Убийство на поле для гольфа
21. Hercule Poirot on the Case!
TheidentificationmustrestsolelyonMadameRenauld’sevidence.JackRenauldandthechauffeur(whohadbeenwithhismastertwoyears)mustbegotoutoftheway.ItwasunlikelythattheFrenchwomenservantswouldgonearthebody,andinanycaseRenauldintendedtotakemeasurestodeceiveanyonenotlikelytoappreciatedetails.Masterswassentoff,atelegramdespatchedtoJack,BuenosAyresbeingselectedtogivecredencetothestorythatRenauldhaddecidedupon.Havingheardofme,asaratherobscureelderlydetective,hewrotehisappealforhelpknowingthat,whenIarrived,theproductionoftheletterwouldhaveaprofoundeffectupontheexaminingmagistrate—which,ofcourse,itdid.
“TheydressedthebodyofthetrampinasuitofM.Renauld’sandlefthisraggedcoatandtrousersbythedooroftheshed,notdaringtotakethemintothehouse.Andthen,togivecredencetothetaleMadameRenauldwastotell,theydrovetheaeroplanedaggerthroughhisheart.Thatnight,M.Renauldwillfirstbindandgaghiswife,andthen,takingaspade,willdigagraveinthatparticularspotofgroundwhereheknowsa—howdoyoucallit?bunkair?—istobemade.Itisessentialthatthebodyshouldbefound—MadameDaubreuilmusthavenosuspicions.Ontheotherhand,ifalittletimeelapses,anydangersastoidentitywillbegreatlylessened.Then,M.Renauldwilldonthetramp’srags,andshuffleofftothestation,wherehewillleave,unnoticed,bythe12:10train.Sincethecrimewillbesupposedtohavetakenplacetwohourslater,nosuspicioncanpossiblyattachtohim.