‘I wish I could have been more helpful.’
They left him in the littered room smiling wistfully after them.
Chapter 16
Plan of Campaign
From Mr Clancy’s house they took a taxi to the Monseigneur, where they found Norman Gale awaiting them.
Poirot ordered some consommé and a chaud-froid of chicken.
‘Well?’ said Norman. ‘How did you get on?’
‘Miss Grey,’ said Poirot, ‘has proved herself the super-secretary.’
‘I don’t think I did so very well,’ said Jane. ‘He spotted my stuff when he passed behind me. You know, he must be very observant.’
‘Ah, you noticed that? This good Mr Clancy is not quite so absent-minded as one might imagine.’
‘Did you really want those addresses?’ asked Jane.
‘I think they might be useful—yes.’
‘But if the police—’
‘Ah, the police! I should not ask the same questions as the police have asked. Though, as a matter of fact, I doubt whether the police have asked any questions at all. You see, they know that the blowpipe found in the plane was purchased in Paris by an American.’
‘In Paris? An American? But there wasn’t any American in the aeroplane.’
Poirot smiled kindly on her.
‘Precisely. We have here an American just to make it more difficult. Voilà tout.’
‘
But it was bought by a man?’ said Norman.
Poirot looked at him with rather an odd expression.
‘Yes,’ he said, ‘it was bought by a man.’
Norman looked puzzled.
‘Anyway,’ said Jane, ‘it wasn’t Mr Clancy. He’d got one blowpipe already, so he wouldn’t want to go about buying another.’
Poirot nodded his head.
‘That is how one must proceed. Suspect everyone in turn and then wipe him or her off the list.’
‘How many have you wiped off so far?’ asked Jane.
‘Not so many as you might think, Mademoiselle,’ said Poirot with a twinkle. ‘It depends, you see, on the motive.’
‘Has there been—?’ Norman Gale stopped and then added apologetically: ‘I don’t want to butt in on official secrets, but is there no record of this woman’s dealings?’
Poirot shook his head.
‘All the records are burnt.’