8. The Armstrong Kidnapping Case

           TheyfoundM.Boucfinishinganomelet.

           “Ithoughtitbesttohavelunchservedimmediatelyintherestaurantcar,”hesaid.“AfterwardsitwillbeclearedandM.Poirotcanconducthisexaminationofthepassengersthere.InthemeantimeIhaveorderedthemtobringusthreesomefoodhere.”

           “Anexcellentidea,”saidPoirot.

           Neitheroftheothertwomenwashungry,andthemealwassooneaten,butnottilltheyweresippingtheircoffeedidM.Boucmentionthesubjectthatwasoccupyingalltheirminds.

           “Ehbien?”heasked.

           “Ehbien,Ihavediscoveredtheidentityofthevictim.IknowwhyitwasimperativeheshouldleaveAmerica.”

           “Whowashe?”

           “DoyourememberreadingoftheArmstrongbaby?ThisisthemanwhomurderedlittleDaisyArmstrong—Cassetti.”

           “Irecallitnow.Ashockingaffair—thoughIcannotrememberthedetails.”

           “ColonelArmstrongwasanEnglishman—aV.C.HewashalfAmerican,ashismotherwasadaughterofW.K.VanderHalt,theWallStreetmillionaire.HemarriedthedaughterofLindaArden,themostfamoustragicAmericanactressofherday.TheylivedinAmericaandhadonechild—agirl—whomtheyidolized.Whenshewasthreeyearsoldshewaskidnapped,andanimpossiblyhighsumdemandedasthepriceofherreturn.Iwillnotwearyyouwithalltheintricaciesthatfollowed.Iwillcometothemoment,when,afterhavingpaidovertheenormoussumoftwohundredthousanddollars,thechild’sdeadbodywasdiscovered,ithavingbeendeadatleastafortnight.Publicindignationrosetofeverpoint.Andtherewasworsetofollow.Mrs.