Half an hour later Poirot, myself and Inspector Raglan were on the train going to Liverpool.
«Perhaps, this fellow is the blackmailer,» said Inspector Raglan. «If it is so, then probably he killed Mr. Ackroyd. But I can’t understand then, why Ralph Paton is hiding.»
When we came to Liverpool, I was surprised to see that people in the Liverpool police were very glad to see Poirot. Superintendent Hayes, who met us, had worked with Poirot and had a very high opinion about him. «Now that we have M. Poirot with us, we shall find the murderer very soon,» he said. «Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard says that he is very glad that you are working with us.»
We went to see the prisoner. He was a young fellow, not more than twenty-two or twenty-three. He was tall and thin, and his hands shook a little. He had dark hair and blue eyes.
«Now, Kent,» said the superintendent, «stand up. Here are some visitors who have come to see you. Do you recognize any of them?» Kent did not answer.
«Well, sir,» said the superintendent to me, «what do you think? Is it the same man whom you met at the gates?»
«It’s difficult to say,» I said. «It was dark and he was hiding his face. His height is the same.»
«What the hell does it all mean?1» asked Kent.
1 What the hell does it all mean? — Что, черт возьми, все это значит.
«What have you got against me? What do you think I have done?»
I nodded my head. «It is that man,» I said. «I recognize his voice.»
«Oh, you recognize my voice, don’t you?» said Kent. «And where did you hear it?»
«On Friday evening last week, outside the gates of Fernly Park,» I said. «You asked me the way there.»
«What do you think I have done?» asked Kent again.
«Haven’t you read the newspapers?» asked Poirot.
«Ah!» said Kent, «Yes, I have read about an old man who was killed at Fernly. So you are trying to prove that it was I who killed him?»
«You were there that night,» said Poirot.
«How do you know, mister?»
«By this.» Poirot took something from his pocket and showed to Kent. It was the goose quill which we had found in the summer-house. Kent looked, and his face changed. He stretched out his hand to take the quill, but Poirot did not give it to him. «I found it where you had dropped it that night,» he said.
Charles Kent looked at Poirot. «You know a lot,» he said. «Perhaps, you remember this: the newspaper said that the old man was killed between a quarter to ten and ten o’clock.»
«That is so,» agreed Poirot.
«Yes, the newspaper said it, but is it really so? That is what I want to know.»
«This gentleman will tell you,» said Poirot, pointing to Inspector Raglan.
«That’s right,» said Raglan. «Between a quarter to ten and ten o’clock.»
«Then you have nothing against me, said Kent. «I left Fernly Park before twenty-five minutes past nine, you can ask at the Dog and Whistle. That bar is about a mile from Fernly, and they will tell you that I was there at a quarter to ten.»
«We shall ask,» said the inspector. «If you are telling the truth, it will be all right. But why did you go to Fernly Park?»
«I went there to meet someone.»
«Whom?»
«I won’t tell you. I went there on my own business. And if the murder was done after I left the place, it is not your business to ask me anything.»
«Your name is Charles Kent,» said Poirot. «Where were you born?»
The man looked at him. «I was born in England,» he said.
«Yes,» said Poirot. «I think you were born in Kent.»
The man was surprised. «Why do you think so? Because of my name? If a man’s name is Kent, does it mean that he was born in Kent?»
«In your case I think it means just this,» answered Poirot.
It was clear that Charles Kent became very angry. His face was red, and for a moment I thought that he would jump at Poirot. Then he turned away. Poirot looked satisfied.
«Of course we shall ask questions and check his statement,» said Inspector Raglan when we went out. «I think he is not lying. But he will have to explain to us what he was doing at Fernly. Still I think that he is the blackmailer. Maybe he spoke with Mr.
Akroyd, and Mr. Ackroyd gave him those forty pounds. Why do you suppose that he was born in Kent?» he asked Poirot.
«Oh, it was just my little idea,» said Poirot. «You know, I am famous for my little ideas.»
Poirot and I had lunch at a hotel. I know now that he had solved the mystery of the murder, but at that time I did not, know it. At that time I was thinking hard, trying to understand why that man Kent had come to Fernly. I asked myself that question again and again, but could not find an answer. At last I asked Poirot what he thought about it. He surprised me by his answer. «My friend,» he said, «I don’t think. I know.»
«Really?» I said. You know why Charles Kent went to Fernly?»
«Yes, indeed, I know. I think you won’t understand it if I say that he went to Fernly because he was born in Kent?»
I was looking at him in great surprise. «Of course I don’t understand it,» I said.
«Never mind,» said Poirot. «It is just my little idea.»
5. Answer the questions: