Hercule Poirot's Christmas: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot 20)

‘What time did you go out tonight, and where have you been?’

‘I left the house just before eight, sir. I went to the Superb, sir, just five minutes’ walk away. Love in Old Seville was the picture, sir.’

‘Anyone who saw you there?’

‘The young lady in the box office, sir, she knows me. And the commissionaire at the door, he knows me too. And—er—as a matter of fact, I was with a young lady, sir. I met her there by appointment.’

‘Oh, you did, did you? What’s her name?’

‘Doris Buckle, sir. She works in the Combined Dairies, sir, 23, Markham Road.’

‘Good. We’ll look into that. Did you come straight home?’

‘I saw my young lady home first, sir. Then I came straight back. You’ll find it’s quite all right, sir. I didn’t have anything to do with this. I was—’

Colonel Johnson said curtly:

‘Nobody’s accusing you of having anything to do with it.’

‘No, sir, of course not, sir. But it’s not very pleasant when a murder happens in a house.’

‘Nobody said it was. Now, then, how long had you been in Mr Lee’s service?’

‘Just over a year, sir.’

‘Did you like your place here?’

‘Yes, sir. I was quite satisfied. The pay was good. Mr Lee was rather difficult sometimes, but of course I’m used to attending on invalids.’

‘You’ve had previous experience?’

‘Oh, yes, sir. I was with Major West and with the Honourable Jasper Finch—’

‘You can give all those particulars to Sugden later. What I want to know is this: At what time did you last see Mr Lee this evening?’

‘It was about half-past seven, s

ir. Mr Lee had a light supper brought to him every evening at seven o’clock. I then prepared him for bed. After that he would sit in front of the fire in his dressing-gown till he felt like going to bed.’

‘What time was that usually?’

‘It varied, sir. Sometimes he would go to bed as early as eight o’clock—that’s if he felt tired. Sometimes he would sit up till eleven or after.’

‘What did he do when he did want to go to bed?’

‘Usually he rang for me, sir.’

‘And you assisted him to bed?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘But this was your evening out. Did you always have Fridays?’

‘Yes, sir. Friday was my regular day.’

‘What happened then when Mr Lee wanted to go to bed?’

‘He would ring his bell and either Tressilian or Walter would see to him.’