Sugden said:
‘Naturally. It’s been present in my mind all along. If David Lee killed his father, I don’t think it was for money. And if he was the criminal it might explain the—well, the blood-letting!’
Poirot looked at him appreciatively.
‘Yes, I wondered when you would take that into consideration. So much blood—that is what Mrs Alfred said. It takes one back to ancient rituals—to blood sacrifice, to the anointing with the blood of the sacrifice…’
Sugden said, frowning:
‘You mean whoever did it was mad?’
‘Mon cher—there are all sorts of deep instincts in man of which he himself is unaware. The craving for blood—the demand for sacrifice!’
Sugden said doubtfully:
‘David Lee looks a quiet, harmless fellow.’
Poirot said:
‘You do not understand the psychology. David Lee is a man who lives in the past—a man in whom the memory of his mother is still very much alive. He kept away from his father for many years because he could not forgive his father’s treatment of his mother. He came here, let us suppose, to forgive. But he may not have been able to forgive…We do know one thing—that when David Lee stood by his father’s dead body, some part of him was appeased and satisfied. “The mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small.” Retribution! Payment! The wrong wiped out by expiation!’
Sugden gave a sudden shudder. He said:
‘Don’t talk like that, Mr Poirot. You give me quite a turn. It may be that it’s as you say. If so, Mrs David knows—and means to shield him all she knows how. I can imagine her doing that. On the other hand, I can’t imagine her being a murderess. She’s such a comfortable commonplace sort of woman.’
Poirot looked at him curiously.
‘So she strikes you like that?’ he murmured.
‘Well, yes—a homely body, if you know what I mean!’
‘Oh, I know what you mean perfectly!’
Sugden looked at him.
‘Come, now, Mr Poirot, you’ve got ideas about the case. Let’s have them.’
Poirot said slowly: ‘I have ideas, yes, but they are rather nebulous. Let me first hear your summing-up of the case.’
‘Well, it’s as I said—three possible motives: hate, gain, and this diamond complication. Take the facts chronologically.
‘3.30. Family gathering. Telephone conversation to lawyer overheard by all the family. Then the old man lets loose on his family, tells them where they all get off. They slink out like a lot of scared rabbits.’
‘Hilda Lee remained behind,’ said Poirot.
‘So she did. But not for long. Then about six Alfred has an interview with his father—unpleasant interview. Harry is to be reinstated. Alfred isn’t pleased. Alfred, of course, ought to be our principal suspect. He had by far the strongest motive. However, to get on, Harry comes along next. Is in boisterous spirits. Has got the old man just where he wants him. But before those two interviews Simeon Lee has discovered the loss of the diamonds and has telephoned to me. He doesn’t mention his loss to either of his two sons. Why? In my opinion because he was quite sure neither of them had anything to do with it. Neither of them were under suspicion. I believe, as I’ve said all along, that the old man suspected Horbury and one other person. And I’m pretty sure of what he meant to do. Remember, he said definitely he didn’t want anyone to come and sit with him that evening. Why? Because he was preparing the way for two things: First, my visit; and second, the visit of that other suspected person. He did ask someone to come and see him immediately after dinner. Now who was that person likely to be? Might have been George Lee. Much more likely to have been his wife. And there’s another person who comes back into the picture here—Pilar Estravados. He’s shown her the diamonds. He’d told her their value. How do we know that girl isn’t a thief? Remember these mysterious hints about the disgraceful behaviour of her father. Perhaps he was a professional thief and finally went to prison for it.’
Poirot said slowly:
‘And so, as you say, Pilar Estravados comes back into the picture…’
‘Yes—as a thief. No other way. She may have lost her head when she was found out. She may have flown at her grandfather and attacked him.’
Poirot said slowly:
‘It is possible—yes…’
Superintendent Sugden looked at him keenly.