Hercule Poirot's Casebook

'This affair,' he said, 'is more complicated than it appears.

But one thing is quite certain. The stolen plans have not left this house.'

Lord Mayfield stared at him.

'But, my dear M. Poirot, the man I saw leaving the study-'

There was no man.

'But I saw him -'

With the greatest respect, Lord Myfield, you imagined iou saw him. The shadow cast by the branch of a tree deceived you. The fact that a robbery occurred naturally seemed a proof that what you had imagined was true.'

'Really, M. Poirot, the evidence of my own eyes '

'Back my eyes against yours any day, old boy,' put in Sir i orge.

'You must permit me, Lord Mayfield, to be very definite on that point. No one crossed the terrace to the grass.

Looking very pale and speaking stiffly, Mr Carlile said:

'In that case, if M. Poirot is correct, suspicion automatically attaches itself to me. I am the only person who could have committed the robbery.'

Lord Mayfield sprang up.

'Nonsense. Whatever M. Poirot thinks about it, I don't agree with him. I am convinced of your innocence, my dear Carlile. In fact, I'm willing to guarantee it.'

Poirot murmured mildly:

'But I have not said that I suspect M. Carlile.'

Carlile answered:

'No, but you've made it perfectly clear that no one else had a chance to commit the robbery.'

'Du tout! Du tout!'

'But I have told you nobody passed me in the hall to get to the study door.'

'I agree. But someone might have come in through the study window.'

'But that is just what you said did not happen?'

'I said that no one from outside could have come and left without leaving marks on the grass. But it could have been managed from inside the house. Someone could have gone from his room by one of these windows, slipped along the terrace, in at the study window, and back again in here.'

Mr Carlile objected:

'But Lord Mayfield and Sir George Carriugton were on terrace.'

'They were on the terrace, yes, but they were en promenade:, Sir George Carrington's eyes may be of the most reliable'

Poirot made a little bow - 'but he does not keep them in the back of his head! The study window is at the extreme left of tbs:

terrace, the windows of this room come next, but the terrace continues to the right past one, two, three, perhaps foul'

rooms?'

'Dining-room, billiard-room, morning room and library,'

said Lord Mayfield.

'And you walked up and down the terrace, how many times?'

At least five or six.

'You see, it is easy enough, the thief has only to watch for the right moment!'

Carlile said slowly:

'You mean that when I was in the hall, talking to the French girl, the thief was waiting in the drawing-room?'

'That is my suggestion. It is, of course, only a suggestion.'

'It doesn't sound very probable to me,' said Lord Mayfield.

'Too risky.'

The Air Marshall demurred.

'I don't agree with you, Charles. It's perfectly possible.

Wonder I hadn't the wits to think of it for myself.'

'So you see,' said Poirot, 'why I believe that the plans are still in the house. The problem now is to fred them?

Sir George snorted.

'That's simple enough. Search everybody.'

Lord Mayfield made a movement of dissent, but Poirot spoke before he could.

'No, no, it is not so simple as that. The person who took those plans will anticipate that a search will be made and will make quite sure that they are not found amongst his or her belongings. They will have been hidden in neutral ground.'

'Do you suggest that we've got to go playing hide and seek all over the bally house?'

Poirot smiled.

'No, no, we need not be so crude as that. We can arrive at the hiding-place (or alternatively at the identify of the guilty person) by reflection. That will simplify matters. In the morning I would like an interview with every person in the house. It would, I think, be unwise to seek those interviews now.'

Lord Mayfield nodded.

'Cause too much comment,' he said, 'if we dragged everybody out of their beds at three in the morning. In any case you'll have to proceed with a good deal of camouflage, M. Poirot.

This matter has got to be kept dark.'

Poirot waved an airy hand.

'Leave it to Hercule Poirot. The lies I invent are always most delicate and most convincing. Tomorrow, then, I conduct my investigations. But tonight, I should like to begin by interviewing you, Sir George and you, Lord Mayfield.’

He bowed to them both.

'You mean - alone?'

'That was my meaning.'

Lord Mabffield raised his eyes slightly, then he said:

Certainly. I'll leave you alone with Sir George. When you want me, You'll find me in my study. Come, Carlile.'

He and the secretary went out, shutting the door behind them.

Sir George sat down, reaching mechanically for a cigarette.

He turned a puzzled face to Poirot.

'You know', he said slowly. 'I don't quite get this.'

'That is very simply explained,' said Poirot with a smile. 'two words, to be accurate. Mrs Vanderlyn!'

'Oh,' said Carrington. 'I think I see. Mrs Vanderlyn?'

‘Precisely. It might be, you see, that it would not be very delicate to ask Lord Mayfield the question I want to ask. Why Mrs Vanderlyn? This lady, she is known to be a suspicious character. Why, then, should she be here? I say to myself there are three explanations. One, that Lord Mayfield has a penchant for the lady (and that is why I seek to talk to you alone. I do not wish to embarrass him). Two, that Mrs Vanderlyn is perhaps the dear friend of someone else in the house?’

'You can count me out!' said Sir George with a grin.

'Then, if reither of those cases is true, the question returns in redoubled l?orce. Why Mrs Vanderlyn? And it seems to me I perceive a sh.dowy answer. There was a reason. Her presence at this parttular juncture was definitely desired by Lord Mayfield for a special reason. Am I right?'

Sir Georg nodded.

'You're quite right,' he said. 'Mayfield is too old a bird to r her wiles. He wanted her here for quite another reason. It was like this.

He retailed the conversation that had taken place at the dinner-table. Poirot listened attentively.

'Ah,' he said. 'I comprehend now. Nevertheless, it seems that the lady has turned the tables on you both rather neatly?

Sir George swore freely.

Poirot watched him with some slight amusement, then he said:

'You do not doubt that this theft is her doing - I mean, that she is responsible for it, whether or no she played an active part?'

Sir George stared.

'Of course not! There isn't any doubt of that. Why, who else would have any interest in stealing those plans?'

'Ah!' said Hercule Poirot. He leaned back and looked at the ceiling. 'And yet, Sir George, we agreed, not a quarter of an hour ago, that these papers represented very definitely money.

Not perhaps, in quite so obvious a form as banknotes, or gold, or jewellery, but nevertheless they were potential money. If there were anyone here who was hard up '

The other 'interrupted him with a snort.

'Who isn't these days? I suppose I can say it without incriminating myself.'

He smiled and Poirot smiled politely back at him and murmured:

'Mais oui, you can say what you like, for you, Sir George, have the one unimpeachable alibi in this affair.'

'But I'm damned hard up myself!.'

Poirot shook his head sadly.

'Yes, indeed, a man in your position has heavy living expenses. Then you have a young son at a most expensive age '

Sir George groaned.