Evil Under the Sun (Hercule Poirot 24)

Hercule Poirot, his eyes raised to the ceiling, murmured:

“I think that he is—nervous!”

IV

Inspector Colgate said:

“I’ve got those times worked out. From the hotel to the ladder down to Pixy Cove three minutes. That’s walking till you are out of sight of the hotel and then running like hell.”

Weston raised his eyebrows. He said:

“That’s quicker than I thought.”

“Down ladder to beach one minute and three quarters. Up same two minutes. That’s P.C. Flint. He’s a bit of an athlete. Walking and taking the ladder in the normal way, the whole business takes close on a quarter of an hour.”

Weston nodded. He said:

“There’s another thing we must go into, the pipe question.”

Colgate said:

“Blatt smokes a pipe, so does Marshall, so does the parson. Redfern smokes cigarettes, the American prefers a cigar. Major Barry doesn’t smoke at all. There’s one pipe in Marshall’s room, two in Blatt’s, and one in the parson’s. Chambermaid says Marshall has two pipes. The other chambermaid isn’t a very bright girl. Doesn’t know how many pipes the other two have. Says vaguely she’s noticed two or three about in their rooms.”

Weston nodded.

“Anything else?”

“I’ve checked up on the staff. They all seem quite O.K. Henry, in the bar, checks Marshall’s statement about seeing him at ten to eleven. William, the beach attendant, was down repairing the ladder on the rocks by the hotel most of the morning. He seems all right. George marked the tennis court and then bedded out some plants round by the dining room. Neither of them would have seen anyone who came across the causeway to the island.”

“When was the causeway uncovered?”

“Round about 9:30, sir.”

Weston pulled at his moustache.

“It’s possible somebody did come that way. We’ve got a new angle, Colgate.”

He told of the discovery of the sandwich box in the cave.

V

There was a tap on the door.

“Come in,” said Weston.

It was Captain Marshall.

He said:

“Can you tell me what arrangements I can make about the funeral?”

“I think we shall manage the inquest for the day after tomorrow, Captain Marshall.”

“Thank you.”

Inspector Colgate said:

“Excuse me, sir, allow me to return you these.”