Убийство Роджера Экройда
Miss Russell
SoIwrotetohiminthewayIhavejusttoldyou.""AndinthemorningyoucametoseeDrSheppard?""Yes.Iwonderedifsomethingcouldbedone.Hewasnotabadboy–beforehetooktodrugs.""Isee,"saidPoirot."Nowletusgoonwiththestory.Hecamethatnighttothesummerhouse?""Yes,hewaswaitingformewhenIgotthere.Hewasveryroughandabusive.IhadbroughtwithmeallthemoneyIhad,andIgaveittohim.Wetalkedalittle,andthenhewentaway.""Whattimewasthat?""Itmusthavebeenbetweentwentyandtwenty-fiveminutespastnine.Itwasnotyethalf-pastwhenIgotbacktothehouse.""Whichwaydidhego?""Straightoutthesamewayhecame,bythepaththatjoinedthedrivejustinsidethelodgegates."Poirotnodded.
"Andyou,whatdidyoudo?""Iwentbacktothehouse.MajorBluntwaswalkingupanddowntheterracesmoking,soImadeadetourtogetroundtothesidedoor.Itwasjustthenonhalf-pastnine,asItellyou."Poirotnoddedagain.Hemadeanoteortwoinamicroscopicpocketbook.
"Ithinkthatisall,"hesaidthoughtfully.
"OughtI-?"shehesitated."OughtItotellallthistoInspectorRaglan?""Itmaycometothat.Butletusnotbeinahurry.Letusproceedslowly,withdueorderandmethod.CharlesKentisnotyetformallychargedwithmurder.Circumstancesmayarisewhichwillrenderyourstoryunnecessary."MissRussellrose.
"Thankyouverymuch,M.Poirot,"shesaid."Youhavebeenverykind–verykindindeed.
