Third Girl

‘You are exceedingly perceptive,’ said Poirot. He leant back.

‘I wondered what you were up to,’ said David. ‘That’s why I hailed you. I hoped you’d stop and give me a bit of dope. She’s my girl. You know that, I suppose?’

‘I understand that that is supposed to be the idea,’ said Poirot cautiously. ‘If so, you should know where she is. Is that not so, Mr—I am sorry, I do not think I know your name beyond, that is, that your Christian name is David.’

‘Baker.’

‘Perhaps, Mr Baker, you have had a quarrel.’

‘No, we haven’t had a quarrel. Why should you think we had?’

‘Miss Norma Restarick left Crosshedges on Sunday evening, or was it Monday morning?’

‘It depends. There is an early bus you can take. Gets you to London a little after ten. It would make her a bit late at work, but not too much. Usually she goes back on Sunday night.’

‘She left there Sunday night but she has not arrived at Borodene Mansions.’

‘Apparently not. So Claudia says.’

‘This Miss Reece-Holland—that is her name, is it not?—was she surprised or worried?’

‘Good lord, no, why should she be. They don’t keep tabs on each other all the time, these girls.’

‘But you thought she was going back there?’

‘She didn’t go back to work either. They’re fed up at the shop, I can tell you.’

‘Are you worried, Mr Baker?’

‘No. Naturally—I mean, well, I’m damned if I know. I don’t see any reason I should be worried, only time’s getting on. What is it today—Thursday?’

‘She has not quarrelled with you?’

‘No. We don’t quarrel.’

‘But you are worried about her, Mr Baker?’

‘What business is it of yours?’

‘It is no business of mine but there has, I understand, been trouble at home. She does not like her stepmother.’

‘Quite right too. She’s a bitch, that woman. Hard as nails. She doesn’t like Norma either.’

‘She has been ill, has she not? She had to go to hospital.’

‘Who are you talking about—Norma?’

‘No, I am not talking about Miss Restarick. I am talking about Mrs Restarick.’

‘I believe she did go into a nursing home. No reason she should. Strong as a horse, I’d say.’

‘And Miss Restarick hates her stepmother.’

‘She’s a bit unbalanced sometimes, Norma. You know, goes off the deep end. I tell you, girls always hate their stepmothers.’

‘Does that always make stepmothers ill? Ill enough to go to hospital?’

‘What the hell are you getting at?’

‘Gardening perhaps—or the use of weed killer.’

‘What do you mean by talking about weed killer? Are you suggesting that Norma—that she’d dream of—that—’

‘People talk,’ said Poirot. ‘Talk goes round the neighbourhood.’

‘Do you mean that somebody has said that Norma has tried to poison her stepmother? That’s ridiculous. It’s absolutely absurd.’

‘It is very unlikely, I agree,’ said Poirot. ‘Actually, people have not been saying that.’

‘Oh. Sorry. I misunderstood. But—what did you mean?’

‘My dear young man,’ said Poirot, ‘you must realise that there are rumours going about, and rumours are almost always about the same person—a husband.’

‘What, poor old Andrew? Most unlikely I should say.’

‘Yes. Yes, it does not seem to me very likely.’

‘Well, what were you there for then? You are a detective, aren’t you?’

‘Yes.’

‘Well, then?’

‘We are talking at cross purposes,’ said Poirot. ‘I did not go down there to inquire into any doubtful or possible case of poisoning. You must forgive me if I cannot answer your question. It is all very hush-hush, you understand.’

‘What on earth do you mean by that?’

‘I went there,’ said Poirot, ‘to see Sir Roderick Horsefield.’

‘What, that old boy? He’s practically ga-ga, isn’t he?’

‘He is a man,’ said Poirot, ‘who is in possession of a great many secrets. I do not mean that he takes an active part in such things nowadays, but he knows a good deal. He was connected with a great many things in the past war. He knew several people.’

‘That’s all over years ago, though.’

‘Yes, yes, his part in things is all over years ago. But do you not realise that there are certain things that it might be useful to know?’

‘What sort of things?’