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Chapter VI. The Inquest
Butitistrulyaningenioussupposition.”
“Youreadmywife’slastwordsasanaccusation”—Inglethorpwascontinuing—“theywere,onthecontrary,anappealtome.”
TheCoronerreflectedamoment,thenhesaid:
“Ibelieve,Mr.Inglethorp,thatyouyourselfpouredoutthecoffee,andtookittoyourwifethatevening?”
“Ipoureditout,yes.ButIdidnottakeittoher.Imeanttodoso,butIwastoldthatafriendwasatthehalldoor,soIlaiddownthecoffeeonthehalltable.WhenIcamethroughthehallagainafewminuteslater,itwasgone.”
Thisstatementmight,ormightnot,betrue,butitdidnotseemtometoimprovemattersmuchforInglethorp.Inanycase,hehadhadampletimetointroducethepoison.
Atthatpoint,Poirotnudgedmegently,indicatingtwomenwhoweresittingtogethernearthedoor.Onewasalittle,sharp,dark,ferret-facedman,theotherwastallandfair.
IquestionedPoirotmutely.Heputhislipstomyear.
“Doyouknowwhothatlittlemanis?”
Ishookmyhead.
“ThatisDetectiveInspectorJamesJappofScotlandYard—JimmyJapp.TheothermanisfromScotlandYardtoo.Thingsaremovingquickly,myfriend.”
Istaredatthetwomenintently.Therewascertainlynothingofthepolicemanaboutthem.Ishouldneverhavesuspectedthemofbeingofficialpersonages.
Iwasstillstaring,whenIwasstartledandrecalledbytheverdictbeinggiven:
“WilfulMurderagainstsomepersonorpersonsunknown.”
