Hercule Poirot's Casebook (hercule poirot) Page 9

  After some minutes, he said quietly:

  'Do you know if Mr Laverton-West is in London at present?'

  'I don't know at all. I rather fancy he's in Hampshire with his people. I suppose I ought to have wired him. How dreadful. I forgot.'

  'It is not easy to remember everything, mademoiselle, when a catastrophe occurs. And after all, the bad news, it will keep. One hears it only too soon.'

  'Yes, that's true,' the girl said absently.

  Japp's footsteps were heard descending the stairs. Jane went out to meet him.

  'Well?'

  Japp shook his head.

  'Nothing helpful, I'm afraid, Miss Plenderleith. I've been over the whole house now. Oh, I suppose I'd better just have a look in this cupboard under the stairs.'

  He caught hold of the handle as he spoke, and pulled.

  Jane Plenderleith said:

  'It's locked.'

  Something in her voice made both men look at her sharply.

  'Yes,' said Japp pleasantly. 'I can see it's locked. Perhaps you'll get the key.'

  The girl was standing as though carved in stone.

  'I-I'm not sure where it is.'

  Japp shot a quick glance at her. His voice continued resolutely pleasant and offhand.

  'Dear me, that's too bad. Don't want to splinter the wood, opening it by force. I'll send Jameson out to get an assortment of keys.'

  She moved forward stiffly.

  'Oh,' she said 'One minute. It might be-'

  She went back into the living-room and reappeared a moment later holding a fair-sized key in her hand.

  'We keep it locked,' she explained, 'because one's umbrellas and things have a habit of getting pinched.'

  'Very wise precaution,' said Japp, cheerfully accepting the kee turned it in the lock and threw the door open. It was dark limside the cupboard. Japp took out his pocket flashlight and let lt play round the inside.

  Poirot felt the girl at his side stiffen and stop breathing for a Ii' second. His eyes followed the sweep of Japp's torch.

  There was not very much tn the cupboard. Three umbrellas - one broken, four walking sticks, a set of golf clubs, two tennis racquets, a neatly-folded rug and several sofa cushions in various stages of dilapidation. On the top of these last reposed m small, smart-looking attache-ease.

  As Japp stretched out a hand towards it, Jane Plenderleith said quickly:

  'That's mine. I-it came back with me this morning. So there can't be anything there.'

  'Just as well to make quite sure,' said Japp, his cheery friendliness increasing slightly.

  The case was unlocked. Inside it was fitted with shagreen brushes and toilet bottles. There were two magazines in it but nothing else.

  Japp examined the whole outfit with mefculous attention.

  When at last he shut the lid and began a cursory examinafio, of the cushions, the girl gave an audible sigh of relief.

  There was nothing else in the cupboard beyond what was [Plainly to be seen. Japp's examination was soon finished.

  He relocked the door and handed the key to Jane Plenderleith.

  'Well,' he said, 'that concludes matters. Can you give me Mr Laverton-West's address?'

  'Farlescombe Hall, Little Ledbury, Hampshire.'

  'Thank you, Miss Plenderleith. That's all for the present. I may be round again later. By the way, mum's the word. Leave it at suicide as far as the general public's concerned.'

  'Of course, I quite understand.'

  She shook hands with them both.

  As they walkedaway down the mews, Japp exploded:

  'What the - the hell was there in that cupboard? There was something.'

  'Yes, there was something.'

  'And I'll bet ten to one it was something to do with the attache-case! But like the double-dyed mutt I must be, I couldn't find anything. Looked in all the bottles - felt the lining - what the devil could it be?'

  Poirot shook his head thoughtfully.

  'That girl's in it somehow,' Japp went on. 'Brought that case back this morning? Not on your life, she didn't! Notice that · there were two magazines in it?'

  'Yes.'

  'Well, one of them was for las July!'

  CHAPTER 7

  It was the following day when Japp walked into Poirot's flat, flung his hat on the table in deep disgust and dropped into a chair.

  'Well,' he growled. 'She's out of it!'

  'Who is out of it?'

  'Plenderleith. Was playing bridge up to midnight. Host, hostess, naval-commander guest and two servants can all swear to that. No doubt about it, we've got to give up any idea of her being concerned in the business. All the same, I'd like to know why she went all hot and bothered about that little attache-case under the stairs. That's something in your line, Poirot. You like solving the kind of triviality that leads nowhere. The Mystery of the Small Attache-Case. Sounds quite promising!'

  'I will give you yet another suggestion for a title. The Mystery of the Smell of Cigarette Smoke.'

  'A bit clumsy for a title. Smell - eh? Was that why you were sniffing so when we £n'st examined the body? I saw you - and heard you! Sniff- sniff- sniff. Thought you had a cold in your head.'

  'You were entirely in error.'

  Japp sighed.

  'I always thought it was the little grey cells of the brain. Don't tell me the cells of your nose are equally superior to anyone else's.'

  'No, no, calm yourself.'

  'I didn't smell any cigarette smoke,' went on Japp suspiciously.

  'No more did I, my friend.'

  Japp looked at him doubtfully. Then he extracted a cigarette from his pocket.

  'That's the kind Mrs Alien smoked - gaspers. Six of those stubs were hers. The other three were Turkish.'

  'Exactly.'

  'Your wonderful nose knew that without looking at them, I suppose!'

  'I assure you my nose does not enter into the matter. My nose registered nothing.'

  'But the brain cells registered a lot?'

  'Well - there were certain indications - do you not think so?'

  Japp looked at him sideways.

  'Such as?'

  'Eh bien, there was very definitely something missing from the room. Also something added, I think... And then, on the writing-bureau...'

  'I knew it! We're coming to that damned quill pen!'

  'Du tout. The quill pen plays a purely negative role.'

  Japp retreated to safer ground.

  'I've got Charles Laverton-West coming to see me at Scotland Yard in half an hour. I thought you might like to be aere.'

  'I should very much.'

  'And you'll be glad to hear we've tracked down Major Eustace. Got a service flat in the Cromwell Road.'

  'Excellent.'

  'And we've got a little to go on there. Not at all a nice person, Major Eustace. After I've seen Laverton-West, we'll go and see him. That suit you?'

  'Perfectly.'

  'Well, come along then.'

  At half-past eleven, Charles Laverton-West was ushered into Chief Inspector Japp's room. Japp rose and shook hands.

  The M.P. was a man of medium height with a very definite personality. He was clean-shaven, with the mobile mouth of actor, and the slightly prominent eyes that so often go with gift of oratory. He was good-looking in a quiet, well-bred way.

  Though looking pale and somewhat distressed, his manner was perfectly formal and composed.

  He took a seat, laid his gloves and hat on the table and looked towards Japp.

  'I'd like to say, first of all, Mr Laverton-West, that I fully appreciate how distressing this must be to you.'

  Laverton-West waved this aside.

  'Do not let us discuss my feelings. Tell me, Chief Inspector, have you any idea what caused my - Mrs Allen to take her own life?'

  'You yourself cannot help us in any way?'

  'No, indeed.'

  'There was no quarrel? No estrangement of any kind between you?'

  'Nothing of the kind. It h
as been the greatest shock to me.'

  'Perhaps it will be more understandable, sir, if I tell you that it was not suicide - but murder!'

  'Murder?' Charles Lavertun-West's eyes popped nearly out of his head. 'You say murder?'

  'Quite correct. Now, Mr Laverton-West, have you any idea who might be likely to make away with Mrs Allen?'

  Laverton-West fairly spluttered out his answer.

  'No - no, indeed - nothing of the sort! The mere idea is - is unimaginable!'

  'She never mentioned any enemies? Anyone who might a grudge against her?'

  'Never.'

  'Did you know that she had a pistol?'

  'I was not aware of the fact.'

  He looked a little startled.

  'Miss Plenderleith says that Mrs Allen brought this pistol back from abroad with her some years ago.'

  'Really?'

  'Of course, we have only Miss Plenderleith's word for that.

  It is quite possible that Mrs Allen felt herself to be in danger from some source and kept the pistol handy for reasons of her own?

  Charles Laverton-West shook his head doubtfully. He seemed quite bewildered and dazed.

  'What is your opinion of Miss Plenderleith, Mr Laverton-West?

  I mean, does she strike you as a reliable, truthful person?'

  The other pondered a minute.

  'I think so - yes, I should say so.'

  'You don't like her?' suggested Japp, who had been vatching him closely.

  'I wouldn't say that. She is not the type of young woman I That sarcastic, independent type is not attractive to me, but I should say she was quite truthful.'

  'H'm,' said Japp. 'Do you know a Major Eustace?'

  'Eustace? Eustace? Ah, yes, I remember the name. I met him once at Barbara's - Mrs Allen's. Rather a doubtful customer in my opinion. I said as much to my - to Mrs Allen.

  He Wasn't the type of man I should have encouraged to come to the house after we were married.'

  'And what did Mrs Allen say?'

  'Oh! she quite agreed. She trusted my judgment implicitly.

  A man knows other men better than a woman can do. She explained that she couldn't very well be rude to a man whom she had not seen for some time - I think she felt especially a horror of being snobbish! Naturally, as my wife, she would find a good many of her old associates well - unsuitable, shall we say?'

  'Meaning that in marrying you she was bettering her position?' Japp asked bluntly.

  Laverton-West held up a we!l-manicured hand.

  'No, no, not quite that. As a matter of fact, Mrs Allen mother was a distant relation of my own family. She was my equal in birth. But of course, in my position, I have to especially careful in choosing my friends - and my wife choosing hers. One is to a certain extent in the limelight.'

  'Oh, quite,' said Japp dryly. He went on, 'So you can't us in any way?'

  'No indeed. I am utterly at sea. Barbara! Murdered! It seems incredible.'

  'Now, Mr Laverton-West, can you tell me what your movements were on the night of November fifth?'

  'My movements? My movements?'

  Laverton-West's voice rose in shrill protest.

  'Purely a matter of routine,' explained Japp. 'We -er - have to ask everybody.'

  Charles Laverton-West looked at him with dignity.

  'I should hope that a man in my position might be exempt.'

  Japp merely waited.

  'I was - now let me see... Ah, yes. I was at the House. Left at half-past ten. Went for a walk along the Embankment, watched some of the fireworks.'

  ‘Nice to think there aren’t any plots of that kind nowadays,’ said Japp cheerily.

  Laverton-West gave him a fish-like stare.

  'Then I - er - walked home.'

  ‘Reaching home—your London address is Onslow Square, I think—at what time?’

  'I hardly know exactly.'

  'Eleven? Half-past?'

  'Somewhere about then.'

  'Perhaps someone let you in.'

  'No, I have my key.'

  'Meet anybody whilst you were walking?'

  'No - er - really, Chief Inspector, resent these questiins very much!'

  'I assure you, it's just a matter of m routine, Mr Laverton-West. They aren't personal, you know.'

  The reply seemed to soothe the irated M.P.

  'If that is all '

  'That is all for the present, Mr Laverton-West.'

  'You will keep me informed '

  'Naturally, sir. By the way, let me introduce M. Hercule Poirot. You may have heard of him.'

  Mr Laverton-West’s eye fastened itself interestedly on the little Belgian.

  'Yes - yes - I have heard the name' .

  ‘Monsieur,’ said Poirot, his manner suddenly very foreign. ‘Believe me, my heart bleeds for you. Such a loss! Such agony as you must be enduring! Ah, but I will say no more. How magnificently the English hide their emotions.’ He whipped out his cigarette case. ‘Permit me—Ah, it is empty. Japp?’

  Japp slapped his pockets and shook his head.

  ‘Monsieur,’ said Poirot, his manner suddenly very foreign. ‘Believe me, my heart bleeds for you. Such a loss! Such agony as you must be enduring! Ah, but I will say no more. How magnificently the English hide their emotions.’ He whipped out his cigarette case. ‘Permit me—Ah, it is empty. Japp?’

  Laverton-West produced his own cigarette case,‘Permit me—Ah, it is empty. Japp?’

  ‘Thank you—thank you.’ The little man helped himself.

  'As you say, M. Poirot,' resumed the other, 'we English not parade our emotions. A stiff upper lip - that is our motto?

  He bowed to the two men and went out.

  'Bit of a stuffed fish,' said Japp disgustedly. 'And a boiled owl! The Plenderleith girl was quite right about him. Yet he is a good-looking sort of chap - might go down well with some woman who had no sense of humour. What about that cigarette?'

  Poirot handed it over, shaking his head.

  'Egyptian. An expensive variety.'

  'No, that's no good. A pity, for I've never heard a weaker alibi! In fact, it wasn't an alibi at all... You know, Poirot, it's a pity the boot wasn't on the other leg. If she'd been blackmailing him... He's a lovely type for blackmail - would pay out like a lamb! Anything to avoid a scandal.'

  'My friend, it is very pretty to reconstruct the case as would like it to be, but that is not strictly our affair.'

  'No, Eustace is our affair. I’ve got a few lines on him. Definitely a nasty fellow.’

  'By the way, did you do as I suggested about Plenderleith?'

  'Yes. Wait a sec, I'll ring through and get the latest.'

  He picked up the telephone receiver and spoke through it.

  After a brief interchange he replaced it and looked up at Poirot.

  'Pretty heartless piece of goods. Gone off to play golf. A nice thing to do when your friend's been murdered only day before.'

  Poirot uttered an exclamation.

  'What's the matter now?' asked Japp.

  But Poirot was murmuring to himself.

  'Of course.., of course.., but naturally... What an imbecile I am - why, it leapt to the eye?

  Japp said rudely:

  'Stop jabbering to yourself and let's go and tackle He was amazed to see the radiant smile that spread over Poirot's face.

  'But - yes - most certainly let us tackle him. For now, see you, I know everything o but everything?

  CHAPTER 8

  Major Eustace received the two men with the easy assurance of man of the world.

  His flat was small, a mere pied i terre, as he explained. He offered the two men a drink and when that was refused he took out his cigarette case.

  Both Japp and Poirot accepted a cigarette. A quick glance passed between them.

  'You smoke Turkish, I see,' said Japp as he twirled the cigarette between his fingers.

  'Yes. I'm sorry, do you prefer a gasper? I've got one somewhere about.'

  'No, no, this will
do me very well.' Then he leaned forward - his tone changed. 'Perhaps you can guess, Major Eustace, what it was I came to see you about?'

  I The other shook his head. His manner was nonchalant.

  Major Eustace was a tall man, good-looking in a somewhat eoarse fashion. There was a puffiness round the eyes - small, vafty eyes that belied the good-humoured geniality of his lllarmer.

  He said:

  'No - I've no idea what brings such a big gun as a chief inspector to see me. Anything to do with my car?'

  'No, it is not your car. I think you knew a Mrs Barbara Alien, jor Eustace?'

  I The major leant back, puffed out a cloud of smoke, and said i an enlightened voice:

  'Oh, so that's it! Of course, I might have guessed. Very sad business.'

  'You know about it?'

  'Saw it in the paper last night. Too bad.'

  'You knew Mrs Allen out in India, I think.'

  'Yes, that's some years ago now.'

  'Did you also know her husband?'

  There was a pause - a mere fraction ora second - but during that fraction the little pig eyes flashed a quick look at the faces of the two men. Then he answered:

  'No, as a matter of fact, I never came across Allen.'

  'But you know something about him?'

  'Heard he was by way of being a bad hat. Of course, that was only rumour.'

  'Mrs Allen did not say anything?'

  'Never talked about him.'

  'You were on intimate terms with her?'

  Major Eustace shrugged his shoulders.

  'We were old friends, you know, old friends. But we didn't see each other very often.'

  'But you did see her that last evening? The evening of November f'tfth? '

  'Yes, as a matter of fact, I did.'

  'You called at her house, I think.'

  Major Eustace nodded. His voice took on a gentle, regretful note.

  'Yes, she asked me to advise her about some investments. Of course, I can see what you're driving at - her state of mind - all that sort of thing. Well, really, it's very difficult to say. Her manner seemed normal enough and yet she was a bit jumpy, come to think of it.'

  'But she gave you no hint as to what she contemplated doing?'

  'Not the least in the world. As a matter of fact, when I said goodbye I said I'd ring her up soon and we'd do a show together.'