Убийство на поле для гольфа
21. Hercule Poirot on the Case!
”
Histonewasgraveandearnest,andIwasimpressedinspiteofmyself.
“Whatisyourlittleideathatyoumentionedjustnow?”Iasked.
Foranswer,Poirotconsultedhisturnip-facedwatch,andthenasked:
“WhattimeistheafternoonboatfromCalais?”
“Aboutfive,Ibelieve.”
“Thatwilldoverywell.Weshalljusthavetime.”
“YouaregoingtoEngland?”
“Yes,myfriend.”
“Why?”
“Tofindapossible—witness.”
“Who?”
Witharatherpeculiarsmileuponhisface,Poirotreplied:
“MissBellaDuveen.”
“Buthowwillyoufindher—whatdoyouknowabouther?”
“Iknownothingabouther—butIcanguessagooddeal.WemaytakeitforgrantedthathernameisBellaDuveen,andsincethatnamewasfaintlyfamiliartoM.Stonor,thoughevidentlynotinconnectionwiththeRenauldfamily,itisprobablethatsheisonthestage.JackRenauldwasayoungmanwithplentyofmoney,andtwentyyearsofage.Thestageissuretohavebeenthehomeofhisfirstlove.Ittallies,too,withM.Renauld’sattempttoplacateherwithacheque.IthinkIshallfindherallright—especiallywiththehelpofthis.”
AndhebroughtoutthephotographIhadseenhimtakefromJackRenauld’sdrawer.“WithlovefromBella,”wasscrawledacrossthecorner,butitwasnotthatwhichheldmyeyesfascinated.Thelikenesswasnotfirstrate—butforallthatitwasunmistakabletome.Ifeltacoldsinking,asthoughsomeunutterablecalamityhadbefallenme.
ItwasthefaceofCinderella.
