Geoffrey Raymond

           IwastohaveafurtherproofthatdayofthesuccessofPoirot’stactics.Thatchallengeofhishadbeenasubtletouchbornofhisknowledgeofhumannature.AmixtureoffearandguilthadwrungthetruthfromMrs.Ackroyd.Shewasthefirsttoreact.

           ThatafternoonwhenIreturnedfromseeingmypatients,CarolinetoldmethatGeoffreyRaymondhadjustleft.

           "Didhewanttoseeme?"Iasked,asIhungupmycoatinthehall.

           Carolinewashoveringbymyelbow.

           "ItwasM.Poirothewantedtosee,"shesaid."He’djustcomefromtheLarches.Mr.Poirotwasout.Mr.Raymondthoughtthathemightbehere,orthatyoumightknowwherehewas.""Ihaven’ttheleastidea.""Itriedtomakehimwait,"saidCaroline,"buthesaidhewouldcallbackatTheLarchesinhalfanhour,andwentawaydownthevillage.Agreatpity,becauseM.Poirotcameinpracticallytheminuteafterheleft.""Cameinhere?""No,tohisownhouse.""Howdoyouknow?""Thesidewindow,"saidCarolinebriefly.

           Itseemedtomethatwehadnowexhaustedthetopic.

           Carolinethoughtotherwise.

           "Aren’tyougoingacross?""Acrosswhere?""ToTheLarches,ofcourse.""MydearCaroline,"Isaid,"whatfor?""Mr.Raymondwantedtoseehimveryparticularly"saidCaroline."Youmighthearwhatit’sallabout."Iraisedmyeyebrows.

           "Curiosityisnotmybesettingsin,"Iremarkedcoldly.