Cat Among the Pigeons - Agatha Christie [15]
Then, as Mr. Robinson accepted a cigar, Colonel Pikeaway said:
“It is very good of you to offer to help us.”
Mr. Robinson lit his cigar, savoured it appreciatively, and finally spoke.
“My dear fellow. I just thought—I hear things, you know. I know a lot of people, and they tell me things. I don’t know why.”
Colonel Pikeaway did not comment on the reason why.
He said:
“I gather you’ve heard that Prince Ali Yusuf’s plane has been found?”
“Wednesday of last week,” said Mr. Robinson. “Young Rawlinson was the pilot. A tricky flight. But the crash wasn’t due to an error on Rawlinson’s part. The plane had been tampered with—by a certain Achmed—senior mechanic. Completely trustworthy—or so Rawlinson thought. But he wasn’t. He’s got a very lucrative job with the new régime now.”
“So it was sabotage! We didn’t know that for sure. It’s a sad story.”
“Yes. That poor young man—Ali Yusuf, I mean—was ill equipped to cope with corruption and treachery. His public school education was unwise—or at least that is my view. But we do not concern ourselves with him now, do we? He is yesterday’s news. Nothing is so dead as a dead king. We are concerned, you in your way, I in mine, with what dead kings leave behind them.”
“Which is?”
Mr. Robinson shrugged his shoulders.
“A substantial bank balance in Geneva, a modest balance in London, considerable assets in his own country now taken over by the glorious new régime (and a little bad feeling as to how the spoils have been divided, or so I hear!), and finally a small personal item.”
“Small?”
“These things are relative. Anyway, small in bulk. Handy to carry upon the person.”
“They weren’t on Ali Yusuf’s person, as far as we know.”
“No. Because he had handed them over to young Rawlinson.”
“Are you sure of that?” asked Pikeaway sharply.
“Well, one is never sure,” said Mr. Robinson apologetically. “In a palace there is so much gossip. It cannot all be true. But there was a very strong rumour to that effect.”
“They weren’t on young Rawlinson’s person, either—”
“In that case,” said Mr. Robinson, “it seems as though they must have been got out of the country by some other means.”
“What other means? Have you any idea?”
“Rawlinson went to a café in the town after he had received the jewels. He was not seen to speak to anyone or approach anyone whilst he was there. Then he went to the Ritz Savoy Hotel where his sister was staying. He went up to her room and was there for about 20 minutes. She herself was out. He then left the hotel and went to the Merchants Bank in Victory Square where he cashed a cheque. When he came out of the bank a disturbance was beginning. Students rioting about something. It was some time before the square was cleared. Rawlinson then went straight to the airstrip where, in company with Sergeant Achmed, he went over the plane.
“Ali Yusuf drove out to see the new road construction, stopped his car at the airstrip, joined Rawlinson and expressed a desire to take a short flight and see the dam and the new highway construction from the air. They took off and did not return.”
“And your deductions from that?”
“My dear fellow, the same as yours. Why did Bob Rawlinson spend twenty minutes in his sister’s room when she was out and he had been told that she was not likely to return until evening? He left her a note that would have taken him at most three minutes to scribble. What did he do for the rest of the time?”
“You are suggesting that he concealed the jewels in some appropriate place amongst his sister’s belongings?”
“It seems indicated, does it not? Mrs. Sutcliffe was evacuated that same day with other British subjects. She was flown to Aden with her daughter. She arrives at Tilbury, I believe, tomorrow.”
Pikeaway nodded.
“Look after her,” said Mr. Robinson.
“We’re going to look after her,” said Pikeaway. “That’s all arranged.”
“If she has the jewels, she will be in danger.” He closed his eyes. “I so much dislike violence.”
“You think there is likely to be violence?”
“There are people interested. Various undesirable