Agatha Christie – Death On The Nile

Race said: “Sit down, Bessner, and let’s have the whole story of what happened last night.” They listened in silence to the doctor’s rumbling voice.

“Clear enough,” said Race, when he had finished. “The girl worked herself up, helped by a drink or two, and finally took a pot shot at the man with a .22 pistol. Then she went along to Linnet Doyle’s cabin and shot her as well.” But Dr. Bessner was shaking his head.

“No, no. I do not think so. I do not think that was possible. For one thing she would not write her own initial on the wall it would be ridiculous, Night wahr?” “She might,” Race declared, “if she were as blindly mad and jealous as she sounds, she might want to–wellsign her name to the crime, so to speak.” Poirot shook his head.

“No, no, I do not think she would be as–as crude as that.” “Then there’s only one reason for that J. It was put there by some one else deliberately to throw suspicion on her.” The doctor said: “Yes, and the criminal was unlucky–because you see, it is not only unlikely that the young Fr/iulein did the murder–it is also I think impossible.” “How’s that?” Bessner explained Jacqueline’s hysterics and the circumstances which had led Miss Bowers to take charge of her.

“And I think–I am sure that Miss Bowers stayed with her all night.” Race said: “If that’s so, it’s going to simplify matters very much.” Poirot asked: “Who discovered the crime?” “Mrs. Doyle’s maid, Louise Bourget. She went to call her mistress as usual, found her dead, and came out and flopped into the steward’s arms in a dead faint.

He went to the manager, who came to me. I got hold of Bessner and then came for yotl.” Poirot nodded.

Race said: “Doyle’s got to know. You say he’s asleep still.” The doctor said: “Yes, he’s still asleep in my cabin. I gave him a strong opiate last night.” Race turned to Poirot.

“Well,” he said, “I don’t think we need detain the doctor any longer, eh?

Thank you, doctor.” Bessner rose.

“I will have my breakfast, yes. And then I will go back to my cabin and see if Mr.

Doyle is ready to wake.” “Thanks.’

Bessner went out. The two men looked at each other.

“Well, what about it, P0irot?” Race said. “You’re the man in charge. I’ll take my orders from you. You say what’s to be done.”

Poirot bowed.

“Eh bien,” he said, “we must hold the court of inquiry. First of all, I think we must verify the story of the affair last night. That is to say, we must question

Fanthorp and Miss Robson who were the actual witnesses of what occurred. The disappearance of the pistol is very significant.”

Race rang a bell and sent a message by the steward.

Poirot sighed and shook his head.

“It is bad, this,” he murmured. “It is bad.”

“Have you any ideas?” asked Race curiously.

“My ideas conflict. They are not well arranged—they are not orderly. There is, you see, the big fact that this girl hated Linnet Doyle and wanted to kill her.”

“You think she’s capable of it?”

“I think so–yes.” Poirot sounded doubtful.

“But not in this way? That’s what’s worrying you, isn’t it? Not to creep into her cabin in the dark and shoot her while she was sleeping. It’s the cold-bloodedness that strikes you as not ringing true?”

“in a sense, yes.”

“You think that this girl, Jacqueline de Bellefort, is incapable of a premedi tated cold-blooded murder.”

Poirot said slowly:

“I am not sure, you see. She would have the brains–yes. But I doubt fi, physically, she could bring herself to do the act ” Race nodded.

“Yes, I see Well, according to Bessner’s story, it would also have been physically impossible.

“If that is true it clears the ground considerably. Let us hope it is true.” He paused and then added simply: “I shall be glad if it is so, for I have for that little one much sympathy.” The door opened and Fanthorp and Cornelia came in. Bessner followed them. Cornelia gasped out: “Isn’t this just awful? Poor, poor Mrs. Doyle. And she was so lovely too. It must have been a realfiend who could hurt her! And poor Mr. Doyle, he’ll just go half crazy when he knows! Why even last night he was so frightfully worried lest she should hear about his accident.” “That is just what we want you to tell us about, Miss Robson,” said Race. “We want to know exactly what happened last night.” Cornelia began a little confusedly, but a question or two from Poirot helped matters.