Death in the Clouds hp-12 Read online

  She stopped, her face flushed and angry.

  She repeated, "You do not understand. No, you do not understand madame at all."

  Fournier waited a moment for her indignation to subside, and then said:

  "You made the observation that madame's clients usually managed to pay in the end. Were you aware of the means madame used to compel them?"

  She shrugged her shoulders.

  "I know nothing, monsieur – nothing at all."

  "You knew enough to burn madame's papers."

  "I was following her instructions. If ever, she said, she were to meet with an accident, or if she were taken ill and died somewhere away from home, I was to destroy her business papers."

  "The papers in the safe downstairs?" asked Poirot.

  "That is right. Her business papers."

  "And they were in the safe downstairs?"

  His persistence brought the red up in Élise's cheeks.

  "I obeyed madame's instructions," she said.

  "I know that," said Poirot, smiling. "But the papers were not in the safe. That is so, is it not? That safe, it is far too old-fashioned; quite an amateur might have opened it. The papers were kept elsewhere. In madame's bedroom, perhaps?"

  Élise paused a moment, and then answered:

  "Yes, that is so. Madame always pretended to clients that papers were kept in the safe, but in reality the safe was a blind. Everything was in madame's bedroom."

  "Will you show us where?"

  Élise rose and the two men followed her. The bedroom was a fair-sized room, but was so full of ornate heavy furniture that it was hard to move about freely in it. In one corner was a large old-fashioned trunk. Élise lifted the lid and took out an old-fashioned alpaca dress with a silk underskirt. On the inside of the dress was a deep pocket.

  "The papers were in this, monsieur," she said. "They were kept in a large sealed envelope."

  "You told me nothing of this," said Fournier sharply, "when I questioned you three days ago?"

  "I ask pardon, monsieur. You asked me where were the papers that should be in the safe? I told you I had burned them. That was true. Exactly where the papers were kept seemed unimportant."

  "True," said Fournier. "You understand, Mademoiselle Grandier, that those papers should not have been burned."

  "I obeyed madame's orders," said Élise sullenly.

  "You acted, I know, for the best," said Fournier soothingly. "Now I want you to listen to me very closely, mademoiselle. Madame was murdered. It is possible that she was murdered by a person or persons about whom she held certain damaging knowledge. That knowledge was in those papers you burned. I am going to ask you a question, mademoiselle, and do not reply too quickly without reflection. It is possible – indeed, in my view, it is probable and quite understandable – that you glanced through those papers before committing them to the flames. If that is the case, no blame will be attached to you for so doing. On the contrary, any information you have acquired may be of the greatest service to the police, and may be of material service in bringing the murderer to justice. Therefore, mademoiselle, have no fear in answering truthfully. Did you, before burning the papers, glance over them?"

  Élise breathed hard. She leaned forward and spoke emphatically.

  "No, monsieur," she said, "I looked at nothing. I read nothing. I burned the envelope without undoing the seal."

  Chapter 10

  Fournier stared hard at her for a moment or two. Then, satisfied that she was speaking the truth, he turned away with a gesture of discouragement.

  "It is a pity," he said. "You acted honorably, mademoiselle, but it is a pity."

  "I cannot help it, monsieur. I am sorry."

  Fournier sat down and drew a notebook from his pocket.

  "When I questioned you before, you told me, mademoiselle, that you did not know the names of madame's clients. Yet, just now, you speak of them whining and asking for mercy. You did, therefore, know something about these clients of Madame Giselle's?"

  "Let me explain, monsieur. Madame never mentioned a name. She never discussed her business. But all the same, one is human, is one not? There are ejaculations, comments. Madame spoke to me sometimes as she would to herself."

  Poirot leaned forward.

  "If you would give us an instance, mademoiselle -" he said.

  "Let me see – ah, yes – say a letter comes. Madame opens it. She laughs – a short dry laugh. She says, 'You whine and you snivel, my fine lady. All the same, you must pay.' Or she would say to me, 'What fools! What fools! To think I would lend large sums without proper security. Knowledge is security, Élise. Knowledge is power.' Something like that she would say."

  "Madame's clients who came to the house – did you ever see any of them?"

  "No, monsieur – at least hardly ever. They came to the first floor only, you understand. And very often they came after dark."

  "Had Madame Giselle been in Paris before her journey to England?"

  "She returned to Paris only the afternoon before."

  "Where had she been?"

  "She had been away for a fortnight – to Deauville, Le Pinet, Paris – Plage and Wimereaux – her usual September round."

  "Now think, mademoiselle. Did she say anything – anything at all – that might be of use?"

  Élise considered for some moments. Then she shook her head.

  "No, monsieur," she said, "I cannot remember anything. Madame was in good spirits. Business was going well, she said. Her tour had been profitable. Then she directed me to ring up Universal Air Lines and book a passage to England for the following day. The early-morning service was booked, but she obtained a seat on the twelve-o'clock service."

  "Did she say what took her to England? Was there any urgency about it?"

  "Oh, no, monsieur. Madame journeyed to England fairly frequently. She usually told me the day before."

  "Did any clients come to see madame that evening?"

  "I believe there was one client, monsieur, but I am not sure. Georges, perhaps, would know. Madame said nothing to me."

  Fournier took from his pockets various photographs – mostly snapshots, taken by reporters, of various witnesses leaving the coroner's court.

  "Can you recognize any of these, mademoiselle?"

  Élise took them and gazed at each in turn. Then she shook her head.

  "No, monsieur."

  "We must try Georges then."

  "Yes, monsieur. Unfortunately, Georges has not very good eyesight. It is a pity."

  Fournier rose.

  "Well, mademoiselle, we will take our leave. That is, if you are quite sure that there is nothing – nothing at all – that you have omitted to mention?"

  "I? What – what could there be?"

  Élise looked distressed.

  "It is understood then… Come, M. Poirot… I beg your pardon. You are looking for something?"

  Poirot was indeed wandering round the room in a vague searching way.

  "It is true," said Poirot. "I am looking for something I do not see."

  "What is that?"

  "Photographs. Photographs of Madame Giselle's relations – of her family."

  Élise shook her head.

  "She had no family, madame. She was alone in the world."

  "She had a daughter," said Poirot sharply.

  "Yes, that is so. Yes, she had a daughter."

  Élise sighed.

  "But there is no picture of that daughter?" Poirot persisted.

  "Oh, monsieur does not understand. It is true that madame had a daughter, but that was long ago, you comprehend. It is my belief that madame had never seen that daughter since she was a tiny baby."

  "How was that?" demanded Fournier sharply.

  Élise's hands flew out in an expressive gesture.

  "I do not know. It was in the days when madame was young. I have heard that she was pretty then. Pretty and poor. She may have been married. She may not. Myself, I think not. Doubtless some arrangement was made about the child.
As for madame, she had the smallpox, she was very ill, she nearly died. When she got well, her beauty was gone. There were no more follies, no more romance. Madame became a woman of business."

  "But she left her money to this daughter?"

  "That is only right," said Élise. "Who should one leave one's money to except one's own flesh and blood? Blood is thicker than water. And madame had no friends. She was always alone. Money was her passion. To make more and more money. She spent very little. She had no love for luxury."

  "She left you a legacy. You know that?"

  "But yes, I have been informed. Madame was always generous. She gave me a good sum every year as well as my wages. I am very grateful to madame."

  "Well," said Fournier, "we will take our leave. On the way out I will have another word with old Georges."

  "Permit me to follow you in a little minute my friend," said Poirot.

  "As you wish."

  Fournier departed.

  Poirot roamed once more round the room, then sat down and fixed his eyes on Élise.

  Under his scrutiny the Frenchwoman got slightly restive.

  "Is there anything more monsieur requires to know?"

  "Mademoiselle Grandier," said Poirot, "do you know who murdered your mistress?"

  "No, monsieur. Before the good God, I swear it."

  She spoke very earnestly, Poirot looked at her searchingly, then bent his head.

  "Bien," he said. "I accept that. But knowledge is one thing, suspicion is another. Have you any idea – an idea only – who might have done such a thing?"

  "I have no idea, monsieur. I have already said so to the agent of police."

  "You might say one thing to him and another thing to me."

  "Why do you say that, monsieur? Why should I do such a thing?"

  "Because it is one thing to give information to the police and another thing to give it to a private individual."

  "Yes," admitted Élise, "that is true."

  A look of indecision came over her face. She seemed to be thinking. Watching her very closely, Poirot leaned forward and spoke:

  "Shall I tell you something. Mademoiselle Grandier? It is part of my business to believe nothing I am told – nothing, that is, that is not proved. I do not suspect first this person and then that person; I suspect everybody. Anybody connected with a crime is regarded by me as a criminal until that person is proved innocent."

  Elsie Grandier scowled at him angrily.

  "Are you saying that you suspect me – me – of having murdered madame? It is too strong, that! Such a thought is of a wickedness unbelievable!"

  Her large bosom rose and fell tumultuously.

  "No, Élise," said Poirot, "I do not suspect you of having murdered madame. Whoever murdered madame was a passenger in the aeroplane. Therefore, it was not your hand that did the deed. But you might have been an accomplice before the act. You might have passed on to someone the details of madame's journey."

  "I did not. I swear I did not."

  Poirot looked at her again for some minutes in silence. Then he nodded his head.

  "I believe you," he said. "But, nevertheless, there is something that you conceal… Oh, yes, there is! Listen, I will tell you something. In every case of a criminal nature one comes across the same phenomena when questioning witnesses. Everyone keeps something back. Sometimes – often, indeed – it is something quite harmless, something, perhaps, quite unconnected with the crime, but – I say it again – there is always something. That is so with you. Oh, do not deny! I am Hercule Poirot and I know. When my friend M. Fournier asked you if you were sure there was nothing you had omitted to mention, you were troubled. You answered, unconsciously, with an evasion. Again just now when I suggested that you might tell me something which you would not care to tell the police, you very obviously turned the suggestion over in your mind. There is, then, something. I want to know what that something is."

  "It is nothing of importance."

  "Possibly not. But all the same, will you not tell me what it is? Remember," he went on as she hesitated, "I am not of the police."

  "That is true," said Élise Grandier. She hesitated, and went on: "Monsieur, I am in a difficulty. I do not know what madame herself would have wanted me to do."

  "There is a saying that two heads are better than one. Will you not consult me? Let us examine the question together."

  The woman still looked at him doubtfully. He said with a smile:

  "You are a good watch dog, Élise. It is a question, I see, of loyalty to your dead mistress?"

  "That is quite right, monsieur. Madame trusted me. Ever since I entered her service I have carried out her instructions faithfully."

  "You were grateful, were you not, for some great service she had rendered you?"

  "Monsieur is very quick. Yes, that is true. I do not mind admitting it. I had been deceived, monsieur, my savings stolen, and there was a child. Madame was good to me. She arranged for the baby to be brought up by some good people on a farm – a good farm, monsieur, and honest people. It was then, at that time, that she mentioned to me that she, too, was a mother."

  "Did she tell you the age of her child, where it was, any details?"

  "No, monsieur; she spoke as of a part of her life that was over and done with. It was best so, she said. The little girl was well provided for and would be brought up to a trade or profession. It would also inherit her money when she died."

  "She told you nothing further about this child or about its father?"

  "No, monsieur, but I have an idea -"

  "Speak, Mademoiselle Élise."

  "It is an idea only, you understand."

  "Perfectly, perfectly."

  "I have an idea that the father of the child was an Englishman."

  "What, exactly, do you think gave you that impression?"

  "Nothing definite. It is just that there was a bitterness in madame's voice when she spoke of the English. I think, too, that in her business transactions she enjoyed having anyone English in her power. It is an impression only."

  "Yes, but it may be a very valuable one. It opens up possibilities… Your own child. Mademoiselle Élise? Was it a girl or a boy?"

  "A girl, monsieur. But she is dead – dead these five years now."

  "Ah, all my sympathy."

  There was a pause.

  "And now, Mademoiselle Élise," said Poirot, "what is this something that you have hitherto refrained from mentioning?"

  Élise rose and left the room. She returned a few minutes later with a small shabby black notebook in her hand.

  "This little book was madame's. It went with her everywhere. When she was about to depart for England, she could not find it. It was mislaid. After she had gone, I found it. It had dropped down behind the head of the bed. I put it in my room to keep until madame should return. I burned the papers as soon as I heard of madame's death, but I did not burn the book. There were no instructions as to that."

  "When did you hear of madame's death?"

  Élise hesitated a minute.

  "You heard it from the police, did you not?" said Poirot. "They came here and examined madame's papers. They found the safe empty and you told them that you had burned the papers, but actually you did not burn the papers until afterwards."

  "It is true, monsieur," admitted Élise. "Whilst they were looking in the safe, I removed the papers from the trunk. I said they were burned, yes. After all, it was very nearly the truth. I burned them at the first opportunity. I had to carry out madame's orders. You see my difficulty, monsieur? You will not inform the police? It might be a very serious matter for me."

  "I believe, Mademoiselle Élise, that you acted with the best intentions. All the same, you understand, it is a pity – a great pity. But it does no good to regret what is done and I see no necessity for communicating the exact hour of the destruction to the excellent M. Fournier. Now let me see if there is anything in this little book to aid us."

  "I do not think there will be, monsieur
," said Élise, shaking her head. "It is madame's private memorandums, yes, but there are numbers only. Without the documents and files, these entries are meaningless."

  Unwillingly, she held out the book to Poirot. He took it and turned the pages. There were penciled entries in a sloping foreign writing. They seemed to be all of the same kind.

  A number followed by a few descriptive details such as:

  CX 265. Colonel's wife. Stationed Syria. Regimental funds.

  GF 342. French Deputy, Stavisky connection.

  There were perhaps twenty entries in all. At the end of the book were penciled memoranda of dates or places such as:

  Le Pinet, Monday. Casino, 10:30. Savoy Hotel, 5 o'clock. A.B.C. Fleet Street 11 o'clock.

  None of these were complete in themselves, and seemed to have been put down less as actual appointments than as aids to Giselle's memory.

  Élise was watching Poirot anxiously.

  "It means nothing, monsieur, or so it seems to me. It was comprehensible to madame, but not to a mere reader."

  Poirot closed the book and put it in his pocket.

  "This may be very valuable, mademoiselle. You did wisely to give it to me. And your conscience may be quite at rest. Madame never asked you to burn this book."

  "That is true," said Élise, her face brightening a little.

  "Therefore, having no instructions, it is your duty to hand this over to the police. I will arrange matters with M. Fournier so that you shall not be blamed for not having done so sooner."

  "Monsieur is very kind."

  Poirot rose.

  "I will go now and join my colleague. Just one last question: When you reserved a seat in the aeroplane for Madame Giselle, did you ring up the aerodrome at Le Bourget or the office of the company?"

  "I rang up the office of Universal Air Lines, monsieur."

  "And that, I think, is in the Boulevard des Capucines?"