Убийство Роджера Экройда

           Ackroydhintedatasuspicionhehadthatsomememberofhishouseholdwasinvolved?Household’sratheranelasticterm.""Youdon’tthinkthatParkerhimselfmightbethemanwe’reafter?"Isuggested.

           "Itlooksverylikeit.Hewasobviouslylisteningatthedoorwhenyoucameout.ThenMissAckroydcameacrosshimlaterbentonenteringthestudy.Sayhetriedagainwhenshewassafelyoutoftheway.HestabbedAckroyd,lockedthedoorontheinside,openedthewindow,andgotoutthatway,andwentroundtoasidedoorwhichhehadpreviouslyleftopen.How’sthat?""IwanttoseeifMr.Raymondcantellusanythingaboutthisdagger,"heexplained.

           Lockingtheouterdoorbehindusagain,wemadeourwaytothebilliardroom,wherewefoundGeoffreyRaymond.Theinspectorhelduphisexhibit.

           "Everseenthisbefore,Mr.Raymond?""Why–Ibelieve–I’malmostsurethatisacuriogiventoMr.AckroydbyMajorBlunt.ItcomesfromMorocco–no,Tunis.Sothecrimewascommittedwiththat?Whatanextraordinarything.Itseemsalmostimpossible,andyettherecouldhardlybetwodaggersthesame.MayIfetchMajorBlunt?"Withoutwaitingforananswer,hehurriedoff.

           "Niceyoungfellowthat,"saidtheinspector."Somethinghonestandingenuousabouthim."Iagreed.InthetwoyearsthatGeoffreyRaymondhasbeensecretarytoAckroyd,Ihaveneverseenhimruffledoroutoftemper.Andhehasbeen,Iknow,amostefficientsecretary.