Вбивство на поле для гольфу
14. The Second Body
Idon’tlaydownthelawonmedicalevidence,buttheman’sbeendeadwellovertwelvehours.Whendoyousayyoulastsawthatdagger?”
“Aboutteno’clockyesterdaymorning.”
“ThenIshouldbeinclinedtofixthecrimeasbeingdonenotlongafterthat.”
“Butpeoplewerepassingandrepassingthisshedcontinually.”
Giraudlaugheddisagreeably.
“Youprogresstoamarvel!Whotoldyouhewaskilledinthisshed?”
“Well—”Ifeltflustered.“I—Iassumedit.”
“Oh,whatafinedetective!Lookathim,monpetit—doesamanstabbedtotheheartfalllikethat—neatlywithhisfeettogether,andhisarmstohisside?No.Againdoesamanliedownonhisbackandpermithimselftobestabbedwithoutraisingahandtodefendhimself?Itisabsurd,isitnot?Butseehere—andhere—”Heflashedthetorchalongtheground.Isawcuriousirregularmarksinthesoftdirt.“Hewasdraggedhereafterhewasdead.Halfdragged,halfcarriedbytwopeople.Theirtracksdonotshowonthehardgroundoutside,andheretheyhavebeencarefultoobliteratethem—butoneofthetwowasawoman,myyoungfriend.”
“Awoman?”
“Yes.”
“Butifthetracksareobliterated,howdoyouknow?”
“Because,blurredastheyare,theprintsofthewoman’sshoeareunmistakable.Also,bythis—”And,leaningforward,hedrewsomethingfromthehandleofthedaggerandhelditupformetosee.Itwasawoman’slongblackhair—similartotheonePoirothadtakenfromthearm-chairinthelibrary.
Withaslightlyironicsmilehewounditroundthedaggeragain.
