Убийство Роджера Экройда
The Goose Quill
"Indeed–indeedheoughttocomeback."Shewaslookingatmewithappealingeyes.
"Doesnooneknowwhereheis?"sheasked.
"Doyou?"Isaidsharply.
Sheshookherhead.
"No,indeed.Iknownothing.Butanyonewhowasafriendtohimwouldtellhimthis:heoughttocomeback."Ilingered,thinkingthatperhapsthegirlwouldsaymore.
Hernextquestionsurprisedme.
"Whendotheythinkthemurderwasdone?Justbeforeteno’clock?""Thatistheidea,"Isaid."Betweenaquartertotenandthehour.""Notearlier?Notbeforeaquartertoten?"Ilookedatherattentively.Shewassoclearlyeagerforareplyintheaffirmative.
"That’soutofthequestion,"Isaid."MissAckroydsawherunclealiveataquartertoten."Sheturnedaway,andherwholefigureseemedtodroop.
"Ahandsomegirl,"IsaidtomyselfasIdroveoff."Anexceedinglyhandsomegirl."Carolinewasathome.ShehadhadavisitfromPoirotandwasverypleasedandimportantaboutit.
"Iamhelpinghimwiththecase,"sheexplained.
Ifeltratheruneasy.Carolineisbadenoughasitis.Whatwillshebelikewithherdetectiveinstinctsencouraged?
"AreyougoingroundtheneighbourhoodlookingforRalphPaton’smysteriousgirl?"Iinquired.
"Imightdothatonmyownaccount,"saidCaroline."No,thisisaspecialthingM.Poirotwantsmetofindoutforhim
