Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie [25]
‘Well,’ he said, ‘how are things going?’
‘Not too badly. Since our last conversation I have learnt something—the identity of M. Ratchett.’
Hector MacQueen leaned forward interestedly.
‘Yes?’ he said.
‘Ratchett, as you suspected, was merely an alias. Ratchett was Cassetti, the man who ran the celebrated kidnapping stunts—including the famous affair of little Daisy Armstrong.’
An expression of utter astonishment appeared on MacQueen’s face; then it darkened.
‘The damned skunk!’ he exclaimed.
‘You had no idea of this, M. MacQueen?’
‘No, sir,’ said the young American decidedly. ‘If I had I’d have cut off my right hand before it had a chance to do secretarial work for him!’
‘You feel strongly about the matter, M. MacQueen?’
‘I have a particular reason for doing so. My father was the district attorney who handled the case, M. Poirot. I saw Mrs Armstrong more than once—she was a lovely woman. So gentle and heartbroken.’ His face darkened. ‘If ever a man deserved what he got, Ratchett or Cassetti is the man. I’m rejoiced at his end. Such a man wasn’t fit to live!’
‘You almost feel as though you would have been willing to do the good deed yourself?’
‘I do. I—’ He paused, then flushed rather guiltily. ‘Seems I’m kind of incriminating myself.’
‘I should be more inclined to suspect you, M. MacQueen, if you displayed an inordinate sorrow at your employer’s decease.’
‘I don’t think I could do that, even to save myself from the chair,’ said MacQueen grimly.
Then he added:
‘If I’m not being unduly curious, just how did you figure this out? Cassetti’s identity, I mean.’
‘By a fragment of a letter found in his compartment.’
‘But surely—I mean—that was rather careless of the old man?’
‘That depends,’ said Poirot, ‘on the point of view.’
The young man seemed to find this remark rather baffling. He stared at Poirot as though trying to make him out.
‘The task before me,’ said Poirot, ‘is to make sure of the movements of everyone on the train. No offence need be taken, you understand? It is only a matter of routine.’
‘Sure. Get right on with it and let me clear my character if I can.’
‘I need hardly ask you the number of your compartment,’ said Poirot, smiling, ‘since I shared it with you for a night. It is the second-class compartment Nos. 6 and 7, and after my departure you had it to yourself.’
‘That’s right.’
‘Now, M. MacQueen, I want you to describe your movements last night from the time of leaving the dining-car.’
‘That’s quite easy. I went back to my compartment, read a bit, got out on the platform at Belgrade, decided it was too cold, and got in again. I talked for a while to a young English lady who is in the compartment next to mine. Then I fell into conversation with that Englishman, Colonel Arbuthnot—as a matter of fact I think you passed us as we were talking. Then I went in to Mr Ratchett and, as I told you, took down some memoranda of letters he wanted written. I said good-night to him and left him. Colonel Arbuthnot was still standing in the corridor. His compartment was already made up for the night, so I suggested that he should come along to mine. I ordered a couple of drinks and we got right down to it. Discussed world politics and the Government of India and our own troubles with the financial situation and the Wall Street crisis. I don’t as a rule cotton to Britishers—they’re a stiff-necked lot—but I liked this one.’
‘Do you know what time it was when he left you?’
‘Pretty late. Getting on for two o’clock, I should say.’
‘You noticed that the train had stopped?’
‘Oh, yes. We wondered a bit. Looked out and saw the snow lying very thick, but we didn’t think it was serious.’
‘What happened when Colonel Arbuthnot finally said good-night?’
‘He went along to his compartment and I called to the conductor to make up my bed.’
‘Where were you whilst he was making it?’
‘Standing just outside the door in the corridor smoking a cigarette.’
‘And then?’
‘And then I went to bed and slept till morning.’
‘During