

  he looked at Japp. 'Are you satisfied?'

  'You remained in the sitting-room throughout your vist?'

  'Yes.'

  'You did not go upstairs to Mrs Allen's own boudoir?'

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  'No, I tell you. We stayed in the one room and'didn't leave

  it.'

  Japp looked at him thoughtfully for a minute or two. Then

  he said:

  'How many sets of cuff links have you?'

  'Cuff links? Cuff links? What's that got to do with it?'

  'You are not bound to answer the question, of course.'

  'Answer it? I don't mind answering it. I've got nothing to

  hide. And I shall demand an apology. There are these ...' he

  stretched out his arms.

  Japp noted the gold and platinum with a nod.

  'And I've got these.'

  He rose, opened a drawer and taking out a case, he opened it

  and shoved it rudely almost under Japp's nose.

  'Very nice design,' said the chief inspector. 'I see one is

  broken - bit of enamel chipped off.'

  'What of it?'

  'You don't remember when that happened, I suppose?'

  'A day or two ago, not longer.'

  'Would you be surprised to hear that it happened when you

  were visiting Mrs Allen?'

  'Why shouldn't it? I've not denied that I was there.' The

  major spoke haughtily. He continued to bluster, to act the part

  of the justly indignant man, but his hands were trembling.

  Japp leaned forward and said with emphasis:

  'Yes, but that bit of cuff link wasn't found in the sitting-room.

  It was found upstairs in Mrs Allen's boudoir - there in the

  room where she was killed, and where a man sat smoking the

  same kind of dgarettes as you smoke.'

  The shot told. Eustace fell back into his chair. His eyes went

  from side to side. The collapse of the bully and the appearance

  of the craven was not a pretty sight.

  'You've got nothing on me.' His voice was almost a whine.

  'You're trying to frame me ... But you can't do it. I've got an

  alibi ... I never came near the house again that night...'

  Poirot in his mm, spoke.

  'No, you did not come near the house again... You did not

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  need to... For perhaps Mrs Allen was already dead when you

  leftit.'

  'That's impossible - i
mpossible - She was just inside the

  door - she spoke to me - People must have heard her - seen

  her...'

  Poirot said softly:

  'They heard you speaking to her.., and pretending to wait

  for her answer and then speaking again... It is an old trick that

  ... People may have assumed she was there, but they did not see her, because they could not even say whether she was wean'ng

  evening dress or not - not even mention what colour she was

  wearing...'

  'My God - it isn't true - it isn't true-'

  He was shaking now - collapsed...

  Japp looked at him with disgust. He spoke crisply.

  'I'll have to ask you, si?, to come with me.'

  'You're arresting me?'

  'Detained for inquiry - we'll put it that way.'

  The silence was broken with a long, shuddering sigh. The

  despairing voice of the erstwhile blustering Major Eustace

  said:

  'I'm sunk...'

  Hercule Poirot rubbed his hands together and smiled

  cheerfully. He seemed to be enjoying himself.

  CHAPTER 9 'Pretty

  the way he went all to pieces,' said Japp

  professional appreciation, later that day.

  He and Poirot were driving in a car along the Bromp'.on

  Road.

  'He knew the game was up,' said Poirot absently.

  'We've got plenty on him,' said Japp. 'Two or three different

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  aliases, a tricky business over a cheque, and a very nice affair

  when he stayed at the Ritz and called himself Colonel de Bathe.

  Swindled half a dozen Piccadilly tradesmen. We're holding

  him on that charge for the moment - until we get this affair

  finally squared up. What's the idea of this rush to the country,

  old man?'

  'My friend, an affair must be rounded off properly.

  Everything must be explained. I am on the quest of the

  mystery you suggested. The Mystery of the Missing AttacheCase.'

  'The

  Mystery of the Small Attache-Case - that's what I

  called it - It isn't missing that I know of.'

  'Wait, mon am/.?

  The car turned into the mews. At the door of No. 14, Jane

  Plenderleith was just alighting from a small Austin Seven. She

  was in golfing clothes.

  She looked from one to the other of the two men, then

  produced a key and opened the door.

  'Come in, won't you?'

  She led the way. Japp followed her into the sitting=room.

  Poirot remained for a minute or two in the hall, muttering

  something about:

  'C'est embtant - how difficult to get out of these sleeves.'

  In a moment or two he also entered the sitting=room minus

  his overcoat but Japp's lips twitched under his moustache. He

  had heard the very faint squeak of an opening cupboard door.

  Japp threw Poirot an inquiring glance and the other gave a

  hardly perceptible nod.

  'We won't detain you, Miss Plenderleith,' said Japp briskly.

  'Only came to ask if you could tell us the name of Mrs Allen's

  solicitor.'

  i 'Her solicitor?' The girl shook her head. 'I dont even know

  t she had one.'

  Well, when she rented this house with you, someone must

  have drawn up the agreement?'

  'No, I don't think so. You see, I took the house, the lease is

  105

  in my name. Barbara paid me half the rent. It was quite

  informal.'

  'I see. Oh! well, I suppose there's nothing doing then.'

  'I'm sorry I can't help you,' said Jane politely.

  'It doesn't really matter very much.' Japp turned towards

  the door. 'Been playing golf?.'

  'Yes.' She flushed. 'I suppose it seems rather heartless to

  you. But as a matter of fact it got me down rather, being here

  in this house. I felt I must go out and do something - tire myself

  - or I'd choke?

  She spoke with intensity.

  Poirot said quickly:

  'I comprehend, mademoiselle. It is most understandable most

  natural. To sit in this house and think - no, it would not

  be pleasant.'

  'So long as you understand,' said Jane'shortly.

  'You belong to a club?'

  'Yes, I play at Wentworth.'

  'It has been a pleasant day,' said Poirot.

  'Alas, there are few leaves left on the trees now! A week ago

  the woods were magnificent.'

  'It was quite lovely today.'

  'Good afternoon, Miss Plenderleith,' said Japp formally.

  'I'll let you know when there's anything de£mite. As a matter of

  fact we have got a man detained on suspicion.'

  'What man?'

  She looked at them eagerly.

  'Major Eustace.'

  She nodded and turned away, stooping down to put a match

  to the fire.

  'Well?' said Japp as the car turned the corner of the mews.

  Poirot grinned.

  'It was quite simple. The key was in the door this time.'

  'And-?'

  Poirot smiled.

  'Eh,/den, the golf clubs had gone'

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  'Naturally. The girl isn't a fool, whatever else she is. Anything else gone?'

  Poirot nodded his head.

  'Yes, my friend - the little attache-case!'

  The accelerator leaped under Japp's foot.

  'Damnation!' he said. 'I knew there was something. But what

  the devil is it? I searched that case pretty thoroughly.'

  'My poor Japp - but it is - how do you say, "obvious, my

  dear Watson"?'

  Japp threw him an exasperated look.

  'Where are we going?' he asked.

  Poirot consulted his watch.

  'It is not yet four o'clock. We could get to Wentworth, I

  think, before it is dark.'

  'Do you think she really went there?'

  'I think so - yes. She would know that we might make

  inquiries. Oh, yes, I think we will f'md that she has been there.'

  Japp grunted.

  'Oh well, come on.' He threaded his way dexterously

  through the traffic. 'Though what this attachi-case business

  has to do with the crime I can't imagine. I can't see that it's got

  anything at all to do with it.'"

  'Predsely, my friend, I agree with you - it has nothing to do

  with it.'

  'Then why - No, don't tell me! Order and method and

  everything nicely rounded offi Oh, well, it's a f'me day.'

  The car was a fast one. They arrived at Wentworth Golf

  Club a little after half-past four. There was no great congestion

  there on a week day.

  Poirot went straight to the caddie-master and asked for Miss

  Plenderleith's dubs. She would be playing on a different

  course tomorrow, he explained.

  The caddie-master raised his voice and a boy sorted through

  some golf dubs standing in a corner. He finally produced a bag

  bearing the initials, J.P.

  'Thank you,' said Poirot. He moved away, then turned

  107

  carelessly and asked, 'She did not leave with you a small

  attache-case also, did she?'

  'Not today, sir. May have left it in the clubhouse.'

  'She was down here today?'

  'Oh, yes, I saw her.'

  'Which caddie did she have, do you know? She's mislaid an

  attache-case and can't remember where she had it last.'

&
nbsp; 'She didn't take a caddie. She came in here and bought a

  couple of balls. Just took out a couple of irons. I rather fancy

  she had a little case in her hand then.'

  Poirot turned away with a word of thanks. The two men

  walked round the clubhouse. Poirot stood a moment admiring

  the view.

  'It is beautiful, is it not, the dark pine trees - and then rile

  lake. Yes, the lake -'

  Japp gave him a quick glance.

  'That's the idea, is it?'

  Poirot smiled.

  'I think it possible that someone may have seen something.

  I should set the inquiries in motion if I were you.'

  CHAPTER 10

  Poirot stepped back, his head a little on one side as he surveyed

  the arrangement of the room. A chair here - another chair

  there. Yes, that was very nice. And now a ring at the bell - that

  would be Japp.

  The Scotland Yard man came in alertly. '

  'Quite right, old cock! Straight from the horse's mouth. A

  young woman was seen to throw something into the lake at

  Wentworth yesterday. Description of her answers to Jane

  Plenderleith. We managed to fish it up without much ditticulty.

  A lot of reeds just there.'

  108

  'And it was?'

  'It was the attache-case all right! But why, in heaven's name?

  Well, it beats me! Nothing inside it - not even the magazines.