Пуаро ведёт следствие
V. The Million Dollar Bond Robbery
Allisclear,thecasebeginstoexplainitself.Thesealedpacketisonlyadummy,andthemomentofitssubstitutionmustbeintheofficeintheBank.Itwouldbeaneasymatterforanyofthethreemenpresenttohavepreparedaduplicatepackagewhichcouldbesubstitutedforthegenuineone.Trèsbien,thebondsaremailedtoaconfederateinNewYork,withinstructionstosellassoonastheOlympiaisin,butsomeonemusttravelontheOlympiatoengineerthesupposedmomentoftherobbery.”
“Butwhy?”
“BecauseifRidgewaymerelyopensthepacketandfindsitadummy,suspicionfliesatoncetoLondon.No,themanonboardinthecabinnextdoordoeshiswork,pretendstoforcethelockinanobviousmannersoastodrawimmediateattentiontothetheft,reallyunlocksthetrunkwithaduplicatekey,throwsthepackageoverboardandwaitsuntilthelasttoleavetheboat.Naturallyhewearsglassestoconcealhiseyes,andisaninvalidsincehedoesnotwanttoruntheriskofmeetingRidgeway.HestepsashoreinNewYorkandreturnsbythefirstboatavailable.”
“Butwho—whichwashe?”
“Themanwhohadaduplicatekey,themanwhoorderedthelock,themanwhohasnotbeenseverelyillwithbronchitisathishomeinthecountry—enfin,that‘stodgy’oldman,Mr.Shaw!Therearecriminalsinhighplacessometimes,myfriend.Ah,hereweare.Mademoiselle,Ihavesucceeded!Youpermit?”
And,beaming,Poirotkissedtheastonishedgirllightlyoneithercheek!
