Пуаро ведёт следствие
V. The Million Dollar Bond Robbery
Whatdidthethiefdowiththem?Howdidhemanagetogetashorewiththem?”
“Ah!”criedRidgeway.“That’sjustit.How?WordwaspassedtotheCustomsauthorities,andeverysoulthatlefttheshipwasgoneoverwithatoothcomb!”
“Andthebonds,Igather,madeabulkypackage?”
“Certainlytheydid.Theycouldhardlyhavebeenhiddenonboard—andanywayweknowtheyweren’tbecausetheywereofferedforsalewithinhalfanhouroftheOlympia’sarrival,longbeforeIgotthecablesgoingandthenumberssentout.OnebrokerswearsheboughtsomeofthemevenbeforetheOlympiagotin.Butyoucan’tsendbondsbywireless.”
“Notbywireless,butdidanytugcomealongside?”
“Onlytheofficialones,andthatwasafterthealarmwasgivenwheneveryonewasonthelook-out.Iwaswatchingoutmyselffortheirbeingpassedovertosomeonethatway.MyGod,MonsieurPoirot,thisthingwilldrivememad!PeoplearebeginningtosayIstolethemmyself.”
“Butyoualsoweresearchedonlanding,weren’tyou?”askedPoirotgently.
“Yes.”
Theyoungmanstaredathiminapuzzledmanner.
“Youdonotcatchmymeaning,Isee,”saidPoirot,smilingenigmatically.“NowIshouldliketomakeafewinquiriesattheBank.”
Ridgewayproducedacardandscribbledafewwordsonit.
“Sendthisinandmyunclewillseeyouatonce.”
Poirotthankedhim,badefarewelltoMissFarquhar,andtogetherwestartedoutforThreadneedleStreetandtheheadofficeoftheLondonandScottishBank.
