"But you have no doubts about the wife?"
"No - no - there is a certain rather startling callousness... ut
no, I really cannot envisage the hatchet. She is a fragile looking
creature."
"And beautiful!" said Poirot with a faint cynical smile. "And the other niece?"
"Susan? She is a very different type from Rosamund - a girl of
remarkable ability, I should say. She and her husband were at home
together that day. I said (falsely) that I had tried to get them on the
telephone on the afternoon in question. Greg said very quickly that the
telephone had been out of order all day. He had tried to get someone and
failed."
"So again it is not conclusive... You cannot eliminate as you hoped to do... What is the husband like?"
"I find him hard to make out. He has a somewhat unpleasing
personality though one cannot say exactly why he makes this impression.
As for Susan -"
"Yes?"
"Susan reminds me of her uncle. She has the vigour, the drive, the
mental capacity of Richard Abernethie. It may be my fancy that she lacks
some of the kindliness and the warmth of my old friend."
"Women are never kind," remarked Poirot. "Though they can sometimes be tender. She loves her husband?"
"Devotedly, I should say. But really, Poirot, I can't believe - I won't believe for one moment that Susan -"
"You prefer George?" said Poirot. "It is natural! As for me, I am
not so sentimental about beautiful young ladies. Now tell me about your
visit to the older generation?"
Mr Entwhistle described his visit to Timothy and Maude at some length. Poirot summarised the result.
"So Mrs Abernethie is a good mechanic. She knows all about the
inside of a car. And Mr Abernethie is not the invalid he likes to think
himself. He goes out for walks and is, according to you, capable of
vigorous action. He is also a bit of an ego maniac and he resented his
brother's success and superior character."
"He spoke very affectionately of Cora."
"And ridiculed her silly remark after the funeral. What of the sixth beneficiary?"
"Helen? Mrs Leo? I do not suspect her for a moment. In any case,
her innocence will be easy to prove. She was at Enderby. With three
servants in the house."
"Eh bien, my friend," said Poirot. "Let us be practical. What do you want me to do?"
"I want to know the truth, Poirot."
"Yes. Yes, I should feel the same in your place."
"And you're the man to find it out for me. I know you don't take
cases any more, but I ask you to take this one. This is a matter of
business. I will be responsible for your fees. Come now, money is always
useful."
Poirot grinned.
"Not if it all goes in the taxes! But I will admit, your problem
interests me! Because it is not easy... It is all so nebulous... One
thing, my friend, had better be done by you. After that, I will occupy
myself of everything. But I think it will be best if you yourself seek
out the doctor who attended Mr Richard Abernethie. You know him?"
"Slightly."
"What is he like?"
"Middle-aged G.P. Quite competent. On very friendly terms with Richard. A thoroughly good fellow."
"Then seek him out. He will speak more freely to you than to me.
Ask him about Mr Abernethie's illness. Find out what medicines Mr
Abernethie was taking at the time of his death and before. Find out if
Richard Abernethie ever said anything to his doctor about fancying
himself being poisoned. By the way, this Miss Gilchrist is sure that he
used the term poisoned in talking to his sister?"
Mr Entwhistle reflected.
"It was the word she used - but she is the type of witness who
often changes the actual words used, because she is convinced she is
keeping to the sense of them. If Richard had said he was afraid someone
wanted to kill him, Miss Gilchrist might have assumed poison because she
connected his fears with those of an aunt of hers who thought her food
was being tampered with. I can take up the point with her again some
time."
"Yes. Or I will do so." He paused and then said in a different voice:
"Has it occurred to you, my friend, that your Miss Gilchrist may be in some danger herself?"
Mr Entwhistle looked surprised.
"I can't say that it had."
"But, yes. Cora voiced her suspicions on the day of the funeral.
The question in the murderer's mind will be, did she voice them to
anybody when she first heard of Richard's death? And the most likely
person for her to have spoken to about them will be Miss Gilchrist. I
think, mon cher, that she had better not remain alone in that cottage."
"I believe Susan is going down."
"Ah, so Mrs Banks is going down?"
"She wants to look through Cora's things."
"I see... I see... Well, my friend, do what I have asked of you.
You might also prepare Mrs Abernethie - Mrs Leo Abernethie, for the
possibility that I may arrive in the house. We will see. From now on I
occupy myself of everything."
And Poirot twirled his moustaches with enormous energy.
