Cards on the Table - Agatha Christie [9]
‘It could be,’ he said. ‘It could be. It shows that Shaitana was right in one case at least! After all, he can only have suspected that these people were murderers—he can’t have been sure. He may have been right in all four cases, he may have been right in only one case— but he was right in one case; his death proved that.’
‘One of them got the wind up. Think that’s it, M. Poirot?’
Poirot nodded.
‘The late Mr Shaitana had a reputation,’ he said. ‘He had a dangerous sense of humour, and was reputed to be merciless. The victim thought that Shaitana was giving himself an evening’s amusement, leading up to a moment when he’d hand the victim over to the police—you! He (or she) must have thought that Shaitana had definite evidence.’
‘Had he?’
Poirot shrugged his shoulders.
‘That we shall never know.’
‘Dr Roberts!’ repeated Mrs Oliver firmly. ‘Such a hearty man. Murderers are often hearty—as a disguise! If I were you, Superintendent Battle, I should arrest him at once.’
‘I dare say we would if there was a Woman at the Head of Scotland Yard,’ said Superintendent Battle, a momentary twinkle showing in his unemotional eye. ‘But, you see, mere men being in charge, we’ve got to be careful. We’ve got to get there slowly.’
‘Oh, men—men,’ sighed Mrs Oliver, and began to compose newspaper articles in her head.
‘Better have them in now,’ said Superintendent Battle. ‘It won’t do to keep them hanging about too long.’
Colonel Race half rose.
‘If you’d like us to go—’
Superintendent Battle hesitated a minute as he caught Mrs Oliver’s eloquent eye. He was well aware of Colonel Race’s official position, and Poirot had worked with the police on many occasions. For Mrs Oliver to remain was decidedly stretching a point. But Battle was a kindly man. He remembered that Mrs Oliver had lost three pounds and seven shillings at bridge, and that she had been a cheerful loser.
‘You can all stay,’ he said, ‘as far as I’m concerned. But no interruptions, please (he looked at Mrs Oliver), and there mustn’t be a hint of what M. Poirot has just told us. That was Shaitana’s little secret, and to all intents and purposes it died with him. Understand?’
‘Perfectly,’ said Mrs Oliver.
Battle strode to the door and called the constable who was on duty in the hall.
‘Go to the little smoking-room. You’ll find Anderson there with four guests. Ask Dr Roberts if he’ll be so good as to step this way.’
‘I should have kept him to the end,’ said Mrs Oliver. ‘In a book, I mean,’ she added apologetically.
‘Real life’s a bit different,’ said Battle.
‘I know,’ said Mrs Oliver. ‘Badly constructed.’
Dr Roberts entered with the springiness of his step slightly subdued.
‘I say, Battle,’ he said. ‘This is the devil of a business! Excuse me, Mrs Oliver, but it is. Professionally speaking, I could hardly have believed it! To stab a man with three other people a few yards away.’ He shook his head. ‘Whew! I wouldn’t like to have done it!’ A slight smile twitched up the corners of his mouth. ‘What can I say or do to convince you that I didn’t do it?’
‘Well, there’s motive, Dr Roberts.’
The doctor nodded his head emphatically.
‘That’s all clear. I hadn’t the shadow of a motive for doing away with poor Shaitana. I didn’t even know him very well. He amused me—he was such a fantastic fellow. Touch of the Oriental about him. Naturally, you’ll investigate my relations with him closely—I expect that. I’m not a fool. But you won’t find anything. I’d no reason for killing Shaitana, and I didn’t kill him.’
Superintendent Battle nodded woodenly.
‘That’s all right, Dr Roberts. I’ve got to investigate as you know. You’re a sensible man. Now, can you tell me anything about the other three people?’
‘I’m afraid I don’t know very much. Despard and Miss Meredith I met for the first time tonight. I knew of Despard before—read his travel book, and a jolly good yarn it is.’
‘Did you know that he and Mr Shaitana were acquainted?’
‘No. Shaitana never mentioned him to me. As