Chapter 24 Section 12

David Lee has kept his emotions in check.His demeanor was very calm--almost unnaturally calm.He came toward them, pulled up a chair and sat down, looking gravely and inquiringly at Colonel Johnson. The light illuminated a lock of hair on his forehead, framing his sensitive cheekbones.He looked very young, not at all the son of the wizened old man who died upstairs. "Ah, gentlemen," said he, "what can I tell you?" Colonel Johnson said: "I understand, Mr. Lee, that there was a sort of family meeting this afternoon in your father's room?" "There was, but it was very casual, I mean, it wasn't a formal family meeting."

"What happened there?" David Lee replied calmly: "My father is in a bad mood. He is an old man and disabled. Of course we should be considerate of him, but it seems that he called us here just to - um - make things difficult for us. vent his anger." "Can you remember what he said?" David said calmly, "It's all stupid stuff, he said we're useless - everybody is - there's no decent man in the family, he said Pilar - she's my Spanish niece - — one for both of us. He said—” David stopped. Poirot said, "Mr. Lee, please use the exact words, if possible."

Davy said awkwardly: "He's said something rather vulgar - said he wished he had better sons somewhere in the world - even if they were bastards..." His face showed disgust at what he was repeating.Superintendent Sugden looked up, suddenly alert, and leaning forward, said: "Did your father say anything in particular to your brother George Lee?" "To George? I don't remember. Oh, yes, I think he told him that he was going to cut his expenses in the future, and he would reduce his living expenses. George was very upset, and flushed like a turkey with anger, he said excitedly He couldn't possibly cope with less money, and my father calmly said he had to, saying he'd better have his wife save him money. It was a nasty sarcasm--George has always been the best budgeter The one who counts every penny. And Magdalen, I think, is the better spender—she's extravagant."

Poirot said: "So she was annoyed, too?" "Yes, besides that, he said some other very rude things - mentioned that she lived with a retired naval officer, he meant her father, of course, but it sounded warm. I don’t blame Magdalen, she’s blushing.” Poirot said: "Did your father mention his late wife—your mother?" Hot blood rushed to David's temples, his hands were tightly gripping the table in front of him, trembling slightly. He stammered, "Yes, he mentioned it, he insulted her." Colonel Johnson said: "What did he say?" David's tone was curt. He said, "I don't remember. I only mentioned some trivial things."

Poirot said softly: "Your mother has been dead for many years?" David said curtly: "I was a child when she died." "Her life here is—perhaps—not—happy?" David smiled contemptuously: "Who can be happy living with a man like my father? My mother was a saint, and she passed away with a broken heart." Poirot went on: "Perhaps your father felt sorry for her death?" David said hurriedly: “I don’t know, I left home.” He paused and continued: "You may not know that before I came back to see him this time, I hadn't seen my father for almost twenty years, so you have to understand, about his living habits, his enemies or It’s about how things have been going on here, I can’t give you too much information.”

Colonel Johnson asked: "Did you know that your father kept a lot of valuable diamonds in his bedroom safe?" David said uninterestedly, "Really? This thing seems silly." "Can you briefly recount your activities last night?" Johnson said. "My? Oh, I walked away from the table very quickly, I thought it was boring to sit around a table and drink wine. Besides, I could see that Alfred and Harry were about to start arguing." ...I hated watching people fight, so I just slipped out and went to the music room to play the piano." Poirot asked: "The music room is next to the drawing room, isn't it?"

"Yes, I played for a while—until—until it happened." "What the hell did you hear?" "Oh! There was a distant sound of furniture being overturned somewhere upstairs, followed by a terrible cry." He clenched his hand again: "Like a soul in hell. God, it's horrible!" "Are you alone in the music room?" Johnson said. "What? No, my wife, Hilda, was there too, she went through the parlour, and we—we went upstairs with the others." He added quickly and nervously, "You don't need me to... describe what I... what I saw there, do you?"

Colonel Johnson said: "Yes, there is no need, thank you, Mr. Lee, nothing else. I suppose you don't know who is trying to murder your father?" David Lee said without hesitation: "I think - a lot of people could be! I'm not sure who it would be." He hurried out, closing the door behind him heavily.