Cards on the Table Read Online Free PDF Page B

idea,” said Superintendent Battle stolidly.
    â€œWell, it might be so, of course,” said Dr. Roberts slowly.
    Superintendent Battle cleared his throat.
    â€œWell, I won’t keep you any longer, doctor. Thank you for your help. Perhaps you’ll leave your address.”
    â€œCertainly. 200 Gloucester Terrace, W. 2. Telephone No. Bayswater 23896.”
    â€œThank you. I may have to call upon you shortly.”
    â€œDelighted to see you anytime. Hope there won’t be too much in the papers. I don’t want my nervous patients upset.”
    Superintendent Battle looked round at Poirot.
    â€œExcuse me, M. Poirot. If you’d like to ask any questions, I’m sure the doctor wouldn’t mind.”
    â€œOf course not. Of course not. Great admirer of yours, M. Poirot. Little grey cells—order and method. I know all about it. I feel sure you’ll think of something most intriguing to ask me.”
    Hercule Poirot spread out his hands in his most foreign manner.
    â€œNo, no. I just like to get all the details clear in my mind. For instance, how many rubbers did you play?”
    â€œThree,” said Roberts promptly. “We’d got to one game all, in the fourth rubber, when you came in.”
    â€œAnd who played with who?”
    â€œFirst rubber, Despard and I against the ladies. They beat us, God bless ’em. Walk over; we never held a card.
    â€œSecond rubber, Miss Meredith and I against Despard and Mrs. Lorrimer. Third rubber, Mrs. Lorrimer and I against Miss Meredith and Despard. We cut each time, but it worked out like a pivot. Fourth rubber, Miss Meredith and I again.”
    â€œWho won and who lost?”
    â€œMrs. Lorrimer won every rubber. Miss Meredith won the first and lost the next two. I was a bit up and Miss Meredith and Despard must have been down.”
    Poirot said, smiling, “The good superintendent has asked youyour opinion of your companions as candidates for murder. I now ask you for your opinion of them as bridge players.”
    â€œMrs. Lorrimer’s first class,” Dr. Roberts replied promptly. “I’ll bet she makes a good income a year out of bridge. Despard’s a good player, too—what I call a sound player—longheaded chap. Miss Meredith you might describe as quite a safe player. She doesn’t make mistakes, but she isn’t brilliant.”
    â€œAnd you yourself, doctor?”
    Roberts’ eyes twinkled.
    â€œI overcall my hand a bit, or so they say. But I’ve always found it pays.”
    Poirot smiled.
    Dr. Roberts rose.
    â€œAnything more?”
    Poirot shook his head.
    â€œWell, goodnight, then. Goodnight, Mrs. Oliver. You ought to get some copy out of this. Better than your untraceable poisons, eh?”
    Dr. Roberts left the room, his bearing springy once more. Mrs. Oliver said bitterly as the door closed behind him:
    â€œCopy! Copy indeed! People are so unintelligent. I could invent a better murder any day than anything real . I’m never at a loss for a plot. And the people who read my books like untraceable poisons!”

Five
S ECOND M URDERER?
    M rs. Lorrimer came into the dining room like a gentlewoman. She looked a little pale, but composed.
    â€œI’m sorry to have to bother you,” Superintendent Battle began.
    â€œYou must do your duty, of course,” said Mrs. Lorrimer quietly. “It is, I agree, an unpleasant position in which to be placed, but there is no good shirking it. I quite realize that one of the four people in that room must be guilty. Naturally, I can’t expect you to take my word that I am not the person.”
    She accepted the chair that Colonel Race offered her and sat down opposite the superintendent. Her intelligent grey eyes met his. She waited attentively.
    â€œYou knew Mr. Shaitana well?” began the superintendent.
    â€œNot very well. I have known him over a period of some years, but never intimately.”
    â€œWhere