Hercule Poirot's Casebook

Japp's search was quick but efficient. The living-room had

given up all its secrets in a very few minutes. Then he went

upstairs. Jane Plenderleith sat on the arm of a chair, smoking a

cigarette and frowning at the fire. Poirot watched her.

After some minutes, he said quietly:

'Do you know if Mr Laverton-West is in London at

present?'

'I don't know at all. I rather fancy he's in Hampshire with his

people. I suppose I ought to have wired him. How dreadful.

forgot.'

'It is not easy to remember everything, mademoiselle, when

a catastrophe occurs. And after all, the bad news, it will keep.

One hears it only too soon."

'Yes, that's true,' the girl said absently.

Japp's footsteps were heard descending the stairs. Jane went

out to meet him.

'Well?'

Japp shook his head.

'Nothing helpful, I'm afraid, Miss Plenderleith. I've been

over the whole house now. Oh, I suppose I'd better just have

a look in this cupboard under the stairs.'

He caught hold of the handle as he spoke, and pulled.

Jane Plenderleith said:

'It's locked.'

Something in her voice made both men look at her sharply.

'Yes,' said Japp pleasantly. 'I can see it's locked. Perhaps

you'll get the key.'

The girl was standing as though carved in stone.

'I-I'm not sure where it is.'

Japp shot a quick glance at her. His voice continued

resolutely pleasant and offhand.

'Dear me, that's too bad. Don't want to splinter the wood,

opening it by force. I'll send Jameson out to get an assortment

of keys.'

She moved forward stiffly.

'Oh,' she said/'One minute. It might be-'

She went back into the living-room and reappeared a

moment later holding a fair-sized key in her hand.

'We keep it locked,' she explained, 'because one's umbrellas

and things have a habit of getting pinched.'

'Very wise precaution,' said Japp, cheerfully accepting the

kee turned it in the lock and threw the door open. It was dark

limside the cupboard. Japp took out his pocket flashlight and let

lt play round the inside.

POirot felt the girl at his side stiffen and stop breathing for a

Ii' second. His eyes followed the sweep of Japp's torch.

ir: There was not very much tn the cupboard. Three umbrellas

- one broken, four walking sticks, a set of golf clubs, two tennis

.racquets, a neatly-folded rug and several sofa cushions in

various stages of dilapidation. On the top of these last reposed

m small, smart-looking attache-ease.

As Japp stretched out a hand towards it, Jane Plenderleith

said quickly:

'That's mine. I - it came back with me this morning. So

there can't be anything there.'

'Just as well to make quite sure,' said Japp, his cheery

friendliness increasing slightly.

The case was unlocked. Inside it was fitted with shagreen

brushes and toilet bottles. There were two magazines in it but

nothing else.

Japp examined the whole outfit with mefculous attention.

When at last he shut the lid and began a cursory examinafio,

of the cushions, the girl gave an audible sigh of relief.

There was nothing else in the cupboard beyond what was

[Plainly to be seen. Japp's examination was soon finished.

91

He relocked the door and handed the key to Jane

Plenderleith.

'Well,' he said, 'that concludes matters. Can you give me Mr

Laverton-West's address?'

'Farlescombe Hall, Little Ledbury, Hampshire.'

'Thank you, Miss Plenderleith. That's all for the present. I

may be round again later. By the way, mum's the word. Leave

it at suicide as far as the general public's concerned.'

'Of course, I quite understand.'

She shook hands with them both.

As they walkedaway down the mews, Japp exploded:

'What the - the hell was there in that cupboard? There was something.'

'Yes, there was something.'

'And I'll bet ten to one it was something to do with the

attache-case! But like the double-dyed mutt I must be, I

couldn't find anything. Looked in all the bottles - felt the lining - what the devil could it be?'

Poirot shook his head thoughtfully.

'That girl's in it somehow,' Japp went on. 'Brought that case

back this morning? Not on your life, she didn't! Notice that

· there were two magazines in it?'

'Yes.'

'Well, one of them was for las July!'

CHAPTER 7

It was the following day when Japp walked into Poirot's flat,

flung his hat on the table in deep disgust and dropped into a

chair.

'Well,' he growled. 'She's out of it!'

'Who is out of it?'

'Plenderleith. Was playing bridge up to midnight. Host,

92

hostess, naval-commander guest and two servants can all swear

to that. No doubt about it, we've got to give up any idea of her

being concerned in the business. All the same, I'd like to know why she went all hot and bothered about that little attach6-case under the stairs. That's something inyour line, Poirot. You like

solving the kind of triviality that leads nowhere. The Mystery

of the Small Attach6-Case. Sounds quite promising!'

'I will give you yet another suggestion for a rifle. The

Mystery of the Smell of Cigarette Smoke.'

'A bit clumsy for a ritle. Smell - eh? Was that why you were

sniffing so when we £n'st examined the body? I saw you - and

heard you! Sniff- sniff- sniff. Thought you had a cold in your

head.'

'You were entirely in error.'