‘Do you think that it was he who stole the diamonds, then?’
‘It is possible. I suppose… He had the best opportunity. Oh! I don’t know what to think.’
Colonel Johnson said:
‘Your husband has given us his account of the evening. Will you do the same, Mrs Lee? When did you last see your father-in-law?’
‘We were all up in his room this afternoon – before tea. That was the last time I saw him.’
‘You did not see him later to bid him goodnight?’
‘No.’
Poirot said:
‘Do you usually go and say goodnight to him?’
Lydia said sharply:
‘No.’
The chief constable went on:
‘Where were you when the crime took place?’
‘In the drawing-room.’
‘You heard the noise of the struggle?’
‘I think I heard something heavy fall. Of course my father-in-law’s room is over the dining-room, not the drawing-room, so I shouldn’t hear so much.’
‘But you heard the cry?’
Lydia shuddered.
‘Yes, I heard that… It was horrible – like – like a soul in hell. I knew at once something dreadful had happened. I hurried out and followed my husband and Harry up the stairs.’
‘Who else was in the drawing-room at the time?’
Lydia frowned.
‘Really – I can’t remember. David was next door in the music-room, playing Mendelssohn. I think Hilda had gone to join him.’
‘And the other two ladies?’
Lydia said slowly:
‘Magdalene went to telephone. I can’t remember whether she had come back or not. I don’t know where Pilar was.’
Poirot said gently:
‘In fact, you may have been quite alone in the drawing-room?’
‘Yes – yes – as a matter of fact, I believe I was.’
Colonel Johnson said:
‘About these diamonds. We ought, I think, to make quite sure about them. Do you know the combination of your father’s safe, Mr Lee? I see it is of a somewhat old-fashioned pattern.’
‘You will find it written down in a small note-book he carried in the pocket of his dressing-gown.’
‘Good. We will go and look presently. It will be better, perhaps, if we interview the other members of the house-party first. The ladies may want to get to bed.’
Lydia stood up.
‘Come, Alfred.’ She turned to them. ‘Shall I send them in to you?’
‘One by one, if you wouldn’t mind, Mrs Lee.’
‘Certainly.’
She moved towards the door. Alfred followed her.
Suddenly, at the last moment, he swung round.
‘Of course,’ he said. He came quickly back to Poirot. ‘You are Hercule Poirot! I don’t know where my wits have been. I should have realized at once.’
He spoke quickly, in a low, excited voice.
‘It’s an absolute godsend your being here! You must find out the truth, M. Poirot. Spare no expense! I will be responsible for any expense. But find out… My poor father – killed by someone – killed with the utmost brutality! You must find out, M. Poirot. My father has got to be avenged.’
Poirot answered quietly:
‘I can assure you, M. Lee, that I am prepared to do my utmost to assist Colonel Johnson and Superintendent Sugden.’
Alfred Lee said:
‘I want you to work for me. My father has got to be avenged.’
He began to tremble violently. Lydia had come back. She went up to him and drew his arm through hers.
‘Come, Alfred,’ she said. ‘We must get the others.’
Her eyes met Poirot’s. They were eyes that kept their own secrets. They did not waver.
Poirot said softly:
‘Who would have thought the old man–’
She interrupted him:
‘Stop! Don’t say that!’
Poirot murmured:
‘You said it, madame.’
She breathed softly:
‘I know… I remember… It was – so horrible.’
Then she went abruptly out of the room, her husband beside her.
George Lee was solemn and correct.
‘A terrible business,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘A terrible, terrible business. I can only believe that it must – er – have been the work of a lunatic!’
Colonel Johnson said politely:
‘That is your theory?’
‘Yes. Yes, indeed. A homicidal maniac. Escaped, perhaps, from some mental home in the vicinity.’
Superintendent Sugden put in:
‘And how do you suggest this – er – lunatic gained admittance to the house, Mr Lee? And how did he leave it?’
George shook his head.
‘That,’ he said firmly, ‘is for the police to discover.’
Sugden said:
‘We made the round of the house at once. All windows were closed and barred. The side door was locked, so was the front door. Nobody could have left by the kitchen premises without being seen by the kitchen staff.’
George Lee cried:
‘But that’s absurd! You’ll be saying next that my father was never murdered at all!’
‘He was murdered all right,’ said Superintendent Sugden. ‘There’s no doubt about that.’
The chief constable cleared his throat and took up the questioning.
‘Just where were you, Mr Lee, at the time of the crime?’
‘I was in the dining-room. It was just after dinner. No, I was, I think, in this room. I had just finished telephoning.’
‘You had been telephoning?’
‘Yes. I had put a call through to the Conservative agent in Westeringham – my constituency. Some urgent matters.’
‘And it was after that that you heard the scream?’
