Evil Under the Sun (Hercule Poirot 24)

“Did she come up to her room after breakfast, do you know?”

“Yes, sir. She came up about a quarter to ten.”

“Did she stay in her room?”

“I think so, sir. She came out, hurrying rather, just before half past ten.”

“You didn’t go into her room again?”

“No, sir. I had finished with it.”

Poirot nodded. He said:

“There is another thing I want to know. What people bathed before breakfast this morning?”

“I couldn’t say about the other wing and the floor above. Only about this one.”

“That is all I want to know.”

“Well, sir, Captain Marshall and Mr. Redfern were the only ones this morning, I think. They always go down for an early dip.”

“Did you see them?”

“No, sir, but their wet bathing things were hanging over the balcony rail as usual.”

“Miss Linda Marshall did not bathe this morning?”

“No, sir. All her bathing dresses were quite dry.”

“Ah,” said Poirot. “That is what I wanted to know.”

Gladys Narracott volunteered:

“She does most mornings, sir.”

“And the other three, Miss Darnley, Mrs. Redfern and Mrs. Marshall?”

“Mrs. Marshall never, sir. Miss Darnley has once or twice, I think. Mrs. Redfern doesn’t often bathe before breakfast—only when it’s very hot, but she didn’t this morning.”

Again Poirot nodded. Then he asked:

“I wonder if you have noticed whether a bottle is missing from any of the rooms you look after in this wing?”

“A bottle, sir? What kind of a bottle?”

“Unfortunately I do not know. But have you noticed—or would you be likely to notice—if one had gone?”

Gladys said frankly:

“I shouldn’t from Mrs. Marshall’s room, sir, and that’s a fact. She has ever so many.”

“And the other rooms?”

“Well, I’m not sure about Miss Darnley. She has a good many creams and lotions. But from the other rooms, yes, I would, sir. I mean if I were to look special. If I were noticing, so to speak.”

“But you haven’t actually noticed?”

“No, because I wasn’t looking special, as I say.”