AgathaChristie-TheReggataMystery

by The Regatta Mystery (lit)

  Mrs. Clapperton's voice floated out through the

  smoking-room window.

  "No--I don't think I will play another rubber.

  So stuffy. I think I'll go up and get some air on the

  boat deck."

  "Good-night," said Miss Henderson. "I'm

  going to bed." She disappeared abruptly.

  Poirot strolled forward to the lounge--deserted

  save for Colonel Clapperton and the two girls. He

  was doing card tricks for them, and noting the

  dexterity of his shuffling and handling of the

  cards, Poirot remembered the General's story of a

  career on the music hall stage.

  "I see you enjoy the cards even though you do

  PROBLEM AT SEA

  203

  not play bridge,'' he remarked.

  "I've my reasons for not playing bridge," said

  Clapperton, his charming smile breaking out. "I'll

  show you. We'll play one hand."

  He dealt the cards rapidly. "Pick up your

  hands. Well, what about it?" He laughed at the

  bewildered expression on Kitty's face. He laid

  down his hand and the others followed suit. Kitty

  held the entire club suit, M. Poirot the hearts,

  Pam the diamonds and Colonel Clapperton the

  spades.

  "You see?" he said. "A man who can deal his

  partner and his adversaries any hand he pleases

  had better stand aloof from a friendly game! If the

  luck goes too much his way, ill-natured things

  might be said."

  "Oh!" gasped Kitty. "How could you do that? ·

  It all looked perfectly ordinary."

  "The quickness of the hand deceives the eye,"

  said Poirot sententiously--and caught the sudden

  change in the C6lonel's expression.

  It was as though he realized that he had been off

  his guard for a moment or two.

  Poirot smiled. The conjuror had shown himself

  through the mask of the pukka sahib.

  The ship reached Alexandria at dawn the fol-

  ,. morning.

  As Poirot came up from breakfast he found the

  girls all ready to go on shore. They were talk-to

  Colonel Clapperton.

  "We ought to get off now," urged Kitty. "The

  passport people will be going off the ship presently.

  You'll come with us, won't you? You

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  Agatha Christie

  wouldn't let us go ashore all by ourselves? Awful

  things might happen to us."

  "I certainly don't think you ought to go by

  yourselves," said Clapperton, smiling. "But I'm

  not sure my wife feels up to it."

  "That's too bad," said Pam. "But she can have

  a nice long rest."

  Colonel Clapperton looked a little irresolute.

  Evidently the desire to play truant was strong

  upon him. He noticed Poirot.

  "Hullo, M. Poirotmyou going ashore?"

  "No, I think not," M. Poirot replied.

  "I'llmI'll--just have a word with Adeline,"

  decided Colonel Clapperton.

  "We'll come with you," said Pam. She flashed

  a wink at Poirot. "Perhaps we can persuade her to

  come too," she added gravely.

  Colonel Clapperton seemed to welcome this

  suggestion. He looked decidedly relieved.

  "Come along then, the pair of you," he said

  lightly. They all three went along the passage of B

  deck together.

  Poirot, whose cabin was just opposite the Clap-pertons,

  followed them out of curiosity.

  Colonel Clapperton rapped a little nervously at

  the cabin door.

  "Adeline, my dear, are you up?"

  The sleepy voice of Mrs. Clapperton from

  within replied: "Oh, bother--what is it?"

  "It's John. What about going ashore?"

  "Certainly not." The voice was shrill and de-cisive.

  "I've had a very bad night. I shall stay in

  bed most of the day."

  Para nipped in quickly, "Oh, Mrs. Clapperton,

  PROBLEM AT SEA

  205

  I'm so sorry. We did so want you to come with us.

  Are you sure you're not up to it?"

  "I'm quite certain." Mrs. Clapperton's voice

  sounded even shriller.

  The Colonel was turning the door-handle with-out

  result.

  "What is it, John? The door's locked. I don't

  want to be disturbed by the stewards."

  "Sorry, my dear, sorry. Just wanted my

  Baedeker."

  "Well, you can't have it," snapped Mrs. Clap-perton.

  "I'm not going to get out of bed. Do go

  away, John, and let me have a little peace."

  "Certainly, certainly, my dear." The Colonel

  backed away from the door. Pam and Kitty closed

  in on him.

  "Let's start at once. Thank goodness your hat's

  on your head. Oh! gracious--your passport isn't

  in the cabin, is it?"

  "As a matter of fact it's in my pocket--" began

  the Colonel.

  Kitty squeezed his arm. "Glory be!" she ex-claimed.

  "Now, come on."

  Leaning over the rail, Poirot watched the three

  of them leave the ship. He heard a faint intake of

  breath beside him and turned his head to see Miss

  HenderSon. Her eyes were fastened on the three

  retreating figures.

  i"So they've gone ashore," she said flatly.

  .r. Yes. Are you going?

  She had a shade hat, he noticed, and a smart

  bag and shoes. There was a shore-going appear-ance

  about her. Nevertheless, after the most in-finitesimal

  of pauses, she shook her head.

  206 Agatha Chtie

  No, she sd. I thnki,

  havre alot of letters to write.', stay on board. I

  S heturnd and left him.

  P'uffing after his mornin t

  rounds of the deck, Geneur of forty-eight

  I e "A,- ,,

  I IF bes

  p a . nae exclaimed or took her

  retreating figure9 of the Col0 s his eyes noted the

  "Sthat's the gme Where'sh1 and the two girls.

  M

  "

  Pirot explained that Mrs. . adam.

  ing quiet day i bed.

  lerton was have "on't

  you blieve it" T

  one knowing eye. "She'll be Old warrior closed

  the oor devil's (ound to be or tiffinand if

  ther'll be ructionS."

  bsent without leave,

  Bt the General's prognt

  fulfille. Mrs Clerton diftions were not

  q0t a

  and by the time the Colenel ppear at lunch

  damgs returned to the ship ¥ad his attendant

  Bad otshown heself,

  t four o'clock, she

  Poirot was in his cabin and he

  slightly guilty knock on his cay ard the husband's

  gnoc repeaed the cabin don door. Heard the

  Beard the Colonel'S call to a st% tred, and finally

  "Look here, I can't get an ard.

  gey?"

  'SWer. Have you a

  Poirot rose quickly from his

  jato the passage,

  hunk and came out

  The news went like wildfir

  With horrified incredulity peolI round the ship.

  glappert0n had been found dee. heard that Mrs.

  ;ative dagger drive through he,? in her bunk--a

  :;tuber beads was found on the fl hear
t. A string of

  Rumor succeeded rumor. Alit)?r of her cabin.

  tead sellers who

  PROBLE .M AT SEA

  207

  had been allowed on baard that day were being

  rounded up and questi0.ned! A large sum in cash

  had disappeared from a drawer in the cabin! The

  notes had been traced! 71hey had not been traced!

  Jewelry worth a fortUne had been taken! No

  jewelry had been taken at all! A steward had been

  arrested and had confesMed to the murder!

  "What is the truth of it all?" demanded Miss

  Ellie Henderson, wayla.3,ing Poirot. Her face was

  pale and troubled.

  "My dear lady, how %hould I know?"

  "Of course you kno,,, said Miss Henderson.

  It was late in the e,'vening. Most people had

  retired to their cabins, llVliss Henderson led Poirot

  to a couple of deck chatirs on the sheltered side of

  the ship. "Now tell me,",, she commanded.

  Poirot surveyed her thoughtfully' "It's an interesting

  case," he said.

  "Is it true that sh% had some very valuable

  jewelry stolen?"

  Poirot shook his he:ad. "No. No jewelry was

  taken. A small amount of loose cash that was in a

  drawer has disappearedl, though."

  "I'll never feel safe n a ship again," said Miss

  Henderson with a shiver. "Any clue as to which of

  those coffee-colored hr.utes did it?"

  "No," said Hercule i Poirot. "The whole thing is

  rather--strange."

  "What do you mean ?,, asked Ellie sharply.

  Poirot spread out his hands. "Eh bien--take the facts. Mrs. Clappe,rton had been dead at least

  five hours when she Was found. Some money had'

  disappeared. A string %f beads was on the floor by

  her bed. The door Was locked and the key was

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  Agatha Christie

  missing. The window--windov, not port-hole--gives

  on the deck and was open."

  "Well?" asked the woman impatiently.

  "Do you not think it is curious for a murder

  to be committed under those particular circum-stances?

  Remember that the postcard sellers,

  money changers and bead sellers who are allowed

  on board are all well known to the police."

  "The stewards usually lock your cabin, all the

  same,', Ellie pointed out.

  "Yes, to prevent any chance of petty pilfering.

  But this--was murder."

  "What exactly are you thinking of, M. Poirot?"

  Her Voice sounded a little breathless.

  "I am thinking of the locked door."

  Miss Henderson considered this. "I don't see

  anything in that. The man left by the door, locked

  it and took the key with him so as to avoid having

  the murder discovered too soon. Quite intelligent

  of hire, for it wasn't discovered until four o'clock

  in the afternoon."

  "No, no, Mademoiselle, you don't appreciate

  the POint I'm trying to make. I'm not worried as

  to how he got out, but as to how he got in."

  "The window of course."

  "C'est possible. But it would be a very narrow

  fit--arid there were people passing up and down

  the deck all the time, remember."

  "Then through the door," said Miss Henderson

  impatiently.

  "But you forget, Mademoiselle. Mrs. Clapper-ton

  had locked the door on the inside. She had

  done so before Colonel Clapperton left the boat

  this raorning. He actually tried it--so we know

  that is so."

  PROBLEM AT SEA

  209

  "Nonsense. It probably stuck--or he didn't

  turn the handle properly."

  "But it does not rest on his word. We actually

  heard Mrs. Clapperton herself say so."

  "We?"

  "Miss Mooney, Miss Cregan, Colonel Clapper-.

  ton and myself."

  Ellie Henderson tapped a neatly shod foot. She

  did not speak for a moment or two. Then she said

  in a slightly irritable tone:

  "Well--what exactly do you deduce from that?

  If Mrs. Clappcrton could lock the door she could

  unlock it too, I suppose."

  "Precisely, precisely." Poirot turned a beaming

  face upon her. "And you see where that leads us. Mrs. Clapperton unlocked the door and let the

  murderer in. Now would she be likely to do that for a bead seller?"

  Ellic objected: "She might not have known who

  it was. He may have knocked--she got up and

  opened the door--and he forced his way in and

  killed her."

  POirot shook his head. "Au contraire. She was

  lying peacefully in bed when she was stabbed."

  Miss Henderson stared at him. "What's your

  idea?" she asked abruptly.

  Poirot smiled. "Well, it looks, does it not, as

  though she knew the person she admitted .... "

  "You mean," said Miss Henderson and her

  voice sounded a little harsh, "that the murderer is

  a passenger on the ship?"

  Poirot nodded. "It seems indicated."

  "And the string of beads left on the floor was a

  blind?"

  "Precisely."

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  Agatha Christie

  "The theft of the money also?"

  "Exactly."

  There was a pause, then Miss Henderson said

  slowly: "I thought Mrs. Clapperton a very unpleasant

  woman and I don't think anyone on

  board really liked her--but there wasn't anyone

  who had any reason to kill her."

  "Except her husband, perhaps," said Poirot.

  "You don't really think--" She stopped.

  "It is the opinion of every person on this ship

  that Colonel Clapperton would have been quite

  justified in 'taking a hatchet to her.' That was, I

  think, the expression used."

  Ellie Henderson looked at him--waiting.

  "But I am bound to say," went on Poirot,

  "that I myself have not noted any signs of exasperation

  on the good Colonel's part. Also, what

  is more important, he had an alibi. He was with

  those two girls all day and did not return to the

  ship till four o'clock. By then, Mrs. Clapperton

  had been dead many hours."

  There Was another minute of silence. Ellie Henderson

  said softly: "But you still think--a passenger

  on the ship?"

  Poirot bowed his head.

  Ellie Henderson laughed suddenly--a reckless

  defiant laugh. "Your theory may be difficult to

  prove, M. Poirot. There are a good many passengers

  on this ship."

  Poirot bowed to her. "I will use a phrase from

  one of your detective story writers. 'I have my

  methods, Watson.'" The

  following evening, at dinner, every passen-

  PROBLEM AT SEA

  211

  ger found a typewritten slip by his plate requesting

  him to be in the main lounge at 8:30. When the

  company were assembled, the Captain stepped

  onto the raised platform where the orchestra

  usually played and addressed them.

  "Ladies and Gentlemen, you all know of the

  tragedy which took place yesterday. I am sure you

  all wish to co-operate in bringing the perpetrator

/>   of that foul crime to justice." He paused and

  cleared his throat. "We have on board with us M.

  Hercule Poirot who is probably known to you all

  as a man who has had wide experience in--erin

  such matters. I hope you will listen carefully to

  what he has to say."

  It was at this minute that Colonel Clapperton

  who had not been at dinner came in and sat down

  next to General Forbes. He looked like a man

  bewildered by sorrow--not at all like a man con-scious

  of great relief. Either he was a very good

  actor or else he had been genuinely fond of his

  disagreeable wife.

  "M. Hercule Poirot," said the Captain and

  stepped down. Poirot took his place. He looked

  comically self-important as he beamed on his au-dience.

  "Messieurs, Mesdames," he began. "It is most

  kind of you to be so indulgent as to listen to me.

  M. !e Capitaine has told you that I have had a cer-tain

  experience in these matters. I have, it is true, a

  little idea of my own about how to get to the bot-tom

  of this particular case." He made a sign and a

  steward pushed forward and passed up to him a

  bulky, shapeless object wrapped in a sheet.

  "What I am about to do may surprise you a

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  Agatha Christie

  little," Poirot warned them. "It may occur to you

  that I am eccentric, perhaps mad. Nevertheless I