“On the table by the side as always.” “That is where you last saw them?” “Yes, sir.”
“Did you see them there this morning?”
A startled look came into the girl’s face.
“Mon Dieu, I did not even look. I come up to the bed, I seeI see Madame, and then I cry out and rush out of the door and faint.”
Hercule Poirot nodded his head.
“You did not look. But I, I have the eyes which notice, and there were no pearls on the table beside the bed this morning.”
CHAPTER 14
Hercule Poirot’s observation had not been at fault. There were no pearls on the table by Linnet Doyle’s bed.
Louise Bourget was bidden to make a search among Linnet’s belongings.
According to her all was in order. Only the pearls had disappeared.
As they emerged from the cabin a steward was waiting to tell them that breakfast had been served in the smoking-room.
As they passed along the deck, Poirot paused to look over the rail.
“Aha! I see you have had an idea, my friend.”
“Yes. It suddenly came to men when Fanthorp mentioned thinking he had heard a splash, that I too had been awakened some time last night by a splash. It’s perfectly possible that, after the murder, the murderer threw the pistol overboard.”
Poirot said slowly:
“You think that is possible, my friend?”
Race shrugged his shoulders.
“It’s a suggestion. After all, the pistol wasn’t anywhere in the cabin. First thing I looked for.”
“All the same,” said Poirot, “it is incredible that it should have been thrown overboard.”
Race said:
“Where is it then?”
Poirot said thoughtfully:
“If it is not in Mrs. Doyle’s cabin, there is, logically, only one other place where it could be.”
“Where’s that?”
“In Mademoiselle de Bellefort’s cabin.”
“Yes. I see–”
He stopped suddenly.
“She’s out of her cabin. Shall we go and hame a look now?”
Poirot shook his head.
“No, my friend, that would be precipitate. It may not yet have been put there .”
“What about an immediate search of the whole boat?”
“That way we should show our hand. We must work with great care. It is very delicate, our position at the moment. Let us discuss the situation as we eat.” Race agreed. They went into the smoking-room.
“Well?” said Race as he poured himself out a cup of coffee. “We’ve got two definite leads. There’s the disappearance of the pearls. And there’s the man Fleetwood. As regards the pearls, robbery seems indicated, but–I don’t know whether you’ll agree with me”
Poirot said quickly:
“It was an odd moment to choose?”
“Exactly. To steal the pearls on a voyage such as this invites a close search of evertjbody on board. How, then, could the thief hope to get away with his booty?” “He might have gone ashore and dumped it?”
“The company always has a watchman on the bank.”
“Then that is not feasible. Was the murder committed to divert attention from the robbery? No, that does not make sense–it is profoundly unsatisfactory. But supposing that Mrs. Doyle woke up and caught the thief in the act?”
“And therefore the thief shot her? But she was shot whilst she slept.”
“So that too does not make sense …. You know, I have a little idea about those pearls–and yet–no–it is impossible. Because if my idea was right the pearls would not have disappeared. Tell me, what did you think of the maid?” “I wondered,” said Race slowly, “if she knew more than she said.” “Ah, you too had that impression?” “Definitely not a nice girl,” said Race.
Hercule Poirot nodded.
“Yes, I would not trust her, that one.”
“You think she had something to do with the murder?”
“No, I would not say that.”
“With the theft of the pearls, then?”
“That is more probable. She had only been with Mrs. Doyle a very short time.
She may be a member of a gang that specialises in jewel robberies. In such a case there is often a maid with excellent references. Unfortunately we are not in a position to seek information On these points. And yet that explanation does not quite satisfy me …. Those pearlsah sacra, my little idea ought to be right. And yet nobody would be so imbecile–” he broke off.