Пуаро ведёт следствие
III. The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
Andyetanyonecouldmountordescendaswehavedone.Atnightyes—thoughnotalwaysthen—anditisagainstthatthatwearegoingtomakeprovision.”
Hehaddrawnsometoolsfromhispocketashespoke,andatoncesetdeftlytowork,hisobjectbeingtoarrangetheboltsothatitcouldbepulledbackfromthelift.Theoperationonlyoccupiedaboutthreeminutes.ThenPoirotreturnedthetoolstohispocket,andwereascendedoncemoretoourowndomain.
•••••••
OnMondayPoirotwasoutallday,butwhenhereturnedintheeveningheflunghimselfintohischairwithasighofsatisfaction.
“Hastings,shallIrecounttoyoualittlehistory?Astoryafteryourownheartandwhichwillremindyouofyourfavouritecinema?”
“Goahead,”Ilaughed.“Ipresumethatitisatruestory,notoneofyoureffortsoffancy.”
“Itistrueenough.InspectorJappofScotlandYardwillvouchforitsaccuracy,sinceitwasthroughhiskindofficesthatitcametomyears.Listen,Hastings.AlittleoversixmonthsagosomeimportantNavalplanswerestolenfromanAmericanGovernmentdepartment.TheyshowedthepositionofsomeofthemostimportantHarbourdefences,andwouldbeworthaconsiderablesumtoanyforeignGovernment—thatofJapan,forexample.SuspicionfelluponayoungmannamedLuigiValdarno,anItalianbybirth,whowasemployedinaminorcapacityintheDepartmentandwhowasmissingatthesametimeasthepapers.WhetherLuigiValdarnowasthethiefornot,hewasfoundtwodayslaterontheEastSideinNewYork,shotdead.Thepaperswerenotonhim.
