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

‘I want all the facts, madame.’

Alfred said:

‘Juan Estravados, as the result of a quarrel about a woman, killed another man in a café.’

‘How did he kill him?’

Alfred looked appealingly at Lydia. She said evenly:

‘He stabbed him. Juan Estravados was not condemned to death, as there had been provocation. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment and died in prison.’

‘Does his daughter know about her father?’

‘I think not.’

Alfred said:

‘No, Jennifer never told her.’

‘Thank you.’

Lydia said:

‘You don’t think that Pilar—Oh, it’s absurd!’

Poirot said:

‘Now, M. Lee, will you give me some facts about your brother, M. Harry Lee?’

‘What do you want to know?’

‘I understand that he was considered somewhat of a disgrace to the family. Why?’

Lydia said:

‘It is so long ago…’

Alfred said, the colour coming up in his face:

‘If you want to know, M. Poirot, he stole a large sum of money by forging my father’s name to a cheque. Naturally my father didn’t prosecute. Harry’s always been crooked. He’s been in trouble all over the world. Always cabling for money to get out of a scrape. He’s been in and out of gaol here, there and everywhere.’

Lydia said:

‘You don’t really know all this, Alfred.’

Alfred said angrily, his hands shaking:

‘Harry’s no good—no good whatever! He never has been!’

Poirot said:

‘There is, I see, no love lost between you?’

Alfred said:

‘He victimized my father—victimized him shamefully!’

Lydia sighed—a quick, impatient sigh. Poirot heard it and gave her a sharp glance.