‘Did he send her to you with that message?’
‘Not exactly, sir. I was bringing a tray with soda and whisky when Miss Flora, who was just coming out of this room, stopped me and said her uncle didn’t want to be disturbed.’
The inspector looked at the butler with rather closer attention than he had bestowed on him up to now.
‘You’d already been told that Mr Ackroyd didn’t want to be disturbed, hadn’t you?’
Parker began to stammer. His hands shook. ‘Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Quite so, sir.’
‘And yet you were proposing to do so?’
‘I’d forgotten, sir. At least I mean, I always bring the whisky and soda about that time, sir, and ask if there’s anything more, and I thought – well, I was doing as usual without thinking.’
It was at this moment that it began to dawn upon me that Parker was most suspiciously flustered. The man was shaking and twitching all over.
‘H’m,’ said the inspector. ‘I must see Miss Ackroyd at once. for the moment we’ll leave this room exactly as it is. I can return here after I’ve heard what Miss Ackroyd has to tell me. I shall just take the precaution of shutting and bolting the window.’
This precaution accomplished, he led the way into the hall and we followed him. he paused a moment, as he glanced up at the little staircase, then spoke over his shoulder to the constable.
‘Jones, you’d better stay here. don’t let anyone go into that room.’
Parker interposed deferentially. ‘If you’ll excuse me, sir. If you were to lock the door into the main hall, nobody could gain access to this part. That staircase leads only to Mr Ackroyd’s bedroom and bathroom. There is no communication with the other part of the house. There once was a door through, but Mr Ackroyd had it blocked up. he liked to feel that his suite was entirely private.’
To make things clear and explain the position, I have appended a rough sketch of the right-hand wing of the house. The small staircase leads, as Parker explained, to a big bedroom made by two being knocked into one, and an adjoining bathroom and lavatory.
The inspector took in the position at a glance. We went through into the large hall and he locked the door behind him, slipping the key into his pocket. Then he gave the constable some low-voiced instructions, and the latter prepared to depart.
‘We must get busy on those shoe tracks,’ explained the inspector. ‘But first of all, I must have a word with Miss Ackroyd. She was the last person to see her uncle alive. Does she know yet?’
Raymond shook his head.
‘Well, no need to tell her for another five minutes. She can answer my questions better without being upset by knowing the truth about her uncle. Tell her there’s been a burglary, and ask her if she would mind dressing and coming down to answer a few questions.’
It was Raymond who went upstairs on this errand.
‘Miss Ackroyd will be down in a minute,’ he said, when he returned. ‘I told her just what you suggested.’
In less than five minutes Flora descended the staircase. She was wrapped in a pale pink silk kimono. She looked anxious and excited.
The inspector stepped forward.
‘Good evening, Miss Ackroyd,’ he said civilly. ‘We’re afraid there’s been an attempt at robbery, and we want you to help us. What’s this room – the billiard room? Come in here and sit down.’
Flora sat down composedly on the wide divan which ran the length of the wall, and looked up at the inspector.
