III. The Adventure of the Cheap Flat

           Sofar,inthecaseswhichIhaverecorded,Poirot’sinvestigationshavestartedfromthecentralfact,whethermurderorrobbery,andhaveproceededfromthencebyaprocessoflogicaldeductiontothefinaltriumphantunravelling.IntheeventsIamnowabouttochronicle,aremarkablechainofcircumstancesledfromtheapparentlytrivialincidentswhichfirstattractedPoirot’sattentiontothesinisterhappeningswhichcompletedamostunusualcase.

           Ihadbeenspendingtheeveningwithanoldfriendofmine,GeraldParker.Therehadbeen,perhaps,abouthalfadozenpeopletherebesidesmyhostandmyself,andthetalkfell,asitwasboundtodosoonerorlaterwhereverParkerfoundhimself,onthesubjectofhouse-huntinginLondon.HousesandflatswereParker’sspecialhobby.SincetheendoftheWar,hehadoccupiedatleasthalfadozendifferentflatsandmaisonnettes.Nosoonerwashesettledanywherethanhewouldlightunexpectedlyuponanewfind,andwouldforthwithdepartbagandbaggage.Hismoveswerenearlyalwaysaccomplishedataslightpecuniarygain,forhehadashrewdbusinesshead,butitwassheerloveofthesportthatactuatedhim,andnotadesiretomakemoneyatit.WelistenedtoParkerforsometimewiththerespectofthenovicefortheexpert.Thenitwasourturn,andaperfectbabeloftongueswasletloose.FinallythefloorwaslefttoMrs.Robinson,acharminglittlebridewhowastherewithherhusband.Ihadnevermetthembefore,asRobinsonwasonlyarecentacquaintanceofParker’s.

           “Talkingofflats,”shesaid,“haveyouheardofourpieceofluck,Mr.