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Chapter nine

A few days later, Dr Gerard and Sarah King met at the travel agency, where they were both arranging a visit to Petra. ‘Are there many other people going?’ Dr Gerard asked Sarah.

‘I think it’s just you, me and two other women,’ replied Sarah. ‘Enough people for one car.’

Once they had both made their travel arrangements, they walked out into the sunshine. ‘I’ve been away for a few days,’ explained Dr Gerard. ‘Is there any news about the Boyntons?’

‘I think they’re leaving today,’ said Sarah, ‘and I don’t know where they’re going.’ She told Dr Gerard what had happened. ‘I feel stupid for trying to help Carol,’ she added.

‘Can you ever really help someone else?’ asked the doctor. ‘At least you tried. From what you have said, Mrs Boynton was very clever about her son Lennox. She invited Nadine - a pretty but poor young woman - to stay, and she even helped Lennox and Nadine get married.

But Nadine has a strong personality, and she’s not afraid of Mrs Boynton. I’m sure she hopes she can still escape.’

They walked back to the hotel together, and passed Lennox, Nadine and Mr Cope, who were standing next to some suitcases. Dr Gerard went up to his room, while Sarah walked slowly into the hotel lounge. There she saw Mrs Boynton sitting in a chair, waiting to leave.

Looking at her, Sarah suddenly felt angry. Mrs Boynton was just a stupid old woman - she was pathetic. She didn’t have any real power - all she could do was hurt and control her own children. She wasn’t important to anyone else.

Sarah went up to her. ‘Goodbye, Mrs Boynton,’ she said. ‘I think you’ve been very silly, trying to stop Raymond and Carol talking to me. You’re really rather pathetic. It’s much better to be kind and friendly to people.’

There was a long pause. Mrs Boynton sat very still, and when she finally spoke her voice could be heard very clearly. Her evil black eyes looked, not directly at Sarah, but over Sarah’s shoulder.

‘I never forget,’ said Mrs Boynton. ‘Remember that. I never forget anything - an action, a name or a face.’ The way she spoke these words was so poisonous that Sarah stepped back. And then Mrs Boynton laughed - it was a horrible laugh.

‘You poor old thing,’ said Sarah, as she turned away.

As Sarah walked towards the lift she met Raymond Boynton. ‘Goodbye,’ said Sarah. ‘I hope you have a lovely time. Perhaps we’ll meet again some day.’ She smiled at him warmly, and went up to her room.

Raymond stood very still, lost in thought. He was standing in front of the lift, and a small man with a big moustache had to speak to him several times before he noticed and moved out of the way.

Just then Carol appeared. ‘Ray, will you go and get Ginevra? She’s in her room. We’re leaving now.’

‘All right,’ said Raymond. ‘I’ll go and find her.’ He walked towards the lift.

Hercule Poirot, with his eyebrows raised in surprise, watched Raymond as he left. After a while he nodded his head, as if he had decided something. He walked through the lounge and looked at Carol, who was with her mother.

‘Excuse me,’ Hercule Poirot said to a passing waiter. ‘Can you tell me who those people are?’

‘The name is Boynton, monsieur - they are Americans.’

‘Thank you,’ said Hercule Poirot.

Up on the third floor of the hotel, Dr Gerard passed Raymond and Ginevra Boynton, who were walking towards the open doors of the lift. As they were about to get into it, Ginevra said, ‘Just a minute, Ray, wait for me in the lift.’

She ran round the corner to Dr Gerard. ‘Please help me,’ Ginevra said quickly. ‘They’re taking me away! They want to kill me. I don’t belong to them, my name isn’t really Boynton. Please help me to escape!’

She stopped suddenly as she heard footsteps. ‘Ginevra?’ said Ray’s voice. The girl looked beautiful as she put a finger on her lips, and looked sadly at Dr Gerard. ‘I’m coming, Ray,’ she said, and ran back to her brother.

Dr Gerard walked on to his room. Slowly he shook his head and frowned.