Roger Mystery

Chapter 38
The deathly silence lasted about a minute and a half.

Then I laughed out loud.

"You're crazy," I said.

"No, I'm not crazy." Poirot said calmly. "It's just the slight inconsistency in timing that made me suspect you from the very beginning of the investigation."

"A contradiction in time?" I don't know why.

"Yes, you should remember that everyone, including you, knows that it takes five minutes to walk from the porter to the mansion--not so long if you take a shortcut and take the terrace. According to your own testimony, you left the mansion It was 5:5, corroborated by Parker; but you didn't leave the gates of the manor until exactly 10:10. Who cares to hang out on a cold night like that? So why did you spend five minutes walking? 10 minutes? And I noticed that only your testimony mentioned that the study window was bolted. Aykroyd asked if you closed the window - but he didn't check it himself. So assuming the study window was actually not bolted What? During those 09 minutes, did you manage to run around the house, change your shoes, climb through the window and kill Ackroyd, and arrive at the manor gate at nine o'clock? I refutes that assumption because Ike Lloyd's nerves were high that night, and if you had climbed into the room through the window, he'd have heard it and started a fight. But if you'd killed Ackroyd before you'd left - while standing beside him? Then you Walk out the front door, run to the gazebo, take out the Ralph Paton shoes you brought, put them on hastily, walk through the mud, make shoe prints on the window sill, climb into the study, lock the door from the inside, Then ran back to the gazebo to change the shoes back, and ran to the gate of the manor. (When you went to inform Mrs. Aykroyd, I rehearsed it alone in the manor, which took exactly 30 minutes.) After that, you went home and were not there Proof is also ready, because you set the dictaphone time at [-]:[-]."

"My dear Poirot," my voice changed, and I found it strange to hear myself, "you've lost your mind with your investigations. What good will killing Ackroyd do me?"

"Safety. It was you who blackmailed Mrs. Ferrars. Who, better than the doctor who attended Mr. Ferrars, knew the cause of his death? When we first talked the other day in the garden, you mentioned that the inheritance I found out that the money came from nowhere. It was just an excuse for you to extort £[-] from Mrs. Ferrars. You took it for nothing, my lord. Part of it was lost in speculation—so you squeezed her more cruelly, and finally Mrs. Ferrars couldn't bear it and took the way you didn't expect. If Ackroyd knew the truth, he would never I will forgive you - your life is over."

"What about that phone call?" I tried to sarcastically, "I guess you have a fancy explanation too?"

"To tell you the truth, I didn't realize that was the biggest obstacle to solving the case when I found out that you had indeed been called from Kings Albert Station. At first I thought you had made up the call. That's a brilliant move. You've got to have an excuse to go to Finley Manor, find the body, and wait for an opportunity to take the dictaphone that constructed your alibi. I went to see your sister for the first time that day, and asked if you had I didn't expect Miss Russell to be among those patients. It must have been a lucky coincidence that helped me to conceal my real target. I really gained a lot. One of your patients that morning was an American steamer. Who else is going to take the train to Liverpool that night? And he will be sailing soon. Where can I find it? I found out that the Orion sailed on Saturday, so I found out the steward's identity name, and radioed him for confirmation. The telegram I just received was his answer."

He handed me the telegram, which read:

Completely correct.Dr. Sheppard entrusted me with a message to a patient, and told me to telephone him at the station to relay the reply.But no one answered the phone.

"A very clever plan indeed," said Poirot. "There was indeed a telephone call, and your sister saw you pick up the receiver. But there was only one person speaking—you yourself!"

I yawned.

"It's interesting what you say, but it's pure nonsense."

"Really? Mark my words - Inspector Raglan will know the truth in the morning tomorrow. But for your good sister's sake, I'm willing to offer you another solution. Like, overdose on sleeping pills .See what I mean? But Captain Ralph Paton's suspicions must be clarified - this is non-negotiable. I still recommend that you continue to complete this interesting manuscript, but do not write yourself out as before .”

"You have quite a lot of suggestions," I said, "Have you finished?"

"You reminded me that there is indeed one more point to be made clear. It would be unwise for you to repeat the old trick and try to gag me in the same way as Mr. Ackroyd was silenced. This kind of trick is very harmful to Hale. Kerry Polo isn't going to work, I hope you understand."

"My dear Poirot," I said, smiling, "whatever I am, I am not so stupid."

I stood up.

"Okay, okay," I yawned a little, "I have to go home, thank you for a special and meaningful night."

Poirot also stood up.When I went out, he bowed slightly politely as usual.

(End of this chapter)