The Inspector groaned again.
“You have been thinking,” he said. “And what have you been thinking?” “I have been thinking of Miss Celia and how she died, and that someone, after she was dead, must have come into her room and left there the empty morphia bottle and the little piece of paper that say she killed herself-was Akibombo paused and the Inspector nodded.
“And so I say-who could have done that? And I think if it is one of the girls it will be easy, but if a man not so easy, because he would have to go downstairs in our house and up the other stairs and someone mi,eaealit wake up and hear him or see him. So I think again, and I say, suppose it is someone in our house, but in the next room to Miss Celia’s-only she is in this house, you understand?
Outside his window is a balcony and outside hers is a balcony, too, and she will sleep with her window open because that is hygienic practice. So if he is big and strong and athletic he could jump across.” “The room next to Celia’s in the other house,” said Mrs. Hubbard. “Let me see, that’s Nigel’s and and. . .” “Len Bateson’s,” said the Inspector. His finger touched the folded paper in his hand. “Len Bateson.” “He is very nice, yes,” said Mr.
Akibombo sadly. “And to me most pleasant, but psychologically one does not know what goes on below top surface. That is so, is it not? That is modern theory. Mr. Chandra Lal very angry when his boracic for the eyes disappears and later, when I ask, he says he has been told that it was taken by Len Bateson. . . .” “The morphia was taken from Nigel’s drawer and boracic was substituted for it, and then Patricia Lane came along and substituted sodi bicarbonate for what she thought was morphia bat which was really boracic powder…. Yes…. I see.
. .” “I have helped you, yes?” Mr. Akibombo asked politely.
“Yes, indeed, we’re most grateful to you.
Don’ter comrepeat any of this.” “No, sir. I will be most careful.” Mr. A-kibombo bowed politely to all and left the room.
“Len Bateson,” said Mrs. Hubbard in a distressed voice.
“Oh! No.” Sharpe looked at her.
“You don’t want it to be Len Bateson?” “I’ve got fond of that boy. He’s got a temper, I know, but he’s always seemed so nice.” “That’s been said about a lot of criminals,” said Sharpe. Gently he unfolded his little paper packet. Mrs. Hubbard obeyed his gesture and leaned forward to look.
On the wte paper were two red short curly hairs.
“Oh! dear,” said Mrs. Hubbard.
“Yes,” said Sharpe reflectively. “In my experience a murderer usually makes at least one mistake.” “BUT IT IS BEAUTIFUL, my friend,” said Hercule Poirot with admiration. “So clear-so beautifully clear.” “You sound as if you were talking about soup,” grumbled the Inspector. “It may be consommd to you comb to me there’s a good deal of thick mock turtle about it, still.” “Not now. Everything fits in in its appointed place.” “Even these?” As he had done to Mrs. Hubbard, Inspector Sharpe produced his exhibit of two red hairs.
Poirot’s answer was almost in the same words as Sharpe had used.
“Ah-yeg,” he said. “What do you call it on the radio? The one deliberate mistake.” The eyes of the two men met.
“No one,” said Hercule Poirot, “is as clever as they think they are.” Inspector Sharpe was greatly tempted to say: “Not even Hercule Poirot?” but he restrained himself. coneaFor the other, my friend, it is all fixed?” ‘allyes, the balloon goes up tomorrow.” :, You go yourself?” ‘ationo, I’m scheduled to appear at 26 Hickory Road.
Cobb will be in charge.” “We will wish him good luck.” Gravely, Hercule Poirot raised his glass. It contained crbme de menthe.
Inspector Sharpe raised his whisky glass.
“Here’s hoping,” he said.
“They do think up things, these places,” said Sergeant Cobb.
He was looking with grudging admiration at the display window of SABRINA FAIR. Framed and enclosed in an expensive illustration of the glassmaker’s art-the “glassy green translucent wave”-Sabrina was displayed recumbent, clad in brief and exquisite panties and happily surrounded with every variety of deliciously packaged cosmetics. Besides the panties she wore various examples of barbaric costume jewelry.