“We’re very sorry to bother you, Miss Otterbourne,” said Race gently. He was slightly annoyed with Poirot.
The girl said in a low voice:
“It doesn’t matter.”
Poirot said: “It is necessary to clear up one or two points. When I asked you whether you saw any one on the starboard deck at 1.10 this morning, your answer was that you saw nobody. Fortunately I have been able to arrive at the truth without your help.
Mr. Allerton has admitted that he was in Linnet Doyle’s cabin last night.” She flashed a swift glance at Tim. Tim, his face grim and set, gave a curt nod.
“The time is correct, Mr. Allerton?”
Allerton replied:
“Quite correct.” Rosalie was staring at him. Her lips trembled fell apart .
“But you didn’t–you didn’t–”
He said quickly: “No, I didn’t kill her I’m a thief, not a murderer. It’s all going to come out so might as well know. I was after her pearls.” Poirot said: you “Mr. Allerton’s story is that he went to her cabin last night and exchanged a string of fake pearls for the real ones.”
“Did you?” said Rosalie.
Her eyes, grave, sad, childlike, questioned his.
“Yes,” said Tim.
There was a pause. Colonel Race shifted resfiessly.
Poirot said in a curious voice:
“That, as I say, is Mr. Allerton’s story, partially confirmed by your evidence.
That is to say, there is evidence that he did visit Linnet Doyle’s cabin last night, but there is no evidence to show why he did so.” Tim stared at him.
“But you know!” “What do I know?”
“Wellpyou know I’vd’got the pearls.”
“Mais oui–mais oui–I know you have the pearls–but I do not know when you got them. It may have been before last night …. You said just now that Linnet Doyle would not have noticed the substitution. I am not so sure of that.
Supposing she did notice it …. Supposing, even, she knew who did it. ‘… Supposing that last night she threatened to expose the whole business and that you knew she meant to do so …. And supposing that you overheard the scene in the saloon between Jacqueline de Bellefort and Simon Doyle and as soon as the saloon was empty you slipped in and secured the pistol, and then an hour later, when the boat had quieted down, you crept along to Linnet Doyle’s cabin and made quite sure that no exposure would come ….
“My God,” said Tim. Out of his ashen face, two tortured agonised eyes gazed dumbly at Hercule Poirot.
The latter went on:
“But somebody else saw youpthe girl Louise. The next day she came to you and blackmailed you. You must pay her handsomely or she would tell what she knew. You realised that to submit to blackmail would be the beginning of the end.
You pretended to agree, made an appointment to come to her cabin just before lunch with the money. Then, when she was counting the notes, you stabbed her.
“But again luck was against you. Somebody saw you go to her cabin–” he half turned to Rosalie. “Your mother. Once again you had to actangerously–foolhardily–but it was the only chance. You had heard Pennington talk about his revolver. Yon rushed into his cabin, got hold of it, listened outside Dr. Bessner’s cabin door and shot Mrs. Otterbourne before she could reveal your name–” “N-o!” cried Rosalie. “He didn’t! He didn’t!”
“After that, you did the only thing you could do–rushed round the stern, and when I rushed after you, you had turned and pretended to be coming in the opposite direction. You had handled the revolver in gloves-those gloves were in your pocket when I asked for them ”
Tim said.
“Before God, I swear it isn’t true–not a word of it.” But his voice, ill assured and trembling, failed to convince.
It was then that Rosalie Otterbourne surprised them.
“Of course it isn’t true! And M. Poirot knows it isn’t! He’s saying it for some reason of his own.” Poirot looked at her. A faint smile came to his lips. He spread his hands in token of surrender.
“Mademoiselle is too clever …. But you agreeit was a good case?” “What the devil—” Tim began with rising anger, but Poirot held up a hand.