Chapter 21 Chapter 21 What Ronald Says

I find it difficult to understand Poirot's attitude.All this is indeed as he expected. On the way to Regent's Gate, he frowned and looked puzzled, ignoring Japp's self-admiration. With a final sigh, he stepped out of his thoughts. "Anyway," he whispered, "we can hear what he has to say." "If he's smart, he'll say things that don't say anything," said Japp. "There's a lot of people who hang themselves because they're too eager to tell themselves. Well, no one's gonna say we didn't warn them! Everything They are all aboveboard. The more guilty they are, the more they want to sing high-profile and make up some lies to deceive you. It never occurred to them to tell their lies to the lawyer first."

He sighed and said: "Lawyers and forensic doctors are the worst enemies of the police. Time and time again, I have made a clear case, but the forensic doctor has messed up because they always try to deceive us and achieve their goal of exonerating the murderer. But We have nothing to say about lawyers. They are scheming and they try to distort the truth because they are paid." We reached Regent's Gate and found the man we were looking for at home.The family is having lunch.Japp told the butler to speak to the Baron alone, and the butler let us into the study. After waiting a minute or two, the young man came to meet us.He had a relaxed smile on his face.But after glancing at us, his expression changed slightly.His lips were drawn tight.

"Hello, Mr Inspector," he said, "what's the matter?" Japp explained his visit in an orthodox police tone. "That's right, what's the matter?" Ronald said. He pulled up a chair, sat down, and took out his cigarette case. "Inspector, I think, I want to explain." "My lord, you are welcome to listen to me." "I mean, I'm so stupid. It's all the same thing, I guess I'm going to say. As the book's protagonist always likes to say, . There's no reason to be afraid of the truth.," Japp said nothing.His face remained expressionless.

"Sit down, please," continued the young man. "Your officers can sit down and take shorthand notes." I don't think Japp was used to an arrangement where everything was thought out for him.But Edgware's suggestion was adopted. "Speaking of it," said the young man, "I think I've been a little clever, and I guess my beautiful alibi blunders and vanishes. The Dorthamers, who were useful, are useless. Taxi driver, I guess. It's time to play." "We know all about your actions that night," said Japp expressionlessly. "I really admire Scotland Yard. But you know, if I really planned to do a murder, I wouldn't hire a taxi, drive all the way to the destination, and tell the guy to wait, have you? Thought of that? I think M. Poirot must have thought of it."

"Yes, I have thought of it," replied Poirot. "That wouldn't be premeditated murder. Put on a red moustache, a pair of horn-rimmed glasses, and ride down the next street to kill a guy, or take the subway—come on, come on, I don't want to go into details. What if I For a few thousand guineas, my lawyer can speak better than me. Of course, I can think of an answer. Crime is a sudden impulse. Like. I'm waiting in that car, blah, blah ...all of a sudden I had this thought, 'Now man, go for it.' "Well, I'm going to tell you the truth. I need money desperately. I think you should understand that. I have to get some money by the next day, or it's over. I tried to beg my uncle. He didn't Don't love me, but I think he should care about his reputation. Middle-aged men sometimes do. My uncle, however, is very modern and indifferent to his reputation.

"So—seems to be just laughing, bear it. I'm going to try borrowing from Dorthammer again, but I know it's hopeless. I can't marry his daughter either. She's too sensitive to want me .and later" ran into my cousin at the theater.I didn't always meet her, and when I lived at my uncle's, she was very nice to me.I couldn't help but tell her about me.And she'd heard some from her father, too.So she showed me her courage.She suggested that I take her jewelry.It was given to her by her mother. " He stopped Bianlai, and I felt a sincere emotion in his voice.Or else he had a talent for rhetoric beyond my estimation.

"Then—I'll take this good girl's offer. I can get all the money I need out of her jewels. I swear I'll pay her back, even if it's hard work. But the jewels At home in Regent's Gate. We decided it was best to get it right away. So we took a taxi. "We asked the driver to stop on the opposite side of the road, lest anyone hear the sound of the car stopping at the door. After Geraldine got out of the car and crossed the road, she had the key to the door with her. Come out to me. She didn't expect to meet anyone but the servant. Miss Carroll, my uncle's secretary, has gone to bed at half-past nine. My uncle, himself, is probably in the study.

"So Dana went. I was standing on the sidewalk smoking a cigarette. I looked into the house every now and then to see if she had come out. You may not believe what I'm about to say at this point, you don't believe it. There is A guy walked past me on the sidewalk. I turned to look at him. To my surprise he went up the steps and into door 17. At least I thought it was door 17. But of course I was nowhere near the house There was a distance. I was surprised for two reasons. One was that the man had the key in his hand, and the other was that I thought I knew him, like some famous movie star.

"I was surprised, so I decided to go in and see what happened. I happened to have the key to door 17 in my pocket. I thought I had lost it three years ago. But two or three days ago, I found it by accident. I was going to return it to him. My uncle, but I forgot about it as soon as the two had a heated argument. When I changed my clothes, I put it and other things in the pocket of the new clothes. "Told the driver to wait, I walked quickly across the road, settled on the 17th step, and opened the door with my key. The lobby was empty, and there was no sign that a visitor had just entered. I stood there looking around for a moment Then I approached the door of the study. I thought maybe that person was with my uncle in the study, so there would be faint voices, but I stood at the door of the study and heard nothing.

"I suddenly felt like I had done something really stupid. The man must have gone into another house, maybe the one next door. Regent's Gate was dimly lit at night. I felt like a fool. I don't know. That man. And here I am. What if my uncle comes out of the study suddenly and sees me? That's going to cause Geraldine trouble. It's going to be hard. It's because of that man's attitude Suspected that he was doing something he didn't want others to know. Fortunately, no one caught me. The sooner I get out, the better. "I tiptoed back to the front door when Geraldine came down the stairs with the jewelry in his hand.

"Of course, she was surprised to see me. I dragged her through the door and explained to her." He paused. "We hurried back to the theatre. The curtain had just been raised when we arrived. No one suspected we had left. It was a sweltering night and a lot of people were out to get some air." He stopped. "I know what you're going to say: 'Why didn't you tell us right away?' I'll tell you now: 'If you were clearly suspected of murder, you would easily admit that you were there the night of the murder. in a house?" "Frankly, I'm terrified! Geraldine and I would be in a lot of trouble if anyone believed us. We didn't murder, we didn't see anything, we didn't hear anything, obviously. Aunt Jane did it, I think." ...then why drag yourself in? I told you about the quarrel and my lack of money, I think you'll find out. If I kept everything secret, you would probably be more suspicious and probably check my alibi more carefully. That being the case, I might as well pretend a little more, and maybe fool you into thinking it's real. I know, the Dorthammers are sure I've been at Covent Garden. I was with my cousin for a while, They will never be surprised. And my cousin will say that I have been in the theater with her, and I have not left the place." "Miss Marsh agrees to this—to conceal it?" "Agreed. I got the news shortly, and I went to her and woke her up for safety, and don't say we were here last night. At the theater, we stayed together during the intermission. We were in A walk around the street, that's all. She understands and agrees." He paused again. "I know it's hard to say. But I'm telling the truth. I can show you the address, the name of the person I went to that morning with my cousin's jewellery. If you ask her, she'll Prove what I said." He leaned back in his chair and looked at Japp.Japp remained expressionless. "Lord Edgware, you say you think it was Jane Wilkinson who killed him?" "Yes. After hearing what the butler said, don't you think so?" "Then what happened to your bet with Miss Adams?" "Bet with Miss Adams? Carlotta Adams? What has she to do with it?" "You deny that you ever let her go to your uncle's one night to play the canister. Miss Wilkinson, and gave her ten thousand dollars?" Ronald stared in surprise. "Promise her ten thousand dollars? What nonsense! Someone must be teasing you. I can't afford ten thousand dollars. You think you got good evidence? It's just a joke. Did she say that? Oh shit The—I forgot, she's dead." Ronald stared at us blankly.He used to be full of joy.But now, his face is pale.There was fear in his eyes. "I don't understand this," he said. "I'm telling you the truth. I don't think you believe me—all of you." At this moment, to my surprise, Poirot stepped forward. "No," he said, "I trust you."