Appointment With Death (Hercule Poirot 19)

‘You win, M. Poirot! I’m the liar. Mother was dead when I went up to her. It—it quite knocked me out. I’d been going, you see, to have it out with her. To tell her that from henceforth I was a free agent. I was—all set, you understand. And there she was—dead! Her hand all cold and flabby. And I thought—just what you said. I thought maybe Carol—you see, there was the mark on her wrist—’

Poirot said quickly: ‘That is the one point on which I am not completely informed. What was the method you counted on employing? You had a method—and it was connected with a hypodermic syringe. That much I know. If you want me to believe you, you must tell me the rest.’

Raymond said hurriedly: ‘It was a way I read in a book—an English detective story—you stuck an empty hypodermic syringe into someone and it did the trick. It sounded perfectly scientific. I—I thought we’d do it that way.’

‘Ah,’ said Poirot. ‘I comprehend. And you purchased a syringe?’

‘No. As a matter of fact I pinched Nadine’s.’

Poirot shot a quick look at her. ‘The syringe that is in your baggage in Jerusalem?’ he murmured.

A faint colour showed in the young woman’s face.

‘I—I wasn’t sure what had become of it,’ she murmured. Poirot murmured: ‘You are so quick-witted, madame.’

Chapter 16

There was a pause. Then clearing his throat with a slightly affected sound, Poirot went on:

‘We have now solved the mystery of what I might term the second hypodermic. That belonged to Mrs Lennox Boynton, was taken by Raymond Boynton before leaving Jerusalem, was taken from Raymond by Carol after the discovery of Mrs Boynton’s dead body, was thrown away by her, found by Miss Pierce, and claimed by Miss King as hers. I presume Miss King has it now.’

‘I have,’ said Sarah.

‘So that when you said it was yours just now, you were doing what you told us you do not do—you told a lie.’

Sarah said calmly: ‘That’s a different kind of lie. It isn’t—it isn’t a professional lie.’

Gerard nodded appreciation.

‘Yes, it is a point that. I understand you perfectly, mademoiselle.’

‘Thanks,’ said Sarah.

Again Poirot cleared his throat.

‘Let us now review our time-table. Thus:

Boyntons and Jefferson Cope leave the camp 3.5 (approx.)

Dr Gerard and Sarah King leave the camp 3.15 (approx.)

Lady Westholme and Miss Pierce leave the camp 4.15

Dr Gerard returns to camp 4.20 (approx.)

Lennox Boynton returns to camp 4.35

Nadine Boynton returns to camp and talks to Mrs Boynton 4.40

Nadine Boynton leaves her mother-in-law and goes to marquee 4.50 (approx.)

Carol Boynton returns to camp 5.10

Lady Westholme, Miss Pierce and Mr Jefferson Cope return to camp 5.40

Raymond Boynton returns to camp 5.50

Sarah King returns to camp 6.0