فصل سوم

Chapter three

‘So Raymond Boynton said that!’ exclaimed Colonel Carbury. ‘He is definitely the most obvious suspect. It will be difficult to prove anything, but if it is murder, we must do something!’

‘What do you think, Dr Gerard?’ asked Poirot.

‘Mrs Boynton was an unpleasant woman - and with a weak heart she could have died at any time,’ said Dr Gerard slowly. ‘Now she is dead her family are free.’

‘So you are satisfied?’ said Poirot.

‘No!’ said Dr Gerard, hitting the table with his hand. ‘I am not “satisfied”. I am a doctor - I try to save life, not to take it. It is not right for a human being to die before her time has come.’

‘Dr Gerard doesn’t like murder,’ said Colonel Carbury, pouring them more drinks. ‘And neither do I.’

‘Very well,’ said Poirot. ‘I will find out exactly who killed Mrs Boynton - if she was killed. I will find out the truth.’

‘How will you do that?’ asked Dr Gerard.

‘I will carefully examine the evidence, and use method and reason.’ replied Poirot. ‘First, I need to decide whether this murder was planned and carried out by all the Boynton family, or just one of them.’

‘If it’s just one of them,’ said Dr Gerard, ‘it’s most likely to be Raymond Boynton.’

‘I agree,’ said Poirot. ‘The words I overheard and the fact that his story does not fit with Miss King’s story, make him the obvious suspect. Tell me, Dr Gerard, are Raymond Boynton and Miss King attracted to each other?’

The Frenchman nodded. ‘Definitely - they seem to like each other very much.’

‘Aha! I believe I have seen Miss King - in the Solomon Hotel. After she spoke to Raymond Boynton he stood still - as if in a dream - blocking the exit from the lift. Three times I had to say “Pardon” before he heard me and moved.’

Poirot thought for a moment. ‘So Miss King is involved with the Boynton family, and could have wanted Mrs Boynton to die. We must remember that when we consider her medical evidence.’

Colonel Carbury coughed. ‘Can I interrupt?’ he asked. ‘Those words you overheard, “Don’t you agree that she’s got to be killed?” Who was Raymond Boyton speaking to?’

‘A good point,’ said Poirot. ‘I had not forgotten it. He must have been speaking to a member of his family. Dr Gerard, can you tell us about the Boyntons from a professional point of view - as a doctor?’

‘Raymond and Carol Boynton were in a very nervous state,’ said the doctor. ‘Lennox Boynton appeared to have given up hope - he was lifeless and quiet. I believe that Nadine, his wife, was deciding whether or not to leave her husband.’ He described his conversation with Jefferson Cope.

‘And what about the younger daughter, Ginevra?’ asked Poirot.

Dr Gerard looked serious. ‘She may have a mental illness called schizophrenia,’ he said. ‘She is trying to escape her real life by living in a fantasy world - she says she is in danger, with enemies all around her.’

‘But they all know who did it!’ said Colonel Carbury unexpectedly. ‘They’re all hiding something!’

‘They will tell me what they know,’ said Poirot confidently. ‘When they talk, people normally tell the truth because it is easier than telling lies all the time - and so, the truth becomes clear. But there may be no proof.’

‘Once I know the truth, said the Colonel, ‘I can decide what to do next. But I can’t give you much time. I can only keep everyone here in Amman for another twenty-four hours.’

‘You will have the truth by tomorrow night,’ said Poirot quietly.